Uyghur Activist Rahima Mahmut Highlights Parallels Between Uyghur Genocide and Balochistan Exploitation at BNM Conference

At the 5th Balochistan International Conference, Uyghur activist Rahima Mahmut highlighted the similarities between China's Uyghur genocide and the exploitation of Balochistan through CPEC. Mahmut emphasized the detrimental effects on local communities and called for unity among oppressed nations to combat these injustices.

At the 5th Balochistan International Conference organized by the Baloch National Movement (BNM), Rahima Mahmut, a prominent Uyghur human rights activist, spotlighted the ongoing struggles faced by both the Baloch and Uyghur populations. Mahmut drew critical parallels between China's genocide of the Uyghurs and the exploitation of Balochistan through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Opening with a poignant personal account, Mahmut said, 'There are striking similarities between the atrocities and tactics used by dictators and oppressors throughout history. I left my country in 2000 and have been in exile ever since.' She warned that CPEC, though praised for promoting economic development, has detrimental effects on local communities, exacerbating exploitation and environmental destruction in Balochistan for the benefit of China.

'CPEC has primarily served China's interests while plunging Pakistan into deeper economic dependence,' she stated, noting that regions like Balochistan remain impoverished despite their natural wealth. Mahmut also likened China's occupation of East Turkestan to Pakistan's colonization of Balochistan in the mid-20th century, highlighting how both regions suffer from exploitation by their central governments. She emphasized that the international community must not overlook these interconnected struggles and called for solidarity among oppressed nations in combating their common adversaries.

(With inputs from agencies.)