WUC President Alawdun: 'Scholz restricts Germany's power to act'

Mr Alawdun, as President of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), you are exposed to slander and threats. Why did you stand for election anyway?

I am a founding member of the World Uyghur Congress and have been committed to the interests of the Uyghurs for even longer. I am used to transnational repression by China. Moreover, I am a German citizen, I live on the foundations of a liberal basic order. And I trust in the support of Uyghur allies around the world. However, the intensity of the repression has increased since my candidature.

Your family members in Xinjiang are feeling the consequences of your presidency.

My siblings are being used to put pressure on me. The police have already visited one brother and one sister in Xinjiang. Through my sister in Norway and my brother in Turkey, I have received lucrative offers to give up my election in exchange for a lot of money. Otherwise, I was threatened with consequences.

At the recent UN General Assembly, 15 democratic states – including Germany – called for the release of arbitrarily detained Tibetans and Uyghurs. Is this the support from your allies worldwide that you spoke of?

It is one important aspect. Laws or sanctions against China are other effective measures, especially at a time when China's influence on Western countries has grown considerably. We appreciate that.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced his intention to abolish the German Supply Chain Act by Christmas. That does not look like support.

It sends out a terrible signal that goes in the completely wrong direction and is contrary to the German government's critical China strategy. It increases Germany's dependence on China. Beijing is mocking that it can pull Germany around the ring by the nose if it flexes its economic muscles a little. In this respect, the decision restricts Germany's power to act. This is a devastating step for German interests.

Don't you agree when a country does not unconditionally jeopardize its national interests for the well-being of a few million Uyghurs?

It is not surprising that countries are driven by their own interests. But this isn't just about a bit of morality and ethics. Anyone who stands up to China in its treatment of the Uyghurs or other minorities is also defending their own interests. The world sees China's true face. And it will always show this face when it stands to benefit from it, not just in its own country, but all over the world. Those who do not nip this in the bud are committing gross negligence. After all, China will also export its oppressive policies overseas.

Many Muslim states are not automatically supporters of the Uyghur cause.

We very much regret that. We have a lot of work ahead of us.

You once studied law and Islamic studies in Cairo and are authorized to preach as an imam to devout Muslims. This profile could prove helpful to you. In which Muslim countries do you see the potential to raise more support?

In Southeast Asia, we are thinking primarily of Malaysia and Indonesia, which are home to many Muslims. Some Gulf states are also not so dependent on China that they would have to categorically keep their mouths shut. There are also opportunities in some African countries, such as Gambia and Senegal.

The support of international academics is also helpful. The World Congress has alienated some sympathizers because it failed to adequately address the allegations of sexual harassment against ex-President Dolkun Isa.

In this case, we truly did not present a good picture. Our communication was poor, and we gave the impression that the WUC would simply tolerate sexual harassment.

And it doesn't?

No, on the contrary, we are looking into it. We have launched an independent investigation, which is still ongoing. Until then, the presumption of innocence applies. We are also working on a code of conduct and clarifying the point where sexual harassment begins. As an organization, we are completely inexperienced in this matter. But we have realized that we must also be more professional in this respect.

The damage is done.

On the one hand, many of the WUC's new appointments mean a rejuvenation of our organization, which has led to a greater awareness of the issue. On the other hand, the change also expresses our sincere will to improve. We take the blame, but we will not allow our work for the benefit of the Uyghurs to be discredited by people who use Chinese narratives.

Which narratives would that be?

That we are an organization that represents American interests and not the interests of the Uyghurs.

You are also accused that the WUC is not legitimized to speak for the Uyghurs.

We give all exiled Uyghurs a chance and invite them to become part of the WUC. We have also democratized our structures in recent years. There are now committees within the organization for various interest groups, such as youth and women, where the respective interests are generated and brought to the executive table. Take a look around the General Assembly. We have around 180 delegates from 27 countries. The numbers speak for themselves.

Turgunjan Alawdun is the newly elected President of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC). The WUC is an organization of exiled Uyghurs based in Germany. The association acts as an umbrella organization for numerous internationally active lobby and human rights groups with Uyghur interests.