The city of Ghulja, East Turkestan (officially called Yining, Xinjiang by China), became a battleground on February 5, 1997. Thousands of peaceful Uyghur demonstrators took to the streets to demand justice, freedom, and an end to religious and cultural repression. The response? Brutal violence from Chinese security forces, mass arrests, and the cold-blooded killing of innocent people. Today, on its 28th anniversary, we remember the lives lost and the crimes the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has tried to erase from history. On that bitter winter morning, thousands of Uyghurs gathered in the streets of Ghulja, chanting for freedom and equal rights. The Chinese authorities had long been suffocating Uyghur culture—banning traditional meshrep gatherings and arresting religious leaders under fabricated charges of "separatism."

On February 5, 1997, the Chinese government unleashed brutal violence on peaceful Uyghur demonstrators in the city of Ghulja (Yining), East Turkestan (Xinjiang). What began as a non-violent protest for equal rights, religious freedom, and an end to racial discrimination quickly turned into one of the bloodiest crackdowns on Uyghurs in modern history.

On January 17, 2025, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested Yuanqing Deng, a Chinese software engineer, along with two Filipino associates, Ronel Jojo Besa and Jayson Amado Fernandez. The trio was allegedly conducting unauthorized surveillance across Metro Manila and the greater Luzon area. The operation included the collection of detailed images of terrains and structures without government authorization, raising red flags about potential threats to national security.

In a chilling display of repression, Chinese authorities in Ponkor Village, Golog, have arrested over twenty Tibetans, including renowned Tibetan language activist Khenpo Tenpa Dhargye. Among those detained, Gonpo Namgyal, a respected village leader, died after suffering brutal torture involving beatings and electrocution. His death has sparked outrage and deep concern for the safety of the other detainees.

Recent reports highlight a significant escalation in China's control over Larung Gar Buddhist Academy, the world’s largest Tibetan Buddhist study center located in Serthar County, within Tibet’s traditional Kham province, now part of Sichuan Province. Around 400 military personnel and helicopter surveillance were deployed on December 20, 2024, signaling heightened state control over this iconic site.