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The '''Uighur''' ([[Simplified Chinese|Simplified]]: 伟哥尔; [[Traditional Chinese|Traditional]]: 偉哥爾; [[Hanyu pinyin]]: Wèi gē èr) (pronounced wē-gu̇r) ethnic group is a [[Turkic]] ethnic group originally from [[East Turkestan]], currently under Chinese occupation. They number around 8.4 million people in addition to expatriates. The Uighurs practice [[Islam]].  

The '''Uighur''' ([[Simplified Chinese|Simplified]]: 伟哥尔; [[Traditional Chinese|Traditional]]: 偉哥爾; [[Hanyu pinyin]]: Wèi gē èr) (pronounced wē-gu̇r) ethnic group is a [[Turkic]] ethnic group originally from [[East Turkestan]], currently under Chinese occupation. They number around 8.4 million people in addition to expatriates. The Uighurs practice [[Islam]].  

==History==

==History==

The term "Uighur" was revived by the Soviets in the 1920s. At the 1921 Tashkent conference the term "Uighur" was not used as an ethnic designation but as an umbrella term for various peoples with family roots in Eastern Turkestan. It was not until several years later that the term took its place beside other ethnonyms in the Soviet Union, provoking debate and opposition in the Soviet Uighur press. In the late 20th century; nationalists portray their 21st century identity community as the legatee of the Uighur heritage.  

The term "Uighur" was revived by the Soviets in the 1920s. At the 1921 Tashkent conference the term "Uighur" was not used as an ethnic designation but as an umbrella term for various peoples with family roots in Eastern Turkestan. It was not until several years later that the term took its place beside other ethnonyms in the Soviet Union, provoking debate and opposition in the Soviet Uighur press. In the late 20th century; nationalists portray their 21st century identity community as the legatee of the Uighur heritage.  

==In Kazakhstan==

===2009 massacres===

Many live in eastern Kazakhstan's Ili River valley. They are divided into two groups based on the time period of their immigration to Kazakhstan. Beginning in the 1880s the older group, called the Yärkik', or locals, fled to Kazakhstan to escape China's Qing dynasty. The second group moved to the USSR in the 1950s and 1960s and is known as the Khitailiq, or "those from China." A number of Khitailiq entered in 1962, when the USSR opened its borders at the Khorgos Pass to allow minorities from China to cross into Soviet territory. Initially, there were strong cultural differences between the two groups, but over time the differences decreased, although the Khitailiq had more ties to Uighurs in China than did the Yärkik'.

In July 2009 large scale rioting erupted as Uighurs fought Chinese riot police in major cities in China's western Xinjiang province. Over 150 people are dead.  Chinese officials blamed Rebiya Kadeer, a Uighur businesswoman who was jailed for years in China before being released into exile in the US where she now heads the World Uighur Congress, for "masterminding" the unrest.<ref>See [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/07/world/asia/07kadeer.html?ref=world Wrik Eckholm, "China Points to Another Leader in Exile," ''New York Times'' July 6, 2009]</ref>  Exiled Uighurs blame Chinese repression.  Uighurs are angry at political, cultural and religious persecution as well as the growing presence in the region of Han Chinese - China's main ethnic group. Han now predominate in the cities, and Uighurs in the countryside. This is the first major violent unrest in China in two decades.

 

Unrest in Ürümqi, Xinjiang has led to the disappearance of 10,000 Uighurs in one night by Chinese authorities. Exiled dissident Rebiya Kadeer and the World Uighur Congress urge the international community to provide support for those missing. "Where have they gone? If they are dead, where are they now?" Also, they are blaming the [[United States]] government for keeping silent on the issue.<ref>[http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=19981 10,000 Uighur disappear in China, U.S. silent Spero News, July 29, 2009]</ref>

==Current tensions in China==

==Current tensions in China==

Four inmates have been transferred to [[Bermuda]]. The rest will likely be relocated to the island of [[Palau]].<ref>http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1683165</ref>

Four inmates have been transferred to [[Bermuda]]. The rest will likely be relocated to the island of [[Palau]].<ref>http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=1683165</ref>

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==