Uyghurs Democracy Thoughts

by M.H Uyghur

21.4.2018 Hyvinkää, Finland 

Really glad and excited to see my fellow Uyghurs start to debating about democracy. Debate is positive communication, it make people think, making thoughts: Great thought can be possibly the medication, that Uyghur need to take, so it will heal the pains.

Democracy comes from the Greek word “demos”, which means “people”, and “kratos” means “rules or power”, so democracy basically means “power of people”. It first started as a direct democracy in City States of Ancient Greece, about 2,500 years ago, in the city of Athens, people were directly tell their opinions and concerns to their rulers. In the Sparta, people were voted for rulers. But, slaves, minorities and others, were not granted citizenship, they were not have the same rights.


On 15 June 1215, king John of England signed the “Magna Carta Libertatum” (Medieval Latin for “the great charter of the liberties”), this was the milestone of new democracy. According to charter, everyone have to obey the law, including the king. Modern democracy mainly indirect democracy, which means people vote for their representatives, who will rule or decide the nations law and rules. Modern democracy divide power into three different branches; the legislative, executive and judiciary. This three working independently and keeps balances of the power.

Community is the combination of relationships between people, law, legislation and morality is tools, which serves for running the community. Question about nationhood comes to my mind, what is it makes nation a country? Nationhood is the state of being an independent nation, large group of people, who belongs to mono or multi ethnicity, united and ruling a specific territory. It is not the geographical term, it is the authority and rules. By this meaning, nationhood requires ruling.

Our ancestors, were the nomadic tribes in Orkhon rivers, has voted their chief from the men, who has special ability to help, lead and protect their people. The chief don’t rule by his or her own, he or she gathers the elders of the community, in together they made decisions, which called Kurultay in Uyghur. This was the classic model of indirect democracy, it has continued among Uyghurs, before they have kings. The Uyghur kings rule the nation with similar models, until religious leader Apak Hoja in 19th century, invited the Qing (Chinese Empire) army, in order to help him to take over the Uyghur King. Since then, Uyghurs keep struggling for their nationhood, beginning of 20th century, twice they declared East Turkestan republic. The rulers of the republics was from multiethnic groups, e.g. president of the 2nd republic was ethnic Uzbek, Prime minister was Uyghur, Minister of Finance was Uyghur, two Vice-Ministers of Defense was ethnic Kazakh and Kyrgyz. The republics didn’t use the democratic structure or government system. But in the beginning of the rebellion, many leaders actually established their authority from Mashrep, is Kurultay like gathering, mainly entertainment purpose.

Prime Minister of 2nd Republic Ehmetjan_Qasimi

Late grandfather used to doing things orderly, no matter what he does, he must arrange the necessary tools in advance. Once he bought some coals for winter, I was old enough to help, he taught me how to work orderly, we’ve moved the coals for storage, orderly and according to size. Because of the grandfathers management, it was so easy to find the right size and amount of coal from the store. I noticed our neighbors, I remember they coughed when they are taking coals, because of the dust came from diggings chunks. I think difference between political systems, like democracy and other, are same as digging coal from my grandfather’s store or neighbors. Life continues both in North Korea, or Saudi or in Europe, difference are safety, freedom and happiness that people enjoying. In one system people are slaves or leaders, in the other are voter of rulers.

Many Uyghurs doesn’t understand democracy, it is understandable, because they had never lived in democracy. This makes me remember my blind friend in Turpan, he is a singer and comedian. Once he asked me what is blue, I know he was kidding, he was born blind, so he had never seen the sky. Those people who against and condemn democracy, are infected the “ideology flue”, which created by specific ruler in specific countries, they put the “religion mask” on their “ideology”, in fact it has nothing to do with religion, it serve for those rulers keep in power.

kurultay or toy
Kurultay (Toy)

Really glad to see Uyghurs start to debating, change will not happen in a second, but I believe this will make them think, thinking is factory of thought. It is not difficult to see, Uyghurs want independence, they want to established their own nation. Maybe this desire will baptize them with fire of war; beside almighty God, nobody knows the outcome, maybe they will smelted into steel or burned to ash. Everything is on God’s hand, Lord almight knows the best and His wills will done. I pray the best for my kin, personally hope my people will root back to their ancestors, rule themselves in justice with the Kurultay.

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