In this episode of Liminal News, I speak with Salih Hudayar, Foreign Minister of the East Turkistan Government in Exile, about China's mass detention system, the ongoing Uyghur genocide, and why East Turkistan has become one of the most advanced surveillance laboratories in the world. I've long known that the Uyghurs are a deeply oppressed people, often compared to Tibetans, but I realized I didn't fully understand the scale, history, or mechanisms of what's happening. This conversation felt like a necessary public service—to learn, to document, and to share what's largely being ignored. Salih walks me through the forgotten history of East Turkistan, including multiple declarations of independence before its occupation by the Chinese Communist Party in 1949. He explains how millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples have been subjected to DNA collection, biometric tracking, AI-powered monitoring, forced sterilization, mass internment camps, and the removal of children into state-run boarding schools.

One of the most disturbing themes we explore is how Western technology companies helped China develop and refine its surveillance infrastructure—systems that were tested on the Uyghurs and are now quietly reappearing in Western democracies. As Salih makes clear, East Turkistan wasn't just occupied; it was used as a testing ground for digital authoritarianism, with consequences that extend far beyond China's borders.

👤 Guest Bio: Salih Hudayar is the Foreign Minister of the East Turkistan Government in Exile and a leading international advocate for Uyghur human rights. He represents both the Government in Exile and the National Awakening Movement, working with policymakers, NGOs, and civil society groups worldwide to raise awareness about China's occupation of East Turkistan and the ongoing genocide against Uyghur and other Turkic peoples.

🔗https://x.com/SalihHudayar

🔗https://east-turkistan.net/

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