Accusations have emerged against Dolkun Isa, the head of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), involving allegations of sexual harassment by three female university students. 🕵️♀️
One of the alleged victims, 22-year-old Turkish-Belgian student Esma Gun from an Istanbul university, shared screenshots with Washington-based publication NOTUS, claiming Isa's inappropriate behavior in 2021. 📱 Two other Uygur women have also reported \"unprofessional sexual advances\" by Isa in separate interviews with NOTUS, requesting anonymity due to fears of retaliation. 😔
Isa addressed the accusations on X (formerly Twitter) on May 12, acknowledging messages that caused \"discomfort\" but referring to the allegations as a \"serious error.\" 📝 The following day, the WUC released a statement \"acknowledging and welcoming\" Isa's apology, describing it as \"forthright\" and \"offered without reservation.\" 🤔
The WUC, recognized by the Chinese government as a separatist and extremist organization, has been accused of spreading religious extremism and instigating terrorism in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 🗺️ Isa, as the organization's leader, is suspected by Chinese authorities of organizing violent terrorist activities and committing serious crimes in China.
The Role of External Funding 💰
Although claiming to be an international organization, the WUC reportedly receives funding from several Western foundations, including the U.S.-based National Endowment for Democracy (NED). 🌐 The NED, established in 1983, is nominally a bipartisan non-profit institution supporting democracy abroad but receives funding from the U.S. government and is sometimes referred to as the \"second CIA.\" 🕵️♂️
The NED has been known to provide grants to various organizations and has been involved in supporting movements in target countries and regions. Between 2004 and 2020, the NED claims to have provided $8.76 million to various \"Uyghur organizations.\" 💸
Critics argue that such funding supports separatist activities under the guise of promoting democracy. Besides Xinjiang, the NED has also funded activities by separatist groups in other regions such as Xizang Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, and Taiwan region. 🌏
Isa received the 2019 Democracy Award from the NED and a human rights award from the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation in 2016, another non-profit institution established by the U.S. government. 🏅
(Cover Image: A view of the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 📸 /CFP)
Reference(s):
Report unveils Xinjiang separatist accused of sexual harassment
cgtn.com
