Uyghur Exile Government Condemns ‘Propaganda Event’ Held in Australia

The East Turkistan Government in Exile (ETGE) has launched a sharp critique against what it alleges was a Chinese government-orchestrated propaganda event held in Melbourne, Australia earlier this month. The organization claims the April 9 gathering at Noble Park Community Centre misrepresented the reality faced by Uyghurs and other Turkic peoples in the Xinjiang region, which ETGE refers to as East Turkistan.

According to the ETGE, individuals who were “ethnically Chinese state proxies” posed as Uyghurs and other Turkic ethnic groups during the event. The organization alleges the performance was designed to create a false narrative that people from East Turkistan “live happily” under Chinese rule, contradicting widespread reports of human rights abuses in the region.

The ETGE claims the Chinese Consulate General in Melbourne directly organized and directed participants, who were presented to attendees as members of the “Xinjiang diaspora.” This characterization, they argue, was deliberately misleading and intended to counter international criticism of Beijing’s policies in Xinjiang, which numerous human rights organizations and several Western governments have described as constituting genocide.

The event was reportedly co-organized by two groups—the Australian Xinjiang Chinese Association and the Australian Xinjiang Seniors Association—which ETGE describes as proxy organizations established to promote Beijing’s official narrative abroad. Chinese Consul General Fang Xinwen attended the gathering and reportedly described the Xinjiang region as “prosperous” and “thriving.”

ETGE expressed particular concern regarding the attendance of several Australian public figures, including Labor Party Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Meng Heang Tak, Greater Dandenong Mayor Sophaneth Tan, and Mohamed Mohideen OAM, President of the Islamic Council of Victoria. Their presence, ETGE argues, provided unwarranted legitimacy to what it considers a propaganda operation.

The exile government’s statement highlighted the contrast between the cultural harmony portrayed at the Melbourne event and the reality on the ground in Xinjiang. They allege that Chinese authorities severely restrict religious practices such as Ramadan observance and engage in systematic human rights violations, including mass detentions and cultural suppression targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic communities.

ETGE President Mamtimin Ala condemned the event in strong terms, describing it as “state-sponsored racism and cultural appropriation.” The organization is calling on Australian authorities to prevent foreign governments from using democratic platforms to “whitewash” alleged human rights abuses.

The situation in Xinjiang has become a significant point of geopolitical tension in recent years. Independent investigators, journalists, and human rights organizations have documented extensive evidence of mass internment camps, forced labor, surveillance, and cultural suppression targeting Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in the region. The United States government and several legislative bodies worldwide have formally recognized these actions as genocide.

China has consistently denied these allegations, insisting that its policies in Xinjiang are necessary counter-terrorism measures and poverty alleviation programs. Beijing has worked to promote its narrative through various diplomatic and public relations channels worldwide.

The ETGE is now urging the Australian government to investigate the Melbourne event under laws relating to foreign interference and human rights violations. They have called for law enforcement and regulatory scrutiny and demanded diplomatic action against the Chinese Consul General.

Additionally, the organization has appealed to governments, civil society groups, and international institutions to condemn the event and support what they describe as the rights of Uyghur and other Turkic communities to self-determination and protection from human rights abuses.

As tensions continue over the situation in Xinjiang, this incident highlights the ongoing struggle over narrative control regarding one of the most contentious human rights issues on the global stage.