Umarjan Stik, Deputy Chairman of Turpan Literature and Arts Federation

Recently when I heard about the slanderous remarks of Mr. Hypocrisy Pompeo about Xinjiang and Uyghur people, I was very angry. Disregarding basic facts, Pompeo smeared and defamed Xinjiang deliberately without any basic knowledge of the realities of Xinjiang or the real lives of people here. His ugliness and hideous intention were all too clear. Now let me tell you, Mr. LIAR Pompeo about the truth of Xinjiang.

Born and bred in Turpan, Xinjiang, I witnessed rapid changes of my hometown during my 50-year life experiences, including rapid economic growth, substantial improvements on people’s living standards, continuous progress in various social causes, the preservation of ethnic cultures, the upholding of equality and unity among all ethnic groups, the protection of civic religious freedom and maintenance of national reunification and social stability. In my 30-year career in the field of media, literature and arts, I also witnessed the development of ethnic minority education as a national priority with preferential policies and the preservation of a host of Xinjiang ethnic minority folk dance pieces such as Uyghur Twelve Muqam via establishment of art performance troupes and foundation of arts colleges and research institutes. Besides, I also bear witness to harmonious ethnic relations featured with mutual respect, trust and improvement.

As for my professional expertise and career, thanks to the cultivation of the Communist Party and government, I was commissioned as a leading official in arts and literature department. Passionate for the cause of arts and literature, I have long embarked on literary creation in my mother tongue Uyghur and had quite a few works published on various journals. Recently, my Uyghur work Patriotism Echoed All across My Motherland was published and released by Xinjiang People’s Press. In addition, I am also serving as the chief editor of the Uyghur magazine Turpan affiliated with Turpan Literary and Arts Federation. This magazine is publicly released at home and abroad, winning wide accolade among readers. There are also key journals like Ethnic Literature sponsored by China Writers Association and Tarim, Heritage and Arts in Xinjiang published by Xinjiang Literature and Arts Federation, all of which are journals in Uyghur. Many Uyghur writers use their native language for literary creation and their works are subsidized by national funds for publication. The government also provides opportunities for ethnic minority literary artists to study in hinterland provinces and cities. As one of the participants, witnesses and beneficiaries of these preferential policies, I witnessed how our nation spared no efforts to offer preferential policies, provide substantial financial support and allocate huge human resources to back up the development of ethnic minority cultures and literature.

Pompeo’s alleged “Uyghur people and Uyghur culture are suffering from oppression” is a palpable lie, completely groundless and nonsensical. On the contrary, we are living in the happiest epoch in which our literature and arts are flourishing and enjoying peace and freedom.