Taipei Times
Date: Jan 25, 2017
By: Chen Wei-han / Staff reporter
World Uyghur Congress president Rebiya Kadeer has accepted an invitation from the Taiwan Solidarity
Left to right, Japan Uyghur Association president Ilham Mahmut, Taiwan Solidarity Union (TSU) Chairman Liu I-te and TSU social movements department director Chang Chao-lin display correspondence related to the party’s invitation to World Uyghur Congress president Rebiya Kadeer in Taipei yesterday. Photo: Liao Chen-huei, Taipei Times
Union (TSU) to visit Taiwan at the end of March, which would be the activist’s first visit to the nation.
The visit, if approved, would see Kadeer hold talks with Taiwanese activists and politicians about human rights, self-determination and independence.
In a video played at a news conference in Taipei yesterday, Kadeer expressed a deep interest in visiting Taiwan, and connecting with local activists and politicians, urging the government to give the green light to her visit.
“Taiwan is in unity with East Turkestan, Tibet and Southern Mongolia. We have to help each other, and exchange opinions and experiences at all times,” Kadeer said. “We support all the movements you launch in the name of freedom and we also need your support.”
She congratulated President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on her election victory last year and expressed support for Tsai’s administration.
Japan Uyghur Association president Ilham Mahmut said Kadeer had long been planning to visit Taiwan, but the administration of former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) denied her entry in 2009, even though Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chu (陳菊) had helped file a visa application for Kadeer’s participation at a film festival. [FULL STORY]
