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Rushan Abbas

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Rushan Abbas
Born (1967-06-14) June 14, 1967 (age 57)
Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China
NationalityUnited States
Alma materXinjiang University
Washington State University
OccupationPolitical activist
Years active1985–present
Known forOne of the leading voices for the Uyghur advocacy work

Founder and Executive Director of Campaign for Uyghurs (CFU)

Vice-President of the Students’ Science and Culture Union (1987 in Xinjiang University)

The first Uyghur reporter at the Radio Free Asia Uyghur Service (1998-2000)

Translator and defense team member for the Uyghurs in Guantanamo Bay (2002 and 2006-2013)

Co-Founder and the Vice-President of the first Uyghur American organization in the United States (1993)

Two-terms Vice-President of the Uyghur American Association (in 2000 and 2006)
Spouse
​
(m. 2013)​
WebsiteCampaign For Uyghurs website

Rushan Abbas (Uyghur: روشەن ئابباس‎; Chinese: 茹仙·阿巴斯;[1] born June 14, 1967)[2] is an Uyghur American activist and advocate from East Turkistan, otherwise referred to by the Chinese government as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. She is the founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit, Campaign for Uyghurs. In 1993, Rushan Abbas both co-founded and ran the Uyghur Overseas Student[3] and Scholars Association as the first Vice-President. Moreover, she was elected as the Vice President of the Uyghur American Association for two terms.[3] By 1998, Radio Free Asia had launched a Uyghur Service where Ms. Abbas became the first Uyghur reporter broadcasting on East Turkistan.[4] Since 1990, Ms. Abbas has been a campaigner for the human rights of Uyghur people and worked with members of the U.S. Congress. In 2002, United States Department of Defense contractors hired Abbas as a translator for interrogators at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.[5] She left the base nine months later, when her assignment was done and returned in 2006 after she was contacted by defense attorneys who needed an interpreter for several Uyghur men.[5] While the attorneys worked on the Uyghur men’s release, Ms. Abbas assisted the US Department of Justice, State Department and US administration with their resettlement efforts of 22 Uyghurs from Guantanamo Bay starting from 2005 to 2013 to Albania, Sweden, Bermuda, Palau, Switzerland, El-Salvador, and Slovenia[6]. Ms. Abbas then established the Campaign for Uyghurs organization in September of 2017; a nonprofit which advocates for Uyghur human rights. Ms. Abbas organized the 'One Voice, One Step' march, which was done in protest of China’s persecution and imprisonment of 3 million Uyghurs. The march was global and took place in 14 countries and 18 cities.  

Early life

Born in Ürümqi in 1967, Abbas attended the Experiential High School (Urumqi Number 17th High school) and graduated in 1984. She then continued her studies and attended Xinjiang University from 1984 until 1988 and majored in Biology. During her time at university, Abbas was one of the co-organizers of the pro-democracy rallies and demonstrations in 1985 and 1988, which were done to protest China’s oppressive policies in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. In 1989 she came to the United States and attended Washington State University where she pursued studies in Plant Pathology. During her time in the United States, the became a U.S. citizen and remained within Uyghur-American community, continuing her advocacy work which she has been actively doing since 1985. Since her move to the U.S., she has been a vocal activist and advocate for the human rights of Uyghurs.[7]

One Voice One Step Women's Movement

Ms. Abbas introduced and led the “One Voice One Step” Uyghur Women’s movement; an organized demonstration which took place on March 15th, 2018, in 14 countries and 18 cities on the same day to protest China’s detention of millions of Uyghurs in concentration camps.The countries the One Voice One Step protests were held in the USA, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Turkey, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, France, Finland and Japan.[8]

Hudson Institute Panel Discussion and Family Arrest

On September 05, 2018, Rushan Abbas participates on a panel discussion named “China's “War on Terrorism” and the Xinjiang Emergency”.[9] Abbas talked about the fate of her in-laws and conditions of China’s camps.  Six days later, Abbas’s sister and aunt both detained by the Chinese government as retaliation for her speech at Hudson Institute.[10]

Advocacy Work After Sister Being Held Hostage

Ms. Abbas believes that her sister is being held as hostage as retaliation for her activism in the United States[11][12]. She quit her regular job and became a full-time activist on the one year anniversary date of her sister’s abduction[13][14]. Abbas has been advocating for Uyghur people’s rights traveling around the world, speaking publicly.[15]

Attending the US President's State Of The Union Speech

Ms. Abbas was invited to attend the U.S. President’s State of the Union Speech as Senator Marco Rubio’s guest on February 4th, 2020.[11]

China's Accusation

Articles published by the Global Times, a daily tabloid newspaper under the auspices of the Chinese Communist Party's claims that Rushan Abbas is a member of an East Turkistan separatist group. With her supposed agenda of tainting the “CCP’s policy in the Xinjiang region,” Abbas was condemned for stealing photos and information of Uyghurs and falsely claiming them to be her missing family members. This is referring to her demands on the CCP releasing her sister Dr. Gulshan Abbas[13], who has been missing since the 11th of September, 2018.

Testimonies and Presentations

U.S. Senate Foreign relations Committee, Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy on April 09, 019 ARIA in Action, Part 1: Human Rights, Democracy, and the Rule of Law | United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

US House of representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (Committee on Oversight and Reform) Joint Hearing: “Ending Global Religious Persecution.” On January 27th, 2020 “Ending Global Religious Persecution.” | Committee Repository | U.S. House of Representatives

US Congressional Executive Committee on China, Roundtable on “Global Supply Chains, Forced Labor, and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region” on March 11, 2020 Global Supply Chains, Forced Labor, and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region | Congressional-Executive Commission on China

US Ways and Means Committee and Trade Subcommittee (116th Congress) Hearing on “Enforcing the Ban on Imports Produced by Forced Labor in Xinjiang” on September 17th, 2020.

See Also

References

  1. ^ 美媒揭“世维会”背后反华势力：由美国资助和指挥的“分离主义网络”.
  2. ^ https://www.humanrightscentre.org/modern-orwellism-and-chinese-re-education-camps-uyghurs-interview-leading-uyghur-activist-ms-rushan
  3. ^ a b Respinti, Marco (2019-01-08). "The Other 9/11 of Rushan Abbas". bitterwinter.org. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  4. ^ "The Plight of the Uyghurs: Mass Internment in Western China". Princeton University. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  5. ^ a b "Uighurs' Translator Reflects On Their Odyssey". NPR. June 16, 2009. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  6. ^ "FRONTLINE/World | Albania: Getting out of Gitmo | Reporter's Diary | PBS". www.pbs.org. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  7. ^ Abbas, Rushan. "I've fought China's slow-motion genocide of Uighur Muslims. Now, my family are victims". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  8. ^ "One Voice, One Step Initiative Demands Human Rights and Justice for Uyghur People | Uyghur American Association". uyghuramerican.org. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  9. ^ "Events - China's "War on Terrorism" and the Xinjiang Emergency - September - 2018 - Hudson Institute". www.hudson.org. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  10. ^ Wong, Edward (2018-10-18). "Uighur Americans Speak Against China's Internment Camps. Their Relatives Disappear". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  11. ^ a b "Rubio to Host Uyghur Human Rights Activist and Florida's Lt. Governor as His Guests for State of the Union". U.S. Senator for Florida, Marco Rubio. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  12. ^ "'Chinese government cannot silence me': Uighur activist speaks out and asks Australians for support". SBS News. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  13. ^ a b Respinti, Marco (2019-09-13). "The Emblematic Case of Dr. Gulshan Abbas One Year Later". bitterwinter.org. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
  14. ^ "Gulshan Abbas, Sister of Uyghur Activist in Exile, Confirmed Detained After Missing for 21 Months". Radio Free Asia. Retrieved 2020-12-15.
  15. ^ "Amerika Haus: Rushan Abbas About Concentration Camps in Xinjiang, China". Vindobona.org | Vienna International News. Retrieved 2020-04-17.
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