The fears of Hankiz Kurban and the Uighur diaspora

Turkish citizens disappear in Xinjiang ... and no one knows what to do

An Uyghur girl watches cartoon at a Uyghur restaurant’s family part.There is huge number of Uyghur community lives in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul.Thye opened their restaurants,butchers,phone stores around the district.
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Hankiz Kurban and her three siblings have not heard from their parents for more than a year now.

Ms Kurban's parents and her uncle who disappeared about the same time, are among dozens of Turkish citizens of Uighur descent to have gone missing in Xinjiang, China, over the past two years, a leading Uighur dissident claims.

“Around 65 Turkish citizens from Uighur descent are in jail or camps or missing in China since 2017,” Ismail Cengiz said.

“The Turkish authorities have contacted the Chinese and asked where they are. The Chinese say they will look for them but nothing happens.”

Mr Cengiz said the missing Turks had been in Xinjiang on business or to see relatives.

Speaking to The National in Zeytinburnu, a European district of Istanbul, Ms Kurban said her parents' disappearance had left her, her sister and two brothers to fend for themselves while coping with the anguish of not knowing what had happened to their parents.

“No one can understand the situation we are in,” she said. “We don’t have a family any more. We get psychological support but it doesn’t help.

"The doctor gives us medicine but it just makes us sleep. We don’t want to sleep, we want our family back.”

Ms Kurban said she was sent to hospital for six weeks because of the strain and broke off her engagement.

Her 18-year-old sister, the youngest of the siblings, failed her university entrance exam.

“My parents have been Turkish citizens for 40 years and me and my siblings were born in Istanbul,” she said.

The Uyghur activist open a stand to protest China and their missed ones on 58th Boulevard Street in Zeytinburnu.There is huge number of Uyghur community lives in Zeytinburnu district of Istanbul.Thye opened their restaurants,butchers,phone stores around the district.
The Uighur protest China's treatment of their community on 58th Boulevard Street in Zeytinburnu. Kerem Uzel for The National

“My father ran an import-export business and they were living between Istanbul and Urumqi.”

Ms Kurban said her parents believed their passports would protect them.

“My father said: We’re Turkish citizens, we’re not doing anything illegal, there’s nothing to worry about.”

The Turkish authorities have been unable to help.

“I’ve even been to Ankara to the president’s palace in the hope of speaking to him as he enters or leaves,” she said.

“I would beg him to listen to me and tell him about our situation. Nobody should go through something like this."