The Problem of Classifying Uyghurs as “Indigenous Peoples”

The UN General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) on September 13, 2007. One hundred forty-three countries voted in support of the UNDRIP, including China. By signing onto this declaration, China officially recognized indigenous peoples’ rights. In December 2008, the Uyghur Human Rights Project published a report defining Uyghurs as “indigenous peoples” to pressure China to guarantee Uyghurs’ rights and to expose China’s violations of UNDRIP concerning Uyghurs.¹ In 2010, the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) classified Uyghurs under the category of “ethnic minority and indigenous peoples.”² Since then, some scholars and journalists have also used the term “indigenous peoples” to identify Uyghurs. Moreover, “The Uyghur Tribunal” funded by World Uyghur Congress (WUC) has repeatedly used the term “indigenous peoples” when they refer to Uyghurs in their report.³ However, the term “indigenous peoples” and “indigenous to the land or country” are not political and legal equivalents. The former refers to specific populations native to their land and categorized in UN documents as entitled to certain rights, while the latter plainly refers to all peoples who are indigenous to their country or their land. These certain rights in the UNDRIP are restricted to the domestic structure of the State. Thus, the interchangeable use of these two terms in the case of Uyghurs not only causes confusion as to their national identity but also limits Uyghurs’ ability to advocate for their legal right to restore the independence of their illegally occupied country. Majority of global Uyghur communities are aware that their aspiration to regain their independence is extremely challenging and sounds idealistic. However, given the ongoing tragic atrocities faced by Uyghurs as a result of Chinese occupation and colonization, there are no alternative ways to preserve their existence as a nation and affirm Uyghur indigeneity to their homeland. They firmly believe that only Independence can be the last resort for Uyghurs facing China’s genocide. Therefore, Uyghurs strongly object to being classified as “indigenous peoples.” 

Download the Full Report Here   (updated: Jan 1, 2023)