Mamtimin Ala
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Mamtimin Ala | |
|---|---|
| مەمتىمىن ئەلا | |
 Ala in 2023 | |
 5th president of the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile | |
| Assumed office 12 November 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Ghulam Osman Yaghma |
| President of the Australian Uyghur Association | |
| In office November 2012 – November 2018 | |
| Vice President of the World Uyghur Congress | |
| In office May 2012 – July 2016 | |
| General Secretary of the Australian Uyghur Association | |
| In office November 2008 – November 2012 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 November 1971 |
| Education | KU Leuven (PhD) |
| Occupation | Independence leader, politician, philosopher, and writer |
Mamtimin Ala (Uyghur: مەمتىمىن ئەلا; born in Artush) is an Australian Uyghur politician and independence leader who has been the president of the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile since November 2023. An advocate for Uyghur rights and the East Turkestan independence movement, Ala has held leadership roles in Uyghur diaspora organizations, testified before international bodies, and authored works reflecting on the persecution of Uyghurs in China through philosophical and psychological lenses. His advocacy emphasizes decolonization, cultural preservation, and global recognition of Chinese policies in the region as colonial and genocidal.
Mamtimin Ala was born in Artush (Atush), Xinjiang (referred to as East Turkistan by Ala and many Uyghur activists). He received a Ph.D. in philosophy with magna cum laude honors from KU Leuven.[1]
In August 2008, while on holiday in Australia as a PhD student in Belgium, Ala sought political asylum after his mother was placed under house arrest.[2]
Political leadership and advocacy
Ala's political career and advocacy for Uyghur rights began after his relocation to Australia in 2008. He served as General Secretary of the Australian Uyghur Association (AUA) from November 2008 to November 2012.[3] In this role, he advocated for Australia to resettle 17 Uyghur detainees from Guantanamo Bay who had been cleared for release, arguing that Australia, as an active participant in the war on terror, shared responsibility for the "remnants or debris" of that conflict. He noted China's aggressive efforts to persuade Australia against accepting them and emphasized Australia's moral obligation, given its large Uyghur community.[4]
Ala also organized protests in Sydney against Chinese actions in Urumqi following the July 2009 Urumqi riots, which resulted in at least 156 deaths, numerous injuries, and over 1,000 arrests of Uyghurs. On July 8, 2009, he participated in a rally outside the Chinese consulate in Sydney, where protesters chanted for freedom and justice for Uighurs. Ala stated that about 2000 Uighurs lived in Australia and urged the Australian Government to put diplomatic pressure on China to exercise maximum restraint and handle the problem in a more rational, moral, and legal way.[5][6]
In February 2012, Ala testified before the Australian Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade's Subcommittee on Human Rights, providing evidence on the human rights situation of Uyghurs in East Turkistan, including post-2009 Urumqi events and policies affecting Uyghur children.[7] He also participated in a hearing by the Australian Federal Parliament's Human Rights Commission on Uyghur human rights issues, aiming to inform the Australia-China human rights dialogue.[8]
From May 2012 to July 2016, Ala served as Vice President of the World Uyghur Congress (WUC), focusing on global Uyghur issues, including recognition in the Islamic world and human rights. [citation needed]
Ala served as President of the AUA from November 2012 to November 2018, following the organization's elections, and had previously held the role in an earlier term. In this capacity, he organized conferences, published articles, and supported Uyghur individuals internationally. In November 2016, he was re-elected as President of the AUA.[9] In July 2018, Ala chaired the opening session of the "Uyghur Intellectuals Forum" at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where Uyghur intellectuals from various countries discussed strategies to address the situation in East Turkistan.[10]
In September 2018, as President of the AUA, Ala urged the Australian government to consider sanctions against China over the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, where the UN estimated up to 1 million were held in detention centers. He described the communication blackout and psychological pressure on the Uyghur diaspora.[11][12]