Former World Uyghur Congress chief Dolkun Isa participates in Bern Massacre anniversary event in Oslo

Isa wrote on X: "On the 35th anniversary of the Barin Massacre, I joined the protest in front of the Norwegian Parliament in Oslo."

He further said: "35 years ago today, the Chinese government killed thousands of Uyghurs—men, women, and children—who were demanding freedom. This marked the beginning of a genocide that continues to this day. We urge humanity and the world not to remain silent in the face of this ongoing atrocity."

Remembering the Baren Uprising

The Baren Uprising was one of the earliest signs of widespread Uyghur resistance to the Chinese government’s escalating repression. On April 5, 1990, approximately 200 Uyghurs marched to the local government office in Baren, Akto County, to protest against the Chinese authorities’ policies of political, religious, and cultural oppression.

The demonstrations were triggered by growing anger over forced abortions and sterilisations imposed on Uyghur women, part of China’s broader efforts to control and suppress the Uyghur population.

In response, the Chinese government launched a violent military crackdown, reportedly deploying over 18,000 troops to suppress the protest in a town that had only 19,000 residents at the time.

Over the following days, thousands of Uyghurs were massacred in what became a chilling precedent for future Chinese state violence in East Turkistan. To this day, no independent investigation has been conducted into the deaths of those who perished.

The Baren Uprising was not an isolated incident—it was a warning of the Chinese government’s increasing brutality against the Uyghur people.