Inside the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile: A Global Voice for an Unrecognized Nation
Though not a recognized state, the ETGE operates like a democratic government. It has an elected President, Vice President, Prime Minister, and a Parliament made up of representatives from East Turkistani communities around the world. Elections are held every four years, giving diaspora communities a voice in their leadership. The ETGE's main goal is simple but ambitious: restore independence for East Turkistan. Along the way, they advocate for human rights, religious freedom, and democracy—values they believe are under threat in the region today.Why It Exists
Since China took control, East Turkistan has seen growing international concern over reports of human rights abuses, mass surveillance, and the detainment of over a million Uyghurs and other Muslims in camps. The ETGE works to bring attention to these issues and push for global support. It collaborates with Uyghur and East Turkistani organizations worldwide to raise awareness, gain support of governments, and keep the conversation going about what's happening in the region.The Bigger PictureThe ETGE may not hold territory, but it's a powerful symbol of resistance. It gives East Turkistanis a structured way to stay connected, stay visible, and work toward a free and democratic future.
As the global spotlight grows on China's policies in the region, the ETGE is making sure the world hears the voices of those who refuse to be forgotten.
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Hamilton Spectator
18 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
City fines Montreal church for hosting MAGA-affiliated singer Sean Feucht
MONTRÉAL - The City of Montreal has fined a local church for hosting a concert by the U.S.-based Christian musician Sean Feucht. Feucht's controversial views and his status as a rising star in the MAGA movement have led officials to cancel his concerts in several Canadian cities in recent days. But on Friday evening, an evangelical church in Montreal allowed Feucht to perform a hastily scheduled concert over the objections of the city administration, and is now facing a $2,500 fine. A spokesperson for Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said the Ministerios Restauración Church in the city's Plateau-Mont-Royal borough did not have a permit to organize a concert, and had been informed that the event could not take place. 'This show runs counter to the values of inclusion, solidarity, and respect that are championed in Montreal. Freedom of expression is one of our fundamental values, but hateful and discriminatory speech is not acceptable in Montreal,' Philippe Massé said in a statement. 'A ticket was issued because the organization violated the regulations by going ahead with the show.' Protesters gathered outside the church during the concert Friday evening. Montreal police say they arrested a 38-year-old man for obstruction. They also say a smoke bomb was set off inside the church during Feucht's performance. Feucht reacted Saturday on social media to the events in Montreal, claiming that two smoke bombs were thrown at his head during the concert. 'Now you want (to) fine the church for doing what the church does - WORSHIP,' he said on X. 'Every Canadian should be embarrassed/concerned with this. No bigger scandal in Canada.' The church did not respond to requests for comment from The Canadian Press. Feucht was scheduled to perform east of Ottawa in Alfred, Ont. on Saturday afternoon, before moving on to the Toronto area on Sunday. The Christian singer describes himself as a musician, missionary, author and activist. He has spoken out against 'gender ideology,' abortion and the LGBTQ+ community, and his religious and political views have grabbed the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. The Atlantic magazine, based in Washington, D.C., recently described Feucht as a Christian nationalist who has become a 'MAGA superstar.' 'Between praising President Donald Trump as God's chosen one and suggesting that abortion supporters are 'demons,' Feucht has repeatedly advocated for the fusion of church and state,' the article says. Complaints from residents and planned protests have prompted officials to cancel all six of the concerts scheduled as part of the eastern Canadian leg of Feucht's 'Revive in 25' tour over the last week, forcing him to seek alternate venues. On Tuesday, Parks Canada announced it had revoked a permit for a performance scheduled at a national historic site in Halifax, citing 'heightened public safety concerns.' Concerts have since been cancelled in Charlottetown, Moncton, N.B., Quebec City, Gatineau, Que. and Vaughan, Ont. Feucht announced his Montreal concert venue on Thursday, after his planned Friday show in Quebec City was cancelled. A second spokesperson for Plante said the show was scheduled at the 'last minute without notice.' The singer says he's the victim of 'Christian persecution,' and is accusing Canada of tyranny and censorship. 'A couple crazy activists started raising up all of this ruckus across Canada, and one by one all of our permits were cancelled out of safety concerns,' he said in a social media video posted Friday night following the Montreal performance. 'Here we are in the middle of a firestorm.' Feucht still has a series of concerts scheduled in western Canada in August. On its Spanish-language website, the Ministerios Restauración Church says it has 700 congregants, 'whose lives have been restored and transformed by the work God does through our ministry.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2025.
CNN
2 days ago
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A prominent venture capitalist's Islamophobic posts stir outrage among Middle Eastern and Muslim tech founders
The Middle East Tech news Investing Corporate news FacebookTweetLink Some Muslim and Middle Eastern tech founders and leaders are among people protesting a prominent venture capitalist's recent comments blasting New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. They say when Sequoia Capital partner Shaun Maguire called Mamdani an 'Islamist' who 'comes from a culture that lies about everything' earlier this month, it shined a light on what they say is pervasive Islamophobia in their industry. Maguire earlier this month made those statements – which had 5.6 million views on X, as of July 23 – in reaction to a New York Times report that Mamdani marked his ethnicity as both 'Asian' and 'Black or African American' on his 2009 application to Columbia University. Maguire has since continued to double down on social media, posting that Mamdani defends terrorists, raising inflammatory claims about his father, and claiming that both of them are 'so excited' for a third Intifada. CNN has reached out to Mahmood Mamdani, Zohran Mamdani's father. Maguire's initial remarks on July 4 immediately drew backlash from the tech community as well as supporters of Mamdani. More than 1,100 people have signed an open letter to Sequoia on July 9 condemning Maguire's comments and demanding the venture capital firm apologize and take disciplinary action against him. The signatories list includes the names of startup founders and other business figures across the world, although CNN could not independently verify the signatures. Maguire's comments 'struck a chord with a lot of people, just because of the fact that he wasn't at some no-name shop. It was Sequoia,' said Hosam Arab, co-founder and CEO of Gulf fintech company Tabby, who signed the letter about Maguire. Arab's company raised money from Sequoia Capital's India business before Sequoia split off that arm of its business in 2024. Maguire is not the only one in the VC space to hold those views, but 'he was probably the loudest, most vocal, most consistent,' added Arab. When asked for comment, Maguire directed CNN to a 30-minute follow-up video in which he said that Islamists only made up a small fraction of Muslims and that he was 'very, very sorry' to any Indians or Muslims who aren't Islamists. 'This tweet did not land the way I thought it would. What I was trying to do is associate Zohran with an ideology that I think he has that is beyond just socialism,' he said. Sequoia has not responded to CNN's requests for comment. Mamdani, who would be the city's first Muslim mayor if elected, did not respond to requests for comment. Sequoia Capital is one of the most esteemed venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, managing around $56 billion in assets as of January. Founded in 1972, it has a remarkable track record of early investments in globally successful companies including Apple, Google, Nvidia and many, many more. Although New York is far from Silicon Valley and even farther from the Middle East, startup founders in the Middle East have condemned Maguire's comments. The Middle East has become more and more intertwined with the global investing stage, especially with the deep pockets of sovereign wealth funds and family offices. Many companies in the region received funding from Sequoia's India branch, which had its own fund, though that was spun off last year. For example, Sequoia India made a $33 million investment in Saudi fintech Lean Technologies in 2022, and Egyptian consumer money app Telda also received seed funding from the firm. By contacting Sequoia's limited partners, the letter's supporters may try to hit the venture firm where it hurts: its purse strings. In an update to the letter, the signatories said if Sequoia did not publicly condemn Maguire's remarks and launch an internal investigation into Maguire's conduct over the past two years, their next steps would be to contact Sequoia's limited partners – passive investors who provide capital to a fund but aren't involved in managing or decision-making. One Middle Eastern founder confirmed they are reaching out to wealthy family offices and sovereign wealth funds, though Sequoia has not shared exactly what percentage of its reserves come from these funds. 'As founders building the future of technology, we cannot accept leadership from a firm whose partners engage in hate speech and spread bigotry,' the original letter said. In theory, startup founders could also refuse to accept any money from Sequoia. But that may prove far-fetched, particularly for startups that typically need a wide variety of funding sources. So far there's been no public action from any partners, and it appears unlikely that any of the letter's signees will make a significant dent in Sequoia's bottom line. 'There are many idiots saying a lot of stupid things online. We don't care. We don't want to tell anybody what to say or not to say,' said one founder who signed the letter who didn't want to be named because of concerns about repercussions to their business and who doesn't receive money from Sequoia and instead receives funding from other international firms. 'We don't have a political horse in this, and we are not part of New York.' By saying nothing and not publicly responding to measures recommended in their letter, the founder said, it seems that Sequoia is essentially signing off on that rhetoric. 'Anything short of these measures signals tacit acceptance of anti-Muslim hate and racism,' the letter said. 'As the leading venture firm that shapes the future of technology and entrepreneurship globally, Sequoia's response will define whether you stand on the side of inclusion or on the side of complicity.' Some of those Muslim and Middle East signees are criticizing Maguire's comments, and pointing out patterns in other major players in the finance and tech world who they say are Islamophobic and dehumanizing Palestinians, as Israel's war in Gaza has inflamed rhetoric toward Muslims and Arabs. 'He's clearly targeting certain Muslim figures, spending 30 minutes attempting to explain what his definition of Islam is,' one letter signee said, referencing Maguire's follow-up video. 'Come on, that should not be the stance of the premiere venture capital firm of the world.' There are 'people out there that genuinely have hatred towards our people in our community… what they say should not be just simply accepted as a matter of fact and part of our political discourse,' Abed Ayoub, national executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, told CNN. One founder, who signed the letter and wants to remain unnamed because of Maguire's threats toward his perceived 'enemies' on X, recalled how Sequoia had a reputation for investing in companies founded by immigrants, like Google's Sergey Brin, who was born in Moscow, and companies by other Indian immigrants. 'That's what we all as founders were looking up to – the American way of investing – which is kind of colorblind. And I think therefore this episode is even more shocking,' they said. Maguire has called video that appeared to show a dead child in Gaza a 'doll' on X, called the United Nations a 'terrorist organization' and reposted content from Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist who once described herself as a 'proud Islamophobe.' The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim advocacy group, said in a letter that Maguire's posting history on X, including ones before July 4, 'reflects a dangerous pattern of anti-Muslim hate speech.' The controversy comes in the shadow of Israel's war in Gaza, which people who signed the letter told CNN is the catalyst for a lot of Islamophobic rhetoric. Islamophobia has risen to 'alarming levels' across the world, including against Muslims, warned United Nations experts in March 2024. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said in its 2025 civil rights report that Islamophobia remains at record levels in the US. The group received 8,658 complaints in 2024 — the highest number ever recorded since its first civil rights report in 1996. The open letter to Sequoia also has signatures from non-Muslim Arabs and founders based in the United States. On July 9, Maguire posted to his 'enemies' that he is aware of their 'command structure' and that he is 'going to play nice for now, but am ready to embarrass any of you should you escalate.' Mamdani has come under fire from opponents for his stance on the Israel-Gaza war. Mamdani, for example, refused to condemn the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' during his primary campaign, saying although he would not use the phrase himself, he believes it's a rallying cry for Palestinian human rights. However, he recently told a group of New York City business leaders he would discourage use of the phrase, CNN reported Wednesday. On the campaign trail, Mamdani has expressed the impact of Islamophobic attacks and has said frequently there is no room for anti-Semitism in New York. 'I get messages that say the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim,' Mamdani said in June, adding that he is characterized by rivals 'as being a monster' with 'language that describes almost a barbarian looking to dismantle a civilization.' Still, Maguire has received some public support. On July 10, less than a week after Maguire's initial post, another Sequoia partner posted a lengthy statement in support of Maguire. 'Shaun is one of the few people with the courage and mental acuity to wade into these incredibly complex waters and attempt to provide clarity, fully knowing that the slightest misstatement will cause the extremists to pounce,' Pat Grady said. However, he also reiterated that he does 'not agree with everything my partners say' and that he supports the Muslim community. At the same time, another letter signed by prominent tech leaders defends Maguire against the backlash, this one with more than 1,400 signees. 'Whether one agrees with his views or not, his words were not hate speech - they were the reflections of a principled thinker and a partner to countless founders who span geographies, faiths, and political beliefs,' the letter said, adding the undersigned 'stand against ideological bullying.'
CNN
2 days ago
- CNN
A prominent venture capitalist's Islamophobic posts stir outrage among Middle Eastern and Muslim tech founders
Some Muslim and Middle Eastern tech founders and leaders are among people protesting a prominent venture capitalist's recent comments blasting New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. They say when Sequoia Capital partner Shaun Maguire called Mamdani an 'Islamist' who 'comes from a culture that lies about everything' earlier this month, it shined a light on what they say is pervasive Islamophobia in their industry. Maguire earlier this month made those statements – which had 5.6 million views on X, as of July 23 – in reaction to a New York Times report that Mamdani marked his ethnicity as both 'Asian' and 'Black or African American' on his 2009 application to Columbia University. Maguire has since continued to double down on social media, posting that Mamdani defends terrorists, raising inflammatory claims about his father, and claiming that both of them are 'so excited' for a third Intifada. CNN has reached out to Mahmood Mamdani, Zohran Mamdani's father. Maguire's initial remarks on July 4 immediately drew backlash from the tech community as well as supporters of Mamdani. More than 1,100 people have signed an open letter to Sequoia on July 9 condemning Maguire's comments and demanding the venture capital firm apologize and take disciplinary action against him. The signatories list includes the names of startup founders and other business figures across the world, although CNN could not independently verify the signatures. Maguire's comments 'struck a chord with a lot of people, just because of the fact that he wasn't at some no-name shop. It was Sequoia,' said Hosam Arab, co-founder and CEO of Gulf fintech company Tabby, who signed the letter about Maguire. Arab's company raised money from Sequoia Capital's India business before Sequoia split off that arm of its business in 2024. Maguire is not the only one in the VC space to hold those views, but 'he was probably the loudest, most vocal, most consistent,' added Arab. When asked for comment, Maguire directed CNN to a 30-minute follow-up video in which he said that Islamists only made up a small fraction of Muslims and that he was 'very, very sorry' to any Indians or Muslims who aren't Islamists. 'This tweet did not land the way I thought it would. What I was trying to do is associate Zohran with an ideology that I think he has that is beyond just socialism,' he said. Sequoia has not responded to CNN's requests for comment. Mamdani, who would be the city's first Muslim mayor if elected, did not respond to requests for comment. Sequoia Capital is one of the most esteemed venture capital firms in Silicon Valley, managing around $56 billion in assets as of January. Founded in 1972, it has a remarkable track record of early investments in globally successful companies including Apple, Google, Nvidia and many, many more. Although New York is far from Silicon Valley and even farther from the Middle East, startup founders in the Middle East have condemned Maguire's comments. The Middle East has become more and more intertwined with the global investing stage, especially with the deep pockets of sovereign wealth funds and family offices. Many companies in the region received funding from Sequoia's India branch, which had its own fund, though that was spun off last year. For example, Sequoia India made a $33 million investment in Saudi fintech Lean Technologies in 2022, and Egyptian consumer money app Telda also received seed funding from the firm. By contacting Sequoia's limited partners, the letter's supporters may try to hit the venture firm where it hurts: its purse strings. In an update to the letter, the signatories said if Sequoia did not publicly condemn Maguire's remarks and launch an internal investigation into Maguire's conduct over the past two years, their next steps would be to contact Sequoia's limited partners – passive investors who provide capital to a fund but aren't involved in managing or decision-making. One Middle Eastern founder confirmed they are reaching out to wealthy family offices and sovereign wealth funds, though Sequoia has not shared exactly what percentage of its reserves come from these funds. 'As founders building the future of technology, we cannot accept leadership from a firm whose partners engage in hate speech and spread bigotry,' the original letter said. In theory, startup founders could also refuse to accept any money from Sequoia. But that may prove far-fetched, particularly for startups that typically need a wide variety of funding sources. So far there's been no public action from any partners, and it appears unlikely that any of the letter's signees will make a significant dent in Sequoia's bottom line. 'There are many idiots saying a lot of stupid things online. We don't care. We don't want to tell anybody what to say or not to say,' said one founder who signed the letter who didn't want to be named because of concerns about repercussions to their business and who doesn't receive money from Sequoia and instead receives funding from other international firms. 'We don't have a political horse in this, and we are not part of New York.' By saying nothing and not publicly responding to measures recommended in their letter, the founder said, it seems that Sequoia is essentially signing off on that rhetoric. 'Anything short of these measures signals tacit acceptance of anti-Muslim hate and racism,' the letter said. 'As the leading venture firm that shapes the future of technology and entrepreneurship globally, Sequoia's response will define whether you stand on the side of inclusion or on the side of complicity.' Some of those Muslim and Middle East signees are criticizing Maguire's comments, and pointing out patterns in other major players in the finance and tech world who they say are Islamophobic and dehumanizing Palestinians, as Israel's war in Gaza has inflamed rhetoric toward Muslims and Arabs. 'He's clearly targeting certain Muslim figures, spending 30 minutes attempting to explain what his definition of Islam is,' one letter signee said, referencing Maguire's follow-up video. 'Come on, that should not be the stance of the premiere venture capital firm of the world.' There are 'people out there that genuinely have hatred towards our people in our community… what they say should not be just simply accepted as a matter of fact and part of our political discourse,' Abed Ayoub, national executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, told CNN. One founder, who signed the letter and wants to remain unnamed because of Maguire's threats toward his perceived 'enemies' on X, recalled how Sequoia had a reputation for investing in companies founded by immigrants, like Google's Sergey Brin, who was born in Moscow, and companies by other Indian immigrants. 'That's what we all as founders were looking up to – the American way of investing – which is kind of colorblind. And I think therefore this episode is even more shocking,' they said. Maguire has called video that appeared to show a dead child in Gaza a 'doll' on X, called the United Nations a 'terrorist organization' and reposted content from Laura Loomer, a right-wing activist who once described herself as a 'proud Islamophobe.' The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation's largest Muslim advocacy group, said in a letter that Maguire's posting history on X, including ones before July 4, 'reflects a dangerous pattern of anti-Muslim hate speech.' The controversy comes in the shadow of Israel's war in Gaza, which people who signed the letter told CNN is the catalyst for a lot of Islamophobic rhetoric. Islamophobia has risen to 'alarming levels' across the world, including against Muslims, warned United Nations experts in March 2024. The Council on American-Islamic Relations said in its 2025 civil rights report that Islamophobia remains at record levels in the US. The group received 8,658 complaints in 2024 — the highest number ever recorded since its first civil rights report in 1996. The open letter to Sequoia also has signatures from non-Muslim Arabs and founders based in the United States. On July 9, Maguire posted to his 'enemies' that he is aware of their 'command structure' and that he is 'going to play nice for now, but am ready to embarrass any of you should you escalate.' Mamdani has come under fire from opponents for his stance on the Israel-Gaza war. Mamdani, for example, refused to condemn the phrase 'globalize the intifada,' during his primary campaign, saying although he would not use the phrase himself, he believes it's a rallying cry for Palestinian human rights. However, he recently told a group of New York City business leaders he would discourage use of the phrase, CNN reported Wednesday. On the campaign trail, Mamdani has expressed the impact of Islamophobic attacks and has said frequently there is no room for anti-Semitism in New York. 'I get messages that say the only good Muslim is a dead Muslim,' Mamdani said in June, adding that he is characterized by rivals 'as being a monster' with 'language that describes almost a barbarian looking to dismantle a civilization.' Still, Maguire has received some public support. On July 10, less than a week after Maguire's initial post, another Sequoia partner posted a lengthy statement in support of Maguire. 'Shaun is one of the few people with the courage and mental acuity to wade into these incredibly complex waters and attempt to provide clarity, fully knowing that the slightest misstatement will cause the extremists to pounce,' Pat Grady said. However, he also reiterated that he does 'not agree with everything my partners say' and that he supports the Muslim community. At the same time, another letter signed by prominent tech leaders defends Maguire against the backlash, this one with more than 1,400 signees. 'Whether one agrees with his views or not, his words were not hate speech - they were the reflections of a principled thinker and a partner to countless founders who span geographies, faiths, and political beliefs,' the letter said, adding the undersigned 'stand against ideological bullying.'
