Rebiya Kadeer, a millionaire businesswoman turned political dissident, may travel to Turkey, according to Seyit Tümtürk, deputy head of the World Uighur Congress. Kadeer, known as the “mother Uighur,” who lives in Fairfax County, responded positively to a statement from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Thursday.
Earlier on Thursday, NTV had reported that Turkey had twice denied a visa to Kadeer. In response to a question from the press yesterday, shortly before heading to Italy to join a G-8 summit, PM Erdoğan said, “If there is such an application, we will issue a visa for her.” Minutes later, Tümtürk was speaking to NTV, saying he had relayed the message to Kadeer, who had happily indicated that she would visit Turkey. A visit to Turkey could help get Kadeer's message about the plight of Uighurs, an ethnically Turkic people, out to the international community.
It could also spark outrage from China, as Chinese officials have said Kadeer has played a role in organizing the riots, basing their allegation on a recording of a phone conversation she had with a relative in Urumqi. Kadeer rejects the charge. She says she called her brother to alert him to announcements being circulated by others on the Internet.
