Waiting to Be Arrested at Night

Mehr zum Buch

A poet recounts the harrowing escape of his family from genocide amid one of the world's most pressing humanitarian crises. Tahir Hamut Izgil witnessed the brutal persecution of the Uyghur people escalate dramatically in 2017, as the Chinese government intensified its campaign against this predominantly Muslim minority. Over a million Uyghurs have disappeared into internment camps, echoing the darkest chapters of the twentieth century, now exacerbated by a high-tech surveillance state. Having faced his own persecution, Tahir was tortured and imprisoned in a labor camp for three years after attempting to travel abroad in 1996. However, he could not have foreseen the extreme measures the Chinese government would take against the Uyghurs two decades later. Signs of impending danger appeared when he was interrogated after a call with a poet in the Netherlands, and when his friend received a life sentence for advocating for Uyghur rights. As neighbors were arrested and the park near his home emptied, Tahir realized the police would soon come for him. One night, he prepared for the worst by placing shoes and warm clothing by the door, knowing that fleeing was their only hope. This narrative reveals the political, social, and cultural devastation of his homeland and serves as a poignant call to action, honoring the silenced voices of his fellow Uyghurs.