Aziz Isa Elkun
Interviewed by Marina Shupac. Poem read by Elkun
All humans have a mother
But all mothers’ fates are different
If you can:
give a bunch of roses on Mothers Day
give her a call on Sunday
visit her often and be with her on Christmas day
So I can say
How lucky you are!
Mother,
Everyone’s mother is an angel …
Mother lives in the heart of a child forever
You are everything for a child
So you are the same for every child
The world will end
Without loving mothers!
Chimengul Awut, she is a well known Uyghur (female) poet and her pen name is “Chimenqush” (it means a flower bird). She worked for Kashgar Uyghur Publishers as a senior editor before she was taken away to the China’s Concentration Camps in July 2018. She’s good friend of mine, last time I have spoken with her on the phone in August 2016. Here is her shortest poem written for her son before her arrest. Poem extracted from her WeChat page.
She wrote:
“My dear son
Please don’t cry
The whole world will cry for you!”
Aziz Isa Elkun
Year!
Once more you have passed
I have no desire for a new one
Because you brought with you unbearable oppression for my people
Countless friends have disappeared
The humiliation of the Uyghurs reached its peak
All the lovers of freedom thrown into jail
No tears fall from our nation’s eyes without blood
But the world pretends to be blind …
They sell their humanity for profit
If this is what you offer me as a gift
How can I salute you today, New Year?
Year!
You thief of life since ancient times!
That’s why Lutun(1) answered you without fear
The enemy’s sword could not kill us all
But the Uyghurs were hardened
Became heroes on the battle field
Without being defeated!
