Türkistan Qayghusi

The Tragedy of Turkistan (Türkistan Qayghusi)

2005.06.01

In 2003 the book titled “Turkistan Tragedy” written by the honorable Elihan Tore (aka Elixan Töre saghuniy) , who was the president of Republic of Eastern Turkistan established in 1944 in Gulja, was published in Uzbek language by “East Publishing House” in Uzbekistan’s capital, Tashkent.

With all possible diligences and secrecy, he completed “Turkistan Tragedy” the book during his remaining years between 1966 and 1973. In his book, he elaborated in great extent about the events he personally eye-witnessed and recollected about the early days of his life in Central Asia and Eastern Turkistan, the period when Gulja national liberation revolution erupted. He also discussed his personal view about people, politics, religion and culture of the region. It is his belief that the vast Turkistan divides into east and west, and that they are one integral part of the whole (which was separated). For this reason, he titled his book “Turkistan Tragedy”.

Elihan Tore Saghuniy in his later years.

In mid June 1946, during the reign of Eastern Turkistan between 1944 and 1949, when Elihan Tore was serving as the president of the reigning government was summoned by USSR attaché that Elihan was expected by Uzbekistan Communist Party’s general secretary, Osman Yusupow, in Korgas to discuss crucial issues. He complied and was lured to Tashkent, Uzbekistan, the former USSR where he was confined. He spent rest of his life in Tashkent until his death. During his declining years, Elihan Tore Saghuniy engaged himself by translating a series of books such as “Tomur Tuzukliri”, Muzika Risalisi” Nawadir Ul Weqe” from Persian and Arabic into Uzbek language. He also completed books such as “Turkistan Tragedy” and “Drifter Saghuniy”.

Although, Elihan Tore lived in the society under the strict Soviet Communist rule, communication with outside world was depressed and prohibited, his literary works were suppressed, and yet he never stopped expressing his emotions and thoughts in the lines of his poems and literary works. He had strong vision that some day his works would be well received and read, and he also believed that countries ruled by dictators including Soviet Union would face its judgment day.

He believed he owed his works and life to his own people (in Eastern Turkistan).

In the opening statement of “Turkistan Tragedy”, he explained the reasons of writing the book, why he titled “Turkistan Tragedy”, why he believed that the writing of the book was his sole responsibility for his people and before god. He solemnly wrote: “I, Eli Saghuniy, studied at the early age in depth the Persian and Arabic languages, no matter how difficult the situation was, I strived to gain knowledge in the fields of theology, medicine and history. Although I am fully capable of using Persian and Arabic in writing, reading and poetry, I still state proudly the superiority of my mother tongue compared to all others. I believe that if a mother tongue of a nation failed to function properly in its own society and is subdued before other foreign languages, such nation will soon begin to experience evaporation of its human rights, its dignity and be forever recorded in bold letters in its history books. Such nation will not only loose its territory but also be forced to loose control of all that is bestowed upon. From what I stated above, I have chosen facts of historic value for I have long sensed that my people (in 1966) will need those historic facts as a necessity to continue their struggle just as fish to water to survive”.

He continued “a nation that forgets its past and ignores its present will be just like a blind man without a sensor stick, follows his own footstep blindly and ultimately becomes a blind, mindless follower of his own enemy. Any sensitive and intelligent individual of Eastern Turkistan with clear conscience should understand the implication of what I am trying to emphasize here”.

“Even my country does not love me, l always have my deepest respect and love for my country. Even my people ignore me, I cannot ignore my people. I have decided to put in words the ever-changing history, point out the consequences of such changes, whether it is good or bad, something that our future generation can benefit from such an experience. With this in mind, I have determined to write the epic history to serve as a guidebook. Lastly, I want to manifest clearly that I am never an Islamic fanatic but rather a born-philanthropic humanist”.

Elihan Tore visioned the utmost importance of writing about Eastern Turkistan is far more necessary and crucial than writing about Uzbekistan.

Elihan Tore spent a good part of his life in Eastern Turkistan; he is an individual who undeniably has his important place in Eastern Turkistan’s political history.

In his introduction part of the book and through out his works, he often reminded us how much tear he shed and how much pain he endured during the writing. Thus, he named the book “Turkistan Tragedy”.

Readers can easily see that he did not just shed his tear for tears’ sake, it is his heart-felt pain cried out for his regret, his desire and his longing for his vast nation’s liberation and its freedom that was brutally breached.

Although Elihan Tore initially considered writing about Uzbekistan, the country he resided as his adopted country in which many tragic events and dramatic changes took place during his remaining years, he decided not to indulge himself writing about it. In stead he wrote:
“These days I feel the profound urgency of writing about Eastern Turkistan between the period of 1931 and 1946 before it was totally gulped down by the communist dragon. I was the key figure during this eventful period in Eastern Turkistan’s history; I played a part and witnessed it first hand. To prevent (others) from distorting the fact, to record accurately the past events and be truthful to history by keeping the unbiased and true nature of the fact, I am humbled to write about this great period. However, it is clear that the history and political situation in both Eastern Turkistan and Uzbekistan have been intensely intertwined with one another, I choose to believe that it is my duty to write a little about the Soviet years between 1917 when USSR was established and consequently ignited the revolution the world over to 1931 during which many dramatic events came on to the stage. In turn, the memory of events made me feel even more so desperate to write about my life, the activities I was a part of in Eastern Turkistan, (and present it) to the country I have the whole-hearted love and respect”.
With these words, Elihan Tore set to start writing his life story.
Translated by: Gulbahar Mahmut

Elixan Töre Saghuniy (1961-yili)

2003-Yili özbékistanning paytexti tashkent shehiridiki "sherq neshiriyati" 1944-yili ghuljida qurulghan sherqiy türkistan jumhuriyiti hökümitining reisi elixan törining "türkistan qayghusi" namliq kitabini özbék tilida neshir qildi.

Eser1966-1973-yilliri yézilghan bolup, bu muellipning hayatining axirqi basquchliri bolushigha qarimay, u pütün imkaniyetliri bilen mexpiy rewishte mezkur esirini yézip püttürgen. Mirzaqamaq sharaitida tamamlan'ghan "türkistan qayghusi" da elixan törining hayat musapisining aldinqi basquchliri yeni ghuljida qozghalghan milliy azadliq inqilabighiche bolghan waqit ichide ottura asiyada we uyghur élide körgen bilgenliri teswirlinidu. Eserde yene elixan törining millet, siyaset, din we medeniyet qarashlirimu ekis etken bolup, uning neziride türkistanning ikki qisimi yeni sherqiy türkistan bilen gherbiy türkistan ayrilmas bir gewdidur. Shunga u öz esirige türkistan qayghusi dep nam qoyghan.

Elixan törining kéyinki paaliyetliri

1944-Yilidin 1949-yilighiche dawamlashqan sherqiy türkistan jumhuriyitining reis jumhuri elixan töre saghuniy 1946-yili 6-ayning otturlirida sowét ittipaqining ghuljida turushluq razwétka xadimliri teripidin mexpiy rewishte "sizni qorghasta özbékistan kommunistlar partiyisining birinchi sékritari osman yüsüpow kütüwatidu. Sözlishidighan muhim ishlar bar "dégen teklip bilen aldap, sowét ittipaqigha élip chiqip kétilgendin kéyin, hayatining qalghan qisimini tashkent shehiride ötküzidu. Elixan töre saghuniy bu jeryanda "tömür tüzükliri", "muzika risalisi", "nawadir ul weqe" qatarliq bir qanche eserni paris we ereb tilidin özbékchige terjime qilidu hemde "türkistan qayghusi"," diwan saghuniy" qatarliq eserlirini yazidu.

Elixan töre eyni waqitta öz hayatini qattiq sowét tüzümi astida, mirza qamaqta ötküzgen bolup, uning jemiyet bilen keng alaqe qilishi, öz eserlirini erkin türde élan qilishi zor cheklimilerge uchrighan bolushigha qarimay, u öz ghayisi we idiyisini ekis ettüridighan shéirlarni shuningdek bashqa eserlerni yézip qaldurghan. U, bu eserlerning haman bir küni yoruqluqqa chiqishigha ishen'gen shuningdek sowét tüzümini öz ichige alghan barliq diktaturuluq , mustebit sistémilarning haman zawalliqqa yüzlinidighanliqini aldin körgen idi.

Elixan töre öz esirini yézishni tengri we millet aldidiki qerz dep bilgen

"Türkistan qayghusi" ning muqawisi

Elixan töre saghuniy türkistan qayghusi namliq kitabining muqeddimiside özining néme sewebtin bu eserni yazghanliqi we néme sewebtin uninggha türkistan qayghusi dep nam bergenlikini chüshendürüp, özining bu eserni yézishigha allah we millet aldidiki ada qilishqa tégishlik burchi türtke bolghanliqini körsitidu. Elixan töre bu heqte mundaq dep bayan qilidu:

"Men eli saghuniy yashliq-yigitlik künlirimdin bashlap, erebi, farisi tillarni toluq rewishte özleshtürgen idim. Zamanning manga körsetken tosqunluqlirigha qarimay, tengrining yardimide keng kölemde dini, tibbi, we tarixi melumatlargha ige boldum. Erebche, farischilarni yézish, shéir éytish qabiliyiti mende bolsimu, lékin men öz türkiy ana tilimni bashqa tillardin artuqraq kördüm. Chünki, qaysi bir milletning ana tili öz wezipisini ötelmey, bashqa yat tillar aldida meghlubiyetke uchrap tiz pükse, undaq millet anche uzun'gha qalmay insaniy hoquqlardin ayrilghan halda uning hayat deptiri üstige qara xet yézilishi shübhisizdur. Undaq milletler peqet wetenliridinla emes, belki pütün barliqi bilen tarix yüzidin yoqilishqa mejbur bolidu. Yuqirida bayan qilin'ghan sözlerge qarap, özümde toplighan peziletlerdin tarix ilmini tallap aldim. Chünki, shu hazirqi dewrimiz 1966-yilida öz wetinide turup ghérb bolghan xelqimiz üchün tarix ilmi béliqqa- su kérek bolghandek kérek ikenlikini men uzundin buyan sezgen idim".

"Ötmüsh tarixini untup hazirqi tarixini tonumighan bir millet, qarangghuda qalghan, qolida tayiqi yoq kor kishi kebi qayaqqa ayaq bésishni bilelmey, düshmenning yéteklishige egiship kétishke mejbur bolidu. Ochuq pikirlik sezgür weten oghlanlari tarixning qandaq zörür ikenlikini méning shu sözlirimdin ilham élip chongqur chüshinishliri kérek".

"Emdi wetinim méni söymisimu, men uni söygenlikimdin, olusum méni mesitmisimu, men uni mensitkenlikimdin, weten üstide boliwatqan tarixiy özgirishlerni we hem buning kélechektiki yaxshi-yaman netijilirini körsitip, weten balilirigha ülge bolghidek, bashqilar buningdin ibret alghudek, bir tarixiy eser yézishqa kirishtim. Biraq men peqetqina islamperes emes idim. Belki yarilishimdinla insanperes idim".

Elixan töre özbékistan heqqide eser yézishtin köre sherqiy türkistan heqqide yézishni zörür dep bilgen

Elixan töre hayatining muhim qisimini uyghur élide ötküzgen bolup, u mezkur elning siyasiy tarixida muhim orun tutqan shexs idi.

Elixan töre esirining kirish söz qisimida yene özining bu eserni yézish jeryanida qanchilighan derdlik köz yashlirining qeghezler üstige tökülgenlikini, shu sewebtin eserni "türkistan qayghusi" dep atighanliqini eskertidu.

Elwette, bu yerde éytiliwatqini élixan törining adettiki köz yashliri emes, belki u özi eqide baghlighan ghayisi üchün tökülgen yashlar, türkistandin ibaret bu keng zéminning azadliqi, erkinliki üchün azablan'ghan qelb zarliri idi.

Elixan töre yene öz esirini eslide hazirqi özbékistan dep atalghan uning wetini heqqide yézishni oylashqan bolsimu, biraq bu yerlerde axirqi waqitlarda yüz bergen éghir hadisiler, dehshetlik weqeler, tégi yoq déngiz kebi tügimes dastan bolghanliqi üchün waqtinche bolsimu, ularni qoyup turushni qarar qilghan. U bu heqte mundaq dep yazghan:

"Shu künlerde ejdihar aghzigha kélip qalghan, bizdin baldurraq yütüp kétilish aldida turghan sherqiy türkistan heqqide yazmaqni ela kördüm. Chünki, bu yerde 1931-yilidin 1946-yilighiche bolup ötken ulugh tarixiy weqelerge özüm bashchiliq qilip, emgikim singgen, közüm körgen idi. Bashqa wijdansizlar kebi tarix yüzini qarilashtin saqlinip ötken hadisilerde bolghan weqelerni héch yaqqa burimastin eyni, toghra yézishni lazim taptim. Lékin, bu ikki ölkining tarixi, siyasiy ehwalliri bir-biri bilen nahayiti baghlinishliq idi . Men pütün dunyani küresh meydanigha chaqirghan sowét hakimiyitining 1917-yili qurulghan künidin bashlap, 1931-yillarghiche ötken dehshet-wehshiy künlerni azraq bolsimu, yeni goya déngizning bir qetrisi kebi bolsimu yézip chiqmiqimni tarixiy wezipem dep bildim. Shuning üchün cheksiz qudretlik ulugh tengrige séghin'ghan halda sherqiy türkistan'gha otkünümde körgenlirimni, qilghan ishlirimni bayan qilmaqchi bolup, sözge kirishtim.

Elixan töre shuningdin kéyin, özining hayat sergüzeshtiliri heqqidiki bayanlirini bashlaydu.
(Ümidwar)