Click Here Erased: Saving the Uyghur Internet
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Aug 22, 2025 Discover the chilling reality of how a government attempts to erase the digital history of the Uyghur people. Dive into the inspiring story of a coder who fights to restore lost cultural heritage through the Internet Archive. Hear firsthand accounts from a former teacher witnessing the dismantling of the Uyghur internet, and learn about the collective efforts to recover erased websites. This podcast also highlights the creative resistance of Uyghurs as they navigate censorship, all while emphasizing the importance of preserving cultural memory against oppression.
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A Coder Resurrects A Lost Web
- Raidat Kenji scrolls archived fragments to resurrect a vanished Uyghur internet.
- He uses the Internet Archive to compile and restore thousands of Uyghur webpages in his spare time.
The 10-Month Blackout That Broke Sites
- Ten months without internet in Xinjiang hollowed out Uyghur sites and forums.
- Uyghur Online, built by Ilham Toti, disappeared along with other cultural lifelines after the blackout.
Forced Exile Fueled Remote Resistance
- Raidat left Xinjiang after repeated interrogations by China's State Security Administration.
- He has not returned in over 20 years but continued helping remotely using his coding skills.