(CNN) -- She's been compared to the Dalai Lama, the Chinese Tibetan Buddhist leader, but the name Rebiya Kadeer doesn't ring a bell to many people outside of China. Rebiya Kadeer has been dubbed "the Mother of All Uyghurs." Nevertheless, the world-famous man and the relatively obscure woman share similarities that chime with political relevance. A diminutive northern Virginia resident, Kadeer has emerged as the voice of the restive but relatively unknown Uyghur Muslims, a Turkic-speaking ethnic minority in China, and the group's far-flung diaspora. And like the Dalai Lama, she's revered by supporters and reviled by the Chinese government.
@highlight
Rebiya Kadeer emerges as leader of minority Uyghur Muslims in China
@highlight
Chinese government reviles Kadeer, blames her for stoking unrest
@highlight
Kadeer mirrors the non-violent sentiment espoused by the Dalai Lama
@highlight
This is a "very dark time for the Uyghur people," Kadeer says
They include "permission to have more children (except in urban areas, minorities are generally not bound by the one-child policy)," paying fewer taxes,  getting "greater access to public office," and better education for children -- in @placeholder rather than native tongues.