The Chinese Muslim Crackdown Crisis

We want to use this next blog post to bring attention to, sadly, yet another humanitarian crisis going on currently. We'll be using a new format so the article can be seen to be smoother and more simplified.

In short, China is facing growing criticism over its persecution of some Muslim minority groups, huge numbers of whom are allegedly being held in internment camps.

In August 2018, a UN committee heard that up to one million Uighur Muslims and other Muslim groups could be being detained in the western Xinjiang region, where they're said to be undergoing "re-education" programs.

The claims were made by rights groups, but China denies the allegations. At the same time, there's growing evidence of oppressive surveillance against people living in Xinjiang.

Who are the Uighurs?

They're ethnically Turkic Muslims, and there are about 11 million of them in western China.

Where is Xinjiang?

Xinjiang is a region in the far left of China, and is the country's biggest region. As an autonomous area, it - in theory at least - has a degree of self-governance away from Beijing. Uighur Muslims make up under half the region's roughly 26 million people.

What's happening to people in Xinjiang?

Human Rights Watch says Uighur people in particular are subject to intense surveillance and are made to give DNA and biometric samples. Those with relatives in 26 "sensitive" countries have reportedly been rounded up, and up to a million detained. Rights groups say people in camps are made to learn Mandarin Chinese and criticise or renounce their faith.

What have news networks learned?

There are records of former prisoners telling the media about physical as well as psychological torture in the camps. Entire families had reportedly disappeared, and detainees were apparently being tortured physically and mentally. There exists evidence of almost a complete surveillance state in Xinjiang.

What about Uighur violence?

A number of attacks have been blamed on separatists in Xinjiang and beyond over the past decade. About 200 people - mostly Han Chinese - were killed in rioting in the regional capital Urumqi in 2009. A crackdown was stepped up after five people were stabbed to death in February 2017.

What does China say?

It denies there are internment camps but says people in Xinjiang are receiving "vocational training". A senior official in Xinjiang says the region is facing the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism.

What is the world doing?

There's growing international criticism of China's treatment of Uighur Muslims but, as of yet, no country has taken any action beyond issuing critical statements.

Six Ways You Can Help Uyghur Muslims in China, Right Now

Use your voice

Sign petitions, such as (https://www.change.org/p/stand-up-for-the-uyghur-muslims-in-china-antonioguterres-amnesty-un), asking politicians to condemn these violations of human rights, or this one (https://www.change.org/p/international-olympic-committee-china-close-internment-camps-before-hosting-2022-olympics-uyghurche-%E4%B8%AD%E6%96%87-%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E8%AA%9E-t%C3%BCrk%C3%A7e-%D8%B9%D8%B1%D8%A8%D9%89), which calls on the International Olympic Committee not to allow China to host the 2022 Olympics without closing the internment camps. Don’t underestimate the power of a few voices.

Write to your local MP and political representatives

Inform them about what’s going on (find helpful links on point 6 of this list) and demand that they bring this issue to the attention to the government. Not sure what to write, or too busy to do the writing and research it involves? Check out this sample letter (https://www.amnesty.org/en/get-involved/take-action/china-xinjiang-uyghur-muslims/), courtesy of Amnesty International, written in consultation with activists and experts on the Uyghur community and the oppression they’re facing. Just copy it, sign it with your name, and email it to whoever you feel needs to read it. If you’re not sure who your local MP is, enter your postcode on this website. You’ll find their name and contact, as well as a handy link to send them a message.

Donate

Unfortunately, because of the government sanctions, no aid can enter China, and anyone within China can be detained by the authorities for having any contact outside the border. However, you can help Uyghur refugees who have managed to flee to Turkey. Find a cause that aims to provide food, housing, and education to the Uyghur community in Turkey, such as this Launchgood campaign (https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/help_the_uyghur#!/). Want to make an even bigger difference? Rally your family and friends, and for the price of their daily lattes, you can even collectively secure an Uyghur family’s financial stability for a longer period of time.

Share

If social media can be used as a medium to spread hate, it can also be used to raise awareness. Again, there are already a lot of great resources out there to make it easier for you. Tomomi Shimizu, a Japanese manga artist, used her art to tell the story of Mihrigul Tursun, an Uyghur woman detained three times by the Chinese government, where she was subjected to horrific torture, as well as the loss of one of her children. The manga has gone viral and been translated into English, which you can find here (https://note.com/tomomishimizu/n/n4cade047aed8). Feroza Aziz, a young social media influencer, also spoke about it in a TikTok video disguised as a beauty tutorial to override the Chinese-owned platform’s censorship (https://www.instagram.com/p/B5Tho5TAXZd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link). Share these and other resources, such as news articles, as widely as you can.