Uighur Muslims continue to suffer in China
The Chinese state governed by a mix of Mao Zedong and Karl Marx's Communism has come down heavily on Uighur Muslims.
MIR SHAHID
China has detained as many as one million Uighurs in so-called “reeducation centers” and forced them to undergo psychological indoctrination programs -like studying communist propaganda and giving thanks to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Chinese authorities have also reportedly used water boarding and other forms of torture on the ethnic minority though the government claims that the camps are merely vocational and training centers intended to combat extremism and that they’re teaching detainees useful and valuable skills.
On Tuesday, Le, the foreign minister, made similar arguments when he said that, “this protects the human rights of the vast majority, while also saving these people (Uighurs). It’s another important contribution of China to the global counter-terror field.”
Xinjiang, where about 10 million Uighurs and a few other Muslim minorities live, is an autonomous region in China’s northwest that borders Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia. It has been under Chinese control since 1949, when the communist People’s Republic of China was established. Uighurs speak their own language — an Asian Turkic language similar to Uzbek— and most practice a moderate form of Sunni Islam. Some activists, including those who seek independence from China, refer to the region as East Turkestan.
Once situated along the ancient Silk Road trading route, Xinjiang is oil- and resource-rich. As it developed along with the rest of China, the region attracted more Han Chinese, a migration encouraged by the Chinese government. The Chinese policy of discrimination and terror against its own citizens on the basis of religion is horrendous act of state terrorism in the recent era. The Chinese state is governed by Mao Zedong Ideology with a modification of Karl Marx’s Communism. The state is ruled by one party which is only legitimate party in the eyes of government. Since Communism is centered on concept of social cohesion therefore the freedom of life and liberty isn’t expected on liberal lines.
The state, in recent times, has led heavy crackdown on rights activists and social activists on the pretext of national security and territorial integrity. The oft repeated reports of UNHRC condemn the grave allegations of Human Rights violation in China which has hardly taken any note of such condemnation. To a shrill rhetoric the ordeal passed on to the Uighurs exclusively on basis of Religion is horrific and dirtiest ever political opaqueness of China . But the million dollar question is what prompted China to take such ghastly step? What compelled China to establish the Hitlar Era camps ? Is Muslim really a terrorists or is Islam proclaimed as religion of terrorism on false grounds? The answers could only be predicted because the oppression can never be justified as is happening in Xingjiang.
China is on track to attain Pinnacle of state power among fraternity of countries banked on its economic boom after 1980’s. The Economic heavyweight guided by supreme ideology of Mao is centered on the belief of strict code of regulations for Citizens and whole administrative powers concentrated at Central position. The provincial officers are mere pawns in the chessboard of Shi Jingping. This regulatory procedure disallows the liberty as sought in the era of liberalism. Those who criticize albeit logically to policies of government is deemed as anti national. Now in this backdrop the Uighurs are not an exception. However to a more broader analysis the Right to Life of Uighurs is under onslaught due to multitude of reasons not to talk of Privacy.
The possible causes for Chinese move and the impending need for such a horrible strategy is governed by three basic principles: 1- The Marquee project of B and R (Belt and Road ) panned out to revive ancient silk road for linkage of European economies to China starts from western tail of Xingjiang inhabited by Uighurs. The Chinese government views Uighurs with Islamophobia threat possibly posing to ambitious Silk Road projects. The basis of such a possibility grows from alienation of this discriminated minority due to continuous onslaught of Chinese government. As is said ‘the social cohesion’ and social solidarity is won through piecemeal engineering grounded in consensus and cooperation rather than extreme sense of discrimination! 2- China views the community on the same lines as that of Western world. They take the Muslims as unique community with a mental of sacrifice for the safeguard and security of religion. They intentionally compare incidents involving the Uzbekistan extremist groups with Uighurs. The 3rd and the most important cause of uch a horrific spate of terror is intensifying due to the absence of any strict condemnation from the Muslim world or the world powers. The neighboring Pakistan could hardly sacrifice its material interests grounded in much hyped CPEC corridor to issue any Statement and impress upon China not to unleash such abuse over a minority. Saudi Arabia is busy in its own business ties and the IOC as well as Arab League isn’t upto the mark for any possible focus towards Uighurs. All these factors enthuse energy into the notorious Chinese strategy to impose more restrictions and ordeals.
The contemporary era is governed by Human Rights order. The elaborate arrangement of institutional, procedures, legislative, administrative, private and public as well as global conventions, declarations , United Nations mandate et al. These mechanisms have been established for promotion and safeguard of Human Rights irrespective of caste, Creed, colour, religion, gender etc. UNHRC , Amnesty international, European Union etc are working on the basis of such institutional frameworks so as to keep close eye on Human Rights violation around the globe.
In recent past the grave human rights violations against Muslims happened in Myanmar and a repeat of even more heinous crime is underway in China. No doubt UN declared Myanmar’s approach against its Muslims as ‘ethnic cleansing’ and issued condemnation statements, but neither the government nor the leader has been pressurized to step down. Can’t it be sued in ICJ? Can’t there be sanctions on Myanmar? Such incidents become moves likes those on the chessboard for big players including China which hasn’t shown any concern for the outrage shown by many international organizations over the issue of Uighurs.
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