The world shrugs as China locks up 1 million Muslims

[Black_cats]

Dave LawlerMay 6, 2019

The world shrugs as China locks up 1 million Muslims

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
China has detained an estimated 1 million to 2 million Uighur Muslims in the region of Xinjiang, and millions more live one step away from detention under the watchful eye of the Chinese Communist Party.

Why it matters: It has been two years since the internment camps first came to light internationally, and a series of reports from Xinjiang have made vivid the scale of the abuses. Yet foreign governments and corporations are content to pretend it isn't happening.

"If right now, just about any other country in the world was found to be detaining over 1 million Muslims of a certain ethnicity, you can bet we’d be seeing an international outcry," says Sophie Richardson, china director for Human Rights Watch.

• "Because it's China, which has enormous power in international institutions these days, it's hard to muster any response at all."
• "There has been this almost childlike hope that as China gets wealthier and more secure it would change" and adapt to international norms, Richardson says. Instead, China is using its economic clout and influence at the UN to undermine those norms.

China has long waged a campaign of "assimilation and cultural destruction" in Xinjiang, but under President Xi Jinping it has "dramatically escalated," says Omer Kanat, a prominent Uighur activist. "The camps are designed to eradicate the Uighur's religious and ethnic identity once and for all."

• China used to deny the camps existed; it now claims they're voluntary and designed to root out extremism.

But a new Human Rights Watch report reveals Chinese authorities use an app to track nearly every aspect of Uighurs' lives and deem activities that have nothing to do with terrorism — keeping to oneself, using too much electricity, donating to a mosque — suspicious.

• "These dubious criteria are being used to identify large numbers of people, many of whom are then arbitrarily locked up," Richardson tells Axios.
• Even those who aren't locked up live under constant surveillance, as a recent NY Times interactive demonstrates.

What they're saying:

• Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan, which borders Xinjiang but has a deep economic reliance on China, told the FT in March: "Frankly, I don't know much about" what’s happening to the Uighurs.
• Indonesian President Joko Widodo gave a similar answer, despite leading the world's largest majority-Muslim country.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appeared to tiptoe around the issue on a visit to China last week.
• Meanwhile the CEO of Volkswagen, which has a factory in Xinjiang, claimed last monththat he was "not aware" of the mass detentions.
• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation went so far as to praise China in March for "providing care to its Muslim citizens," while in February Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman defended China's "right" to crack down on its Muslim citizens "for its national security."
• The U.S. and EU have spoken out, as has Turkey, but as a Council on Foreign Relations report points out, "no country has taken action beyond issuing critical statements."

Between the lines: "This is a difficult issue to address precisely because China has the world's second-largest economy" and is "ruthless" when challenged, says John Herbst, a former longtime diplomat now at the Atlantic Council. "Countries are not going to make this a critical issue in their relations with China."

What to watch: "What's happening in Xinjiang now didn’t happen overnight," Richardson says. "If analysts like us didn't see this coming — and I freely admit we didn't — I wonder what we're missing that’s coming next."

https://www.axios.com/uighur-muslim-detention-camps-xinjiang-china-7d682095-4dcc-4b7b-8368-09e73ae7178a.html

 

[SBUS-CXK]

Who says the world shrugs?
At least one LDC country is different.

 

[Buddhistforlife]

Dave LawlerMay 6, 2019

The world shrugs as China locks up 1 million Muslims

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
China has detained an estimated 1 million to 2 million Uighur Muslims in the region of Xinjiang, and millions more live one step away from detention under the watchful eye of the Chinese Communist Party.

Why it matters: It has been two years since the internment camps first came to light internationally, and a series of reports from Xinjiang have made vivid the scale of the abuses. Yet foreign governments and corporations are content to pretend it isn't happening.

"If right now, just about any other country in the world was found to be detaining over 1 million Muslims of a certain ethnicity, you can bet we’d be seeing an international outcry," says Sophie Richardson, china director for Human Rights Watch.

• "Because it's China, which has enormous power in international institutions these days, it's hard to muster any response at all."
• "There has been this almost childlike hope that as China gets wealthier and more secure it would change" and adapt to international norms, Richardson says. Instead, China is using its economic clout and influence at the UN to undermine those norms.

China has long waged a campaign of "assimilation and cultural destruction" in Xinjiang, but under President Xi Jinping it has "dramatically escalated," says Omer Kanat, a prominent Uighur activist. "The camps are designed to eradicate the Uighur's religious and ethnic identity once and for all."

• China used to deny the camps existed; it now claims they're voluntary and designed to root out extremism.

But a new Human Rights Watch report reveals Chinese authorities use an app to track nearly every aspect of Uighurs' lives and deem activities that have nothing to do with terrorism — keeping to oneself, using too much electricity, donating to a mosque — suspicious.

• "These dubious criteria are being used to identify large numbers of people, many of whom are then arbitrarily locked up," Richardson tells Axios.
• Even those who aren't locked up live under constant surveillance, as a recent NY Times interactive demonstrates.

What they're saying:

• Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan, which borders Xinjiang but has a deep economic reliance on China, told the FT in March: "Frankly, I don't know much about" what’s happening to the Uighurs.
• Indonesian President Joko Widodo gave a similar answer, despite leading the world's largest majority-Muslim country.
• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appeared to tiptoe around the issue on a visit to China last week.
• Meanwhile the CEO of Volkswagen, which has a factory in Xinjiang, claimed last monththat he was "not aware" of the mass detentions.
• The Organization of Islamic Cooperation went so far as to praise China in March for "providing care to its Muslim citizens," while in February Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman defended China's "right" to crack down on its Muslim citizens "for its national security."
• The U.S. and EU have spoken out, as has Turkey, but as a Council on Foreign Relations report points out, "no country has taken action beyond issuing critical statements."

Between the lines: "This is a difficult issue to address precisely because China has the world's second-largest economy" and is "ruthless" when challenged, says John Herbst, a former longtime diplomat now at the Atlantic Council. "Countries are not going to make this a critical issue in their relations with China."

What to watch: "What's happening in Xinjiang now didn’t happen overnight," Richardson says. "If analysts like us didn't see this coming — and I freely admit we didn't — I wonder what we're missing that’s coming next."

https://www.axios.com/uighur-muslim-detention-camps-xinjiang-china-7d682095-4dcc-4b7b-8368-09e73ae7178a.html

It has nothing to do with Muslims. China is an openly atheist nation. They banned Christianity, Buddhism and many other religious practices. They also banned falun gong, a traditional Chinese folk religious festivals. People will be deluded if they think China is only against Muslims.

 

[SBUS-CXK]

It has nothing to do with Muslims. China is an openly atheist nation. They banned Christianity, Buddhism and many other religious practices. They also banned falun gong, a traditional Chinese folk religious festivals. People will be deluded if they think China is only against Muslims.

China does not prohibit any religion. Buddhism and Christianity develop freely in China.

But if religion is always right. Iraq, Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine... There should be no war. Now it's Iran.

Nobody cares why US blockades it?

 

[Black_cats]

It has nothing to do with Muslims. China is an openly atheist nation. They banned Christianity, Buddhism and many other religious practices. They also banned falun gong, a traditional Chinese folk religious festivals. People will be deluded if they think China is only against Muslims.

Means it’s some sort of autocrat country runs by mafia (the communist thugs). Thanks for this confirmation. This nation does not belongs to 21st century. With a mare 8000 usd per capita gdp holding permanent seat at UNSC just because it has 1.4 billion people.

 

[SBUS-CXK]

Means it’s some sort of autocrat country runs by mafia (the communist thugs). Thanks for this confirmation. This nation does not belongs to 21st century. With a mare 8000 usd per capita gdp holding permanent seat at UNSC just because it has 1.4 billion people.

LOL. This is the Bangladesh education level?

 

[艹艹艹]

Means it’s some sort of autocrat country runs by mafia (the communist thugs). Thanks for this confirmation. This nation does not belongs to 21st century. With a mare 8000 usd per capita gdp holding permanent seat at UNSC just because it has 1.4 billion people.

Your government is very welcoming for investment from mafia (the communist thugs)
Bangladesh receives record FDI in 2018, China tops investors’ list
https://defence.pk/pdf/threads/bang...fdi-in-2018-china-tops-investors-list.617584/

 

[Buddhistforlife]

Means it’s some sort of autocrat country runs by mafia (the communist thugs). Thanks for this confirmation. This nation does not belongs to 21st century. With a mare 8000 usd per capita gdp holding permanent seat at UNSC just because it has 1.4 billion people.

I think Bangladeshi atheists like Taslima Naasreen and Pakistani atheists like Tarik Fatih can go to China forever. It's like a heaven for them.

 

[rott]

Means it’s some sort of autocrat country runs by mafia (the communist thugs). Thanks for this confirmation. This nation does not belongs to 21st century. With a mare 8000 usd per capita gdp holding permanent seat at UNSC just because it has 1.4 billion people.

Your mindset is from the 17th century. Good luck with that. I didn't even want to respond to this thread but I just did.

 

[Buddhistforlife]

China does not prohibit any religion. Buddhism and Christianity develop freely in China.

But if religion is always right. Iraq, Syria, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine... There should be no war. Now it's Iran.

Nobody cares why US blockades it?

Obviously China is persecuting Buddhists. Do you know why the Chinese people take refuge in Malaysia and Indonesia? It's because they didn't have the right to practice Buddhism in their homeland China.
Tibetans, who are hardcore Buddhists wants independence from China as they believe their religion is under threat.

 

[Deathstar]

LoL even so called Ummah is silent on China so why should Chinese even care , they will do whatever they want

 

[SBUS-CXK]

I think Bangladeshi atheists like Taslima Naasreen and Pakistani atheists like Tarik Fatih can go to China forever. It's like a heaven for them.

This is true. Xinjiang is indeed more advanced and developed than many backward countries.

 

[Nike]

Their country their rules, though there is no issues about Hui Muslim

 

[namefield_empty]

Tibetans, who are hardcore Buddhists wants independence from China as they believe their religion is under threat.

Not only the Tibetans, Buddhists in our north east India's Arunachal Pradesh too hate the Chinese government to the core on account of how badly the have treated Buddhists in their own country and has forcibly occupied Tibet. You needed to see the rapturous welcome the Arunachalis accorded to the Dalai Lama when he visited there some time back.

 

[SBUS-CXK]

Obviously China is persecuting Buddhists. Do you know why the Chinese people take refuge in Malaysia and Indonesia? It's because they didn't have the right to practice Buddhism in their homeland China.
Tibetans, who are hardcore Buddhists wants independence from China as they believe their religion is under threat.

Are you telling jokes? why a large number of Indonesians and Malaysians have taken refuge in China? Because their country persecutes Buddhism! As for whether they have separatist forces. I don't know.

Some backward agricultural countries tell jokes here. deal with your own country first.

Not only the Tibetans, Buddhists in our north east India's Arunachal Pradesh too hate the Chinese government to the core on account of how badly the have treated Buddhists in their own country and has forcibly occupied Tibet. You needed to see the rapturous welcome the Arunachalis accorded to the Dalai Lama when he visited there some time back.

Indians are more ridiculous.