Xinjiang residents debunk rumors of "forced demolition of mosques"

[aziqbal]

Many modern mosques are very beautiful with the up to date facilities and equipments.
Mosques in China

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=china+mosque

then give me latest images of Keriya Aitika mosque

 

[beijingwalker]

then give me latest images of Keriya Aitika mosque

What is it？ What the Chinese name for it?

Ok, I see, I just googled this name and found the answer
Letters to the Editor: The Case of the Keriya Aitika Mosque
Updated 19:33, 25-Aug-2020
Sun Feiyang

Editor's note: Sun Feiyang is a Chicago-based Chinese working in an American bank holding company, spending all his college years in the United States. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily views of CGTN.
I am a Chicago-based Chinese working in an American bank holding company, spending all my college years in the United States. However, I care about my home country very much, especially when it is being smeared and slandered.
One year ago, there was a rash of articles in the media with the same claim that China had been on a massive, targeted campaign to destroy mosques in Xinjiang.
At first, Shawn Zhang posted a tweet on April 2 last year claiming that Keriya Eitika Mosque had been demolished. Weeks later, Zhang clarified that this mosque was actually a recently built gatehouse that had been removed, and the 800-year-old mosque was intact (and much larger than the image he showed).

The screenshot of Shawn Zhang's tweet.
Although the mistake has been clarified, the mosque-demolition narrative has soon taken on a life of its own as a number of mainstream media outlets began to pick up on the story, many of which even disregarded the fact that Zhang was mistaken.
After these images were used as "positive evidence" to denounce the Chinese government for religious repression, they and the Keriya Aitika Mosque story largely faded from public view. The media moved on to new sensational claims about Xinjiang, shifting gears every few weeks in search of something that would stick.
Given the lack of follow-up, I thought I would revisit the Keriya Aitika Mosque situation myself to provide an update. Readers are encouraged to follow along on Google Earth – the coordinates for the mosque are 36°51'08.75" N, 81°40'18.08"E.
Below is one of the images of Keriya Aitika from May 2017, before the northern gatehouse was removed. You may notice that there's not much surrounding the mosque itself – the land on the south and east sides is basically empty.

Google Earth image, May, 2017
Fast forward to April 2019, when we started to see these claims being made. The northern gatehouse has been removed, and there appears to be just an empty spot where it once stood. This is the image generally used as "proof".

Google Earth image, April, 2019
The above image looks incriminating that it raised concern if they were in the process of demolishing. Why does it look so barren in front of the mosque? But lost in focus on the northern gatehouse is everything else going on -the new construction of buildings to the south and east as well as the expansion of roads around the mosque.
When we come back to Keriya Aitika Mosque in March 2020, everything has taken shape. The area to the north is a circular plaza with steps leading to the prayer hall. The southern gatehouse overlooks a new plaza and has been connected to a wall that extends around the mosque.
The buildings to the east have sets of minarets, which certain media outlets even claimed were banned in Xinjiang. There's even a parking lot to the west of the mosque for worshipers commuting from further away.

Google Earth image, March, 2020

Were the above image put side by side with the May 2017 image, it's unlikely that anyone would draw the conclusion that the Keriya Aitika Mosque was being targeted for demolition. The use of satellite imagery is massively misleading – renovation and construction can easily look like destruction.
It's no surprise that this narrative disappeared soon after – it would not support their story for people to go on Google Earth today and see for themselves.
I encourage readers to apply a level of skepticism to the claims some Western media make about Xinjiang. The speed at which narratives are built and then discarded, as well as their type, point to something that remains persistent: not earnest reporting of the facts, but a political purpose.
Going back to claims made a year ago leads us to conclusions radically different, even opposite, from the original reporting, as we can see with the case of the Keriya Aitika Mosque.

Letters to the Editor: The Case of the Keriya Aitika Mosque

news.cgtn.com

 

[PakFactor]

then give me latest images of Keriya Aitika mosque

Here are the coordinates of the Mosque you can Google search 36°51'08.75" N, 81°40'18.08"E

The Mosque is still there the only thing removed was the Northern Gatehouse that was recently built, the around undeveloped land has been developed with residential units, parking lot, restaurant and pharmacy, etc. Totally debunking Western propaganda.

I have had a close eye on your activity last few weeks, and stayed quite and haven't said anything, but your venom against the Chinese and click baiting is reaching an intolerable level. You are the brown nose Pakistani gangu who spite their own face and most likely descendant from a low class family that washed the queens jewels enough to see their own reflection in it, you wouldn't just lick the queens shit hole but put the whole damn family's head in it.

@Irfan Baloch @waz

 

[aziqbal]

What is it？ What the Chinese name for it?

Ok, I see, I just googled this name and found the answer
Letters to the Editor: The Case of the Keriya Aitika Mosque
Updated 19:33, 25-Aug-2020
Sun Feiyang

Editor's note: Sun Feiyang is a Chicago-based Chinese working in an American bank holding company, spending all his college years in the United States. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily views of CGTN.
I am a Chicago-based Chinese working in an American bank holding company, spending all my college years in the United States. However, I care about my home country very much, especially when it is being smeared and slandered.
One year ago, there was a rash of articles in the media with the same claim that China had been on a massive, targeted campaign to destroy mosques in Xinjiang.
At first, Shawn Zhang posted a tweet on April 2 last year claiming that Keriya Eitika Mosque had been demolished. Weeks later, Zhang clarified that this mosque was actually a recently built gatehouse that had been removed, and the 800-year-old mosque was intact (and much larger than the image he showed).

The screenshot of Shawn Zhang's tweet.
Although the mistake has been clarified, the mosque-demolition narrative has soon taken on a life of its own as a number of mainstream media outlets began to pick up on the story, many of which even disregarded the fact that Zhang was mistaken.
After these images were used as "positive evidence" to denounce the Chinese government for religious repression, they and the Keriya Aitika Mosque story largely faded from public view. The media moved on to new sensational claims about Xinjiang, shifting gears every few weeks in search of something that would stick.
Given the lack of follow-up, I thought I would revisit the Keriya Aitika Mosque situation myself to provide an update. Readers are encouraged to follow along on Google Earth – the coordinates for the mosque are 36°51'08.75" N, 81°40'18.08"E.
Below is one of the images of Keriya Aitika from May 2017, before the northern gatehouse was removed. You may notice that there's not much surrounding the mosque itself – the land on the south and east sides is basically empty.

Google Earth image, May, 2017
Fast forward to April 2019, when we started to see these claims being made. The northern gatehouse has been removed, and there appears to be just an empty spot where it once stood. This is the image generally used as "proof".

Google Earth image, April, 2019
The above image looks incriminating that it raised concern if they were in the process of demolishing. Why does it look so barren in front of the mosque? But lost in focus on the northern gatehouse is everything else going on -the new construction of buildings to the south and east as well as the expansion of roads around the mosque.
When we come back to Keriya Aitika Mosque in March 2020, everything has taken shape. The area to the north is a circular plaza with steps leading to the prayer hall. The southern gatehouse overlooks a new plaza and has been connected to a wall that extends around the mosque.
The buildings to the east have sets of minarets, which certain media outlets even claimed were banned in Xinjiang. There's even a parking lot to the west of the mosque for worshipers commuting from further away.

Google Earth image, March, 2020

Were the above image put side by side with the May 2017 image, it's unlikely that anyone would draw the conclusion that the Keriya Aitika Mosque was being targeted for demolition. The use of satellite imagery is massively misleading – renovation and construction can easily look like destruction.
It's no surprise that this narrative disappeared soon after – it would not support their story for people to go on Google Earth today and see for themselves.
I encourage readers to apply a level of skepticism to the claims some Western media make about Xinjiang. The speed at which narratives are built and then discarded, as well as their type, point to something that remains persistent: not earnest reporting of the facts, but a political purpose.
Going back to claims made a year ago leads us to conclusions radically different, even opposite, from the original reporting, as we can see with the case of the Keriya Aitika Mosque.

Letters to the Editor: The Case of the Keriya Aitika Mosque

news.cgtn.com

stop this propaganda

 

[beijingwalker]

can you give me the co-ordinates of these Muslims graveyards

• Sulanim Uighur Cemetery
• Teywizim Uighur Cemetery
• Xayar Uighur Cemetery

I dont need the opinion of a Chinese noser

I don't know which is which, but here are some

 

[beijingwalker]

there is over 5,000 demolished mosques in Northern China

one was destroyed, something else is in its placed unconfirmed as of yet

and you are jumping up and down like a monkey on a hot surface ? yeh yeh no Genocide in China yeh yeh

how desperate are you, most likely fake account who is probably Chinese

Then why XI himself visits mosques and insists on taking off his shoes to observe Muslim tradition ?

 

[aziqbal]

What is it？ What the Chinese name for it?

Ok, I see, I just googled this name and found the answer
Letters to the Editor: The Case of the Keriya Aitika Mosque
Updated 19:33, 25-Aug-2020
Sun Feiyang

Editor's note: Sun Feiyang is a Chicago-based Chinese working in an American bank holding company, spending all his college years in the United States. The article reflects the author's opinions, and not necessarily views of CGTN.
I am a Chicago-based Chinese working in an American bank holding company, spending all my college years in the United States. However, I care about my home country very much, especially when it is being smeared and slandered.
One year ago, there was a rash of articles in the media with the same claim that China had been on a massive, targeted campaign to destroy mosques in Xinjiang.
At first, Shawn Zhang posted a tweet on April 2 last year claiming that Keriya Eitika Mosque had been demolished. Weeks later, Zhang clarified that this mosque was actually a recently built gatehouse that had been removed, and the 800-year-old mosque was intact (and much larger than the image he showed).

The screenshot of Shawn Zhang's tweet.
Although the mistake has been clarified, the mosque-demolition narrative has soon taken on a life of its own as a number of mainstream media outlets began to pick up on the story, many of which even disregarded the fact that Zhang was mistaken.
After these images were used as "positive evidence" to denounce the Chinese government for religious repression, they and the Keriya Aitika Mosque story largely faded from public view. The media moved on to new sensational claims about Xinjiang, shifting gears every few weeks in search of something that would stick.
Given the lack of follow-up, I thought I would revisit the Keriya Aitika Mosque situation myself to provide an update. Readers are encouraged to follow along on Google Earth – the coordinates for the mosque are 36°51'08.75" N, 81°40'18.08"E.
Below is one of the images of Keriya Aitika from May 2017, before the northern gatehouse was removed. You may notice that there's not much surrounding the mosque itself – the land on the south and east sides is basically empty.

Google Earth image, May, 2017
Fast forward to April 2019, when we started to see these claims being made. The northern gatehouse has been removed, and there appears to be just an empty spot where it once stood. This is the image generally used as "proof".

Google Earth image, April, 2019
The above image looks incriminating that it raised concern if they were in the process of demolishing. Why does it look so barren in front of the mosque? But lost in focus on the northern gatehouse is everything else going on -the new construction of buildings to the south and east as well as the expansion of roads around the mosque.
When we come back to Keriya Aitika Mosque in March 2020, everything has taken shape. The area to the north is a circular plaza with steps leading to the prayer hall. The southern gatehouse overlooks a new plaza and has been connected to a wall that extends around the mosque.
The buildings to the east have sets of minarets, which certain media outlets even claimed were banned in Xinjiang. There's even a parking lot to the west of the mosque for worshipers commuting from further away.

Google Earth image, March, 2020

Were the above image put side by side with the May 2017 image, it's unlikely that anyone would draw the conclusion that the Keriya Aitika Mosque was being targeted for demolition. The use of satellite imagery is massively misleading – renovation and construction can easily look like destruction.
It's no surprise that this narrative disappeared soon after – it would not support their story for people to go on Google Earth today and see for themselves.
I encourage readers to apply a level of skepticism to the claims some Western media make about Xinjiang. The speed at which narratives are built and then discarded, as well as their type, point to something that remains persistent: not earnest reporting of the facts, but a political purpose.
Going back to claims made a year ago leads us to conclusions radically different, even opposite, from the original reporting, as we can see with the case of the Keriya Aitika Mosque.

Letters to the Editor: The Case of the Keriya Aitika Mosque

news.cgtn.com

can you get me co-ordinates of Kargilik mosque?

Then why XI himself visits mosques and insists on taking off his shoes to observe Muslim tradition ?

beijingwalker I do not disagree with this however the number of demolishing are in the 1000s, proving 1 has been rebuilt does not really do it justice does it? but good to know co-ordinates to check myself, you do not know how happy I am to see a mosque which was demolished still standing or even rebuilt I just hope the Muslims can pray there

 

[Respect4Respect01]

stop this propaganda

Im not going to say anything about Chinese Muslims because i don't have much knowledge about the situation but i want to point out its the same BBC that says "Palestinians died" and "Israelis Killed".

 

[beijingwalker]

can you get me co-ordinates of Kargilik mosque?

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http://travel.qunar.com/p-oi10008221-jiamanqingzhensi-0-1

 

[beijingwalker]

In response to the report, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin called it “nothing but slanderous rumors” during a press conference on Friday, and said the ASPI had received foreign funds to “support its concoction of lies against China.”


“It we look at the numbers, there are more than 24,000 mosques in Xinjiang, which is over ten times more than in the U.S.,” said Wang. “It means there is a mosque for every 530 Muslims in Xinjiang, which is more mosques per capita than many Muslim countries.”

 

[Globenim]

I don't know which is which, but here are some

Just because 9 out of 10 American propaganda lies about China fabricated by American state propaganda mouthpieces where proven false and the others are just so vague and baseless they cant be properly disproven because theres no substance to them in first place doesnt mean the 1000 times my genocidal regime repeated those projecting lies about China should be considered wrong and we can't assume Chinese are guilty of our Western crimes until we admit we obiously have no proof for the **** we made up to slander China!

 

[aziqbal]

In response to the report, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin called it “nothing but slanderous rumors” during a press conference on Friday, and said the ASPI had received foreign funds to “support its concoction of lies against China.”


“It we look at the numbers, there are more than 24,000 mosques in Xinjiang, which is over ten times more than in the U.S.,” said Wang. “It means there is a mosque for every 530 Muslims in Xinjiang, which is more mosques per capita than many Muslim countries.”

@beijingwalker but you cannot deny that there is something going on in Xinjging considering the overwhelming number of Ughurs in foreign countrys including Turkey who cannot contact their relatives and loved ones ? and the 100s of buildings with blue roofs which have been built what are they?

re-education camps are true aren't they ?

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

stop this propaganda

The BBC also claimed that Iraq had WMD that could destroy Europe in 30 mins.........the likes of you believe them.......................

 

[beijingwalker]

@beijingwalker but you cannot deny that there is something going on in Xinjging considering the overwhelming number of Ughurs in foreign countrys including Turkey who cannot contact their relatives and loved ones ? and the 100s of buildings with blue roofs which have been built what are they?

re-education camps are true aren't they ?

Tibetan "exile government" also makes up lies about how bad Tibet is now, the reason why they become exiles is because they are seperatists in the first place and they can do their separatism business inside Tibet or Xinjiang so they fled, what kind of words do you expect from those separatists?

 

[PAKISTANFOREVER]

there is over 5,000 demolished mosques in Northern China

one was destroyed, something else is in its placed unconfirmed as of yet

and you are jumping up and down like a monkey on a hot surface ? yeh yeh no Genocide in China yeh yeh

how desperate are you, most likely fake account who is probably Chinese

Of which you have 0 evidence of. IF you are not lying then remember to post the links here.


PS You need to stop believing the people who claimed that Iraq had WMD that could destroy Europe in 30 mins.............