“China’s attempt to erase their own people”

China is home to around 10.5 million Hui Muslims and other ethnic Muslim minorities. They primarily live in the northwest and central plains of China. However, since 2016 it is estimated that 1.5 million have been detained. Mosques have been “renovated”, schools taken down, religious leaders imprisoned, those who have tried to travel internationally have been detained. Both childcare centers and religious schools have both been shut down throughout the country. Any sign of Saudi influence has been removed, mosques have been destroyed in the middle of the night, Muslim clothing has stopped being stocked in stores, and religious leaders have “disappeared”. The persecution of these ethnic minorities is continuing and is sponsored by the Chinese government.
Although the persecution of these people started several years ago, evidence of government involvement begins in 2018. Most of the anti-Islamic movement has been pushed by the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Party. In April of 2018, the United Front Work Department took control of the State Bureau of Religious Affairs. Before the takeover, the Bureau allowed for some protection of religious minorities, but that has quickly ceased. Their only mission is to protect the party. The slogan of “chu shahua, fan ahua” has began circulating through the country, meaning to expel Saudi and Arabic influence”. Citizens are encouraged to tell on their neighbors for a monetary prize. State media reports that over 6,500 “black and evil” parties have been taken down since early 2018.
There has been a surprising lack of response to this absolute tragedy by liberal countries in the West. According to “The Guardian”, the United Kingdom brought the situation to the UN Human Rights Council. The Trump administration, who already has a very interesting relationship with China, has called for pushback and resistance to the Chinese government. They have called it a “systematic oppression” and urge countries not to send back the refugees who have fled from China. Mike Pompeo has called it “China’s attempt to erase its own citizens”. The responses from the West have started coming this month, but unfortunately, China does not have to listen to any of them. China takes to the international system with a very anarchic view, and without world powers willing to go to war with them, there are not a lot of real consequences for them.
Unfortunately, there have been several cases that could be used as precedence for this situation. From extreme cases, such as the Holocaust, to less extreme, such as the American internment of Japanese Americans, people have been persecuting others for their religion since the beginning of time. This situation in China warrants action. As the world shifts from a hegemonic system to a more bipolar system, the world stage will become more unstable. The actions of states such as the US and China will be extremely important for the treatment of all people in the world. Religious persecution should never be tolerated.

Resources

Resources
Rahim, Zamira. “China Video Shows Blindfolded and Shackled ‘Muslim’ Prisoners.” The Independent, Independent Digital News and Media, 23 Sept. 2019, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/china-xinjiang-prisoners-beijing-muslim-uighur-camps-video-a9116861.html.

Feng, Emily. “’Afraid We Will Become The Next Xinjiang’: China’s Hui Muslims Face Crackdown.” NPR, NPR, 26 Sept. 2019, https://www.npr.org/2019/09/26/763356996/afraid-we-will-become-the-next-xinjiang-chi
nas-hui-muslims-face-crackdown.

DiLorenzo, Sarah. “US Steps up Pressure on China over Treatment of Muslims.” Religion News Service, 26 Sept. 2019,
https://religionnews.com/2019/09/25/us-steps-up-pressure-on-china-over-treatment-of-muslims/.