China Deals With Muslims Far Differently Than Does Europe

Semitic religions are weaponized, destructive belief systems.

THE CHINESE government has feared that its Uyghur population, which is primarily Muslim, would pose an internal threat to the nation by continuing its calls for independence, in addition to being “susceptible to extremist ideology.” Thus, the government decided that it needed to launch a campaign to restrict the religious practices of this minority as means of integrating them into the broader nationalist rhetoric employed by the government.

(ILLUSTRATION: A group of Uyghur Muslims protest the rigorous restrictions placed on them by the Chinese government.)

As a result, China recently banned the practice of Ramadan, burqas, hijabs, beards, and even the possession of the Quran in heavily populated Muslim areas. The police conduct constant random house checks, in which they look for books or clothing that indicate “conservative” religious values; detain women for wearing any head covering; and force Muslims to eat during Ramadan or face possible arrest.

Further, the government taunts Muslims by demanding that all restaurants owned by Muslims must openly display and sell cigarettes and alcohol, as well as making them work on Fridays so they cannot attend prayer. Finally, the Chinese government has outright branded Islam as an extremist ideology, which has allowed it to justify mass trials, media and cellular blackouts, and even firing live ammunition at Uyghur protestors.

However, China’s repressive and targeted policies have backfired. Most Uyghurs have resisted the government’s efforts to dismantle their faith, as they believe that the state is actively harming them and excluding them from the political process. They are casting aside any semblances of national identity that they may have initially held and are calling for independence more fervently than ever before. They are refusing to engage with political institutions, as they see these processes as rigged and inefficacious and believe that interacting with them will only lend legitimacy to the government they do not recognize. This has all culminated into the Uyghur community further isolating themselves and undermining any goals the Chinese government had to try and integrate this group.

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Source: Read the full story at mpac.org