Story: Sushim Mukul | Production: Vinayak Dixit
China's Xinjiang Province and its Uyghur Muslim population has been a talking point against the Chinese government for some time now. Allegations were made by several inhabitants as well as the international community that China is carrying out acts of human rights violation in the region. Reports of forced labour in Xinjiang add to said allegations of human rights abuses. Uighur individuals, including those who have undergone "re-education," are allegedly subjected to exploitative working conditions in factories supplying international brands. This underscores the economic dimension of the oppression, as the forced labour contributes to the Chinese government's economic ambitions while perpetuating the cycle of systemic abuse. The Chinese government justifies its actions as measures to counter extremism and maintain stability in the region. However, reports suggest that these measures go far beyond addressing security concerns, with cultural and religious suppression being integral components of the campaign. Uighur identity is systematically eroded through the prohibition of religious practices, such as fasting during Ramadan and wearing traditional clothing, aiming to assimilate the population into the dominant Han Chinese culture.
Recently, officials of the Chinese government held a meeting in Beijing on March 7th, wherein a senior official said that the "Sinicisation of Islam in Xinjiang province is inevitable". This comes months after the Chinese premiere Xi Jinping visited Xinjiang and talked about how residents should promote the Sinicisation of Islam. What is Sinicisation, and what would this mean for the Uyghur Muslim population of Xinjiang?
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