Treatment of Uyghurs in China

By Lauren M. '21

Many international eyes are focused on Xinjiang, a large area within China. Nations have questions about how the Chinese government is treating one of their groups of people, and China has consistently reported that they are treating them justly. However, there is specific evidence that shows otherwise. 

The Uyghurs are an ethnic minority group of Muslims in China. They are one of the 56 ethnic groups recognized by the Chinese government. A strong concentration of them reside in Xinjiang, with about 12 million within the area. 

So, how and why is the Chinese government targeting the Uyghurs? 

China has been adamant about controlling the Xinjiang area for many centuries. Its northwest position relative to the rest of China means it is ideal for trade routes to both Europe and Asia. The Silk Road passes directly through the area, which is rich in oil and coal. In 1949, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party Mao Zedong forced his army into Xinjiang and integrated it into the People’s Republic of China. Many Uyghurs saw this as an act of colonization, and eventually, riots began to break out against Chinese control. 

In more recent years, separatist groups have been revolting with more violent acts. In 2016, the Chinese government installed Chen Quanguo as Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. He previously worked in Tibet to control rebellions occurring there, and was the architect of the increase in supervision of the Uyghurs. The Chinese government considers Uyghurs Islamic terrorists and is extremely persistent in trying to control them. Quanguo increased surveillance and security measures in Xinjiang, installing advanced spying technology such as sophisticated tracking cameras in an attempt to keep the Uyghurs under control. Throughout the streets of Xinjiang, there are armored trucks and police stations on every corner, and ID checks are commonplace. Uyghurs are also banned from freely practicing their religion,are prohibited from fasting during Ramadan and wearing beards that are considered unusual. 

This tight control began to escalate with the categorization of citizens. The government ranks people based on whether or not they are Uyghur, if they pray, what their ethnicity is, and other personal identifiers. The lowest rank of people, who are considered dangerous, are sent to what the government calls “study centers.” These centers have begun to attract attention around the world for their attempts to change the beliefs and practices of the Uyghur people. They are considered internment camps by many nations, and the United States has declared them responsible for a genocide of the Uyghurs. 

The camps supposedly weed out any religious extremists, and the government claims that those who attend are completely willing. However, since 2017, there has been an extreme uptick in the number of Uyghurs who are missing and are placed in the lowest ranking. This increase in missing citizens has caused suspicion around the rest of the world, and after lengthy investigation, it is estimated that more than a million men and women have been detained in the camps. Many Uyghurs do not know if they are going to be taken, and once taken don’t know how long they will be held. One woman survived in one of these camps for nine months, and is one of the few first-hand accounts from within the camps. She says that the camps had mass detention and forced sterilization of the minority groups. There are also claims of torturing and mass rapings. She describes her time in the camps as “the most unforgettable scar on (her) forever”.

Many Uyghurs are afraid to live in China, and those who have made it out of the camps are afraid to speak out against what they have seen and experienced. These camps are evidence that the Chinese government is being much more violent than they claim. This issue is becoming more mainstream in international news. China is now being scrutinized for the known aggression it is using, despite persistent denial. Uyghurs are being singled out for their beliefs and practices by the Chinese government and the treatment they are receiving is now being questioned by the rest of the world.