Uighur Muslims in Concentration Camps
INTRODUCTION
It amazes me how motivated and determined us humans can be towards a movement. The one that stands out to me the most is saving the turtles. There are many websites and campaigns for the movement to help save the turtles and not let them go extinct. I remember when plastic straws were no longer being enforced in hopes of saving the turtles. The idea of people being so concerned about the sea and its creatures was very heartwarming. As many people like to put it, we are giving the turtles a voice and making sure they are being heard, which is very thoughtful of us to do so for the voiceless turtles. So, one would think if humans are so caring towards animals then they would feel even more caring towards humans. I would think that humans would have even more passion towards caring about each other. But, that is not the case. It is so crazy to me how we can become voices for animals, but can’t do the same for other humans that need a voice as well. This leads me into my research topic about the Uighur Muslims being held in concentration camps and why no one is talking about it or how there is barely any awareness about it.
Ever since I can fully understand real world problems and the many complications in the world, I was more confused than anything about why no one is speaking up about all the negativity, hatred, racism, and cruel things that are taking place everyday. I have always wondered how people can be so oblivious to what is going on in the world and even in the places they live and call home. Growing up in America, I have noticed that not a lot of people are aware or choose to be aware of the many different things that are going on in the world. I think this is also because nowadays people choose to be oblivious to things that do not directly affect them. My parents come from a war-torn country so I am well aware about what is going on there and in the countries surrounding their home country, Afghanistan, especially because they watch the news daily or are always talking about it. I have always wanted to be educated and aware about what is occurring around the world. For example, there are currently Uighur Muslims in concentration camps in China but no one is addressing this issue. It hurts me to know these people are being harmed because of their religion. All they are asking is to be able to follow their religion without being tormented and violated for it. Many people do not understand that history is repeating itself and there is nothing being done to change it. It is so sad to say the world we live in today is not fair. We are all just being bystanders, watching it happen, but I do not want to be a bystander. I want to do something to help bring about change. But, in order to do this I, also, need to become fully aware about what is going on and learn more about why there are Uighur Muslims in concentration camps. Therefore, my research question is Why are Uighur Muslims being kept in concentration camps in China and why is nobody talking about it?
FIRST RESOURCE
The website, https://www.saveuighur.org/about/ , is an educational and advocacy project that is to help raise public awareness and provide help to the Uighur people. It is a project of Justice for All by Sound Vision in 2019. This resource gives all the information as to what is happening in China in these concentration camps. It explains what is happening, gives updates, provides more resources, and gives you ways to take action. This source summarizes everything happening and gives you knowledge about the Uighur Muslims and the daily torture and violence they are facing.
The specific idea that I wanted to focus on was a section in the website where it states what the Uighurs want. This stood out to me because the Uighurs do not have a voice and all they are asking for is basic human rights which have been taken away from them in the most inhumane way. The Uighurs want the camps to be closed and everyone to be released and to be allowed to live their lives according to their Muslim faith. They want their family homes to be respected and to be able to identify as Uighur without any interference from the Chinese government. All the Uighurs are asking is to be able to live their lives, normally, without any violence and torture. This stood out to me because the Uighur Muslims are being robbed of the one simple thing everyone should be able to have which is freedom of religion.
SCHOLARLY RESOURCE 1
In the scholarly article, https://go-gale-com.jpllnet.sfsu.edu/ps/i.do?p=OVIC&u=sfsu_main&id=GALE%7CA613134747&v=2.1&it=r, written by Michael R. Austin in Spring 2019, published by Hoover Digest, it summarizes how China has finally admitted to holding Uighur Muslims in “internment camps in the far Western province of Xinjiang”. The goal, according to the government, is of re-education and the suppression of Uighur identity. The Uighurs are forced with daily schedules and activities to prevent them from following their religion of Islam and the goal of the government is to have them serve the state rather than have the freedom of religion.
The specific quote I wanted to focus on is “today’s Chinese empire is built on the control of dozens of minority groups and the tight monitoring of their religions and cultures”. This quote explains how the priority of China’s government is to maintain the integrity of the state. The president of China, Xi Jinping, wants to accomplish this by having control over the minority groups and this is being done by putting Uighur Muslims in concentration camps. This way they are controlled and forced to follow specific rules and regulations. It is also important to note that China is ultimately an empire. Throughout the centuries, China’s Han majority, which makes up 91 percent of the Chinese population, has pressured and actively suppressed ethnic minorities.
CULTURAL ARTIFACT 1
In the “Why More than a Million Uighurs are Being Held in Camps in China”, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKpyaDZkNfU, a video by Guardian News, gives information on why Uighurs are in camps and the daily living conditions of Xinjiang. It is still unclear what is really happening in the camps. There have been videos of people kneeling blindfolded and shaven and being led to trains. The video further explains more about who the Uighurs are. The Uighurs are a Turkic-Muslim group. They live in the north-western territory of Xinjiang in China. Since 1949, it’s been under Chinese control. The Chinese government see Uighurs and other Muslim minorites in Xinjiang as potential terrorists.
The specific idea I want to focus on is the fact that Xinjiang looks as if they are in the middle of a civil war. There are checkpoints, armed police, and the military all over. People get stopped and checked everyday, everywhere they go, multiple times a day. China claims these camps are vocational and that people are not forced to go to them. But, in reality “these camps are de facto prisons”. Families are separated from each other. There has also been known cases of torture, forced medications given, and forced sterilization. There has been accounts and debates about whether this is considered a genocide or not. Ultimately, it is a slow process of erasing an identity, a culture, and a population.
CONCLUSION
Throughout this research, I have learned a lot about what is going on with the Uighur Muslims and all the unjust treatment that they are facing. Although I was able to gather information and learn about the Uighurs, I still was not able to reach an exact answer to my research question of why Uighur Muslims are being kept in concentration camps and how come no one was speaking up about it. I feel this will be a topic that won’t have a crystal clear answer as to why this is taking place. The only thing I can hope for is for more people to become aware and participate in petitions and campaigns to help raise more awareness.
