Before we start with the main part of the article, I am sure that a lot of you guys have never heard about this ethnic group. When I first heard about them, I had no idea who are they, what is their religion, which language they speak, or where those people live.
Since I don't want to put you in my skin, I will first tell you some details about Uyghurs.
Who are Uyghurs?
Uyghurs are a Turkish ethnic group that is living in China's largest region, Xinjiang. They are Chinese official national minority, and official language of this ethnic group is Uyghur. An Important thing to mention is that they are big population of 12.5 million people. Uyghur Muslims are the part of China since the 8th century and their religion and as it is aid in their name, their religion is Islam.
What is happening with Uyghurs in China?
For the past few years there have been rumors that China had built so-called re-educational camps for Uyghurs Muslims where they can study and learn so they can get more serious jobs and make their careers. Those re-educational camps were no problem at all at the beginning because China never stated that they existed.
How time went by, people from this region and Uyghurs themselves started claiming that Chinese soldiers were taking their friends and families somewhere far and nobody knew where. They would not come back and families started to worry.
Even worse thing to happen is people who found a way to escape those re-educational camps and claimed they were abused. Those people were frightened and they were spreading the stories about the present and heavy violence in those camps.
Rumors did not stop, furthermore, the rumors became so active and terrifying that the whole world heard of them and even nations like Canada, The US, and The UK were interested in those happenings.
The more realistic rumors were, the more dust was made about this. The US accused China of genocide.
At first, China has completely denied the existence of camps. After some pieces of evidence leaked, China was under the great pressure and admitted the fact that camps do exist, yet still denied genocide. They stated that camps only exist for the sake of Uyghur Muslims. China delegation also said that camps have only one purpose and that is to educate and improve the Uyghur Muslims and their life.
Later on, the pressure on China did not vanish and even more shreds of evidences were leaked. People who escaped from the camps started to speak about their terrible experiences and China's last statement was that the camps were organized because China must stop terrorism in this important region, and the only way to do so is by educating Uyghur and taking them there.
Now, let's analyze the terrorism and the years of the terrorist attacks in the Xinjiang region in China.
The terrorist attack of Muslim ethnic group in Xinjiang
The Baren Township riot- 1990
The Ürümqi bus bombings- 1997
The Shaoguan Incident- June 2009
The Ürümqi riots- July 2009
The Hotan attack- 2011
The Ürümqi attack- April 2014
The Ürümqi attack- May 2014
The Kunming attack- 2014
The Aksu colliery attack- 2015
(You can learn more about this historical happening when you click on blued words)
Those are most of the terrorist attacks, also these are the most important ones.
From 2016, there were no terrorist attack in Xinjiang at all.
China's delegation stated that re-educational camps are fulfilling their purpose and that the reason for terrorism reduction is organized and mentioned camps.
However, the nations who were still concerned about genocide were not satisfied with China's opinion and statement.
What is genocide?
For those who are not clear with the term 'genocide', I will explain.
Genocide is intentional destruction of a certain group of people. The most common are ethnic, national, racial, and religious groups of people.
Click here if you want to learn more about this term.
What those people had survived?
To be honest, what Uyghur Muslims had done in the past is terrible. There is no need for terrorism and for sure China wants to protect its own people. I would want the same thing.
But, the way China wants to stop terrorism is wrong and unacceptable. Just as terrorism, being abusive toward people, beating them up, taking them away from their families and friends, taking from them their religion and culture is terrible and absolutely inhuman.
Those camps are very brutal. Men are beaten up, heavy violence is used and police brutality is on very high level. Worst of all, the conditions are very bad.
Women are being sexually abused, raped, beaten up and conditions for them are also bad. The most terrible act of China is the act where Uyghur Muslims are forcibly sterilized.
There is not such a thing that can justify and approve those awful acts.
More than one million Uyghur Muslims are in so-called camps and at this right moment, nobody can help them.
Why is important to know this?
Even If we cannot help them now, we must be aware of this situation. We must know that this way is wrong and that violence should NOT be answered with violence. If China really made camps which purpose is education and improvement, I would agree with them just like the rest of the world would.
As a person who wants to make an impact, I want to tell you guys that in the future we must find better, more effective ways that will not include police brutality and blood.
Please be aware that people are in great danger and that we will be able to help them once. Until that time comes, educate yourself and never forget that there are always two sides of the story, just like here in this example.
Stay safe and healthy!
Yours,
T
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