The focus of my civic issue blog for the semester is going to be human rights violations on a global level. I chose this topic because I am intending to major in international politics and Spanish, so global issues and current events are extremely interesting to me. I plan on discussing human rights violations against a diverse group of victims, with the hopes of shedding light on problems which make many of us feel uncomfortable to talk about, therefore causing them to slip through the cracks of media coverage and individual activism.
The first event I’d like to cover is an ongoing genocide occurring in Xinjiang, China. You might be thinking, “this is crazy, because I haven’t heard a word about it.” Unfortunately, that is the bleak reality for the more than 12 million Uyghurs, a largely Muslim minority group, who reside in Xinjiang. In this case, the Chinese government is executing a genocide against the Uyghur minority in Xinjiang based on empty rumors and a nationalistic rhetoric. Additionally, the atrocities at hand have gained little media coverage, which has only prolonged this human rights crisis.
A photo of people protesting the Chinese government’s actions. Image Source
So, what’s happening? The Chinese government has exercised many protocols which have the goal of eradicating Uyghur culture in the nation. For example, beards and face veils have been banned, along with baby names, and certain halal products. Also, some mosques have been closed completely, and others display the face of President Xi Jinping inside, creating an uncomfortable environment to worship in. Furthermore, Chinese authorities regularly visit many Uyghur homes to verify that there is no “suspicious” activity ongoing and to promote an idealistic perspective of President Xi Jinping. They have also raided these homes, and they consistently observe Uyghurs through an advanced public security system. Facial recognition cameras on streets can flag Uyghurs and stop them for unjust questioning and punishment.
Most shockingly, there are over 380 internment camps in Xinjiang, in which Uyghurs can be detained by the Chinese government at any time for any reason. In these detention camps, not only is Uyghur culture under attack, but so is Uyghur birth. The officers force birth control methods on imprisoned women, such as IUDs or even forced violent abortions. These atrocities have gained little recognition on a global scale, and will not be put to an end unless individuals, governments, and intergovernmental organizations (such as the UN) speak up and out. I first heard about this genocide my junior year of high school, and I was just as shocked then as I am now. The even crazier part is that nothing has changed. All people deserve to be treated equally, and the human rights crisis in Xinjiang must be stopped.
A photo of imprisoned Uyghurs in the “reeducation” camps. Image Source
References:
Nathan Ruser, “Exploring Xinjiang’s detention system,” The Xinjiang Data Project, last modified September 24, 2020, accessed December 8, 2022, https://xjdp.aspi.org.au/explainers/exploring-xinjiangs-detention-facilities/.
“How China is crushing the Uyghurs.” Video, 8:44. YouTube. Posted by The Economist, July 9, 2019. Accessed December 8, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRBcP5BrffI.
Bequelin, Nicholas, and Joanne Finley. “The Art of Symbolic Resistance: Uyghur Identities and Uyghur–Han Relations in Contemporary Xinjiang.” The China Quarterly 220 (December 2014): 1158-59. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305741014001337.
Rodríguez-merino, Pablo A. “Old ‘counter-revolution’, New ‘terrorism’: Historicizing the Framing of Violence in Xinjiang by the Chinese State.” Central Asian Survey 38, no. 1 (July 20, 2018): 27-45. https://doi.org/10.1080/02634937.2018.1496066.
It’s crazy how this genocide is flying under the radar, I’ve heard about it before but not as much as genocides that have already occurred. you would expect to hear more about the current genocide. On top of this, many governments don’t want to get involved and call China out because they have important trade that occurs with the country.
Really strong post — I think another important thing to note is how this issue only really had strong media attention on it was when the filming of the live-action Mulan was taking place in the same province where the Uyghur internment camps were. Since then, I’ve seen nothing in the news, and have had to try very hard to find any information on the issue. I think it would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Hollywood and how it can often create harm for minoritized groups even just by filming a movie. The ignorance and lack of action can be so astounding.
I have heard about this issue too, primarily from reposted Instagram posts. However, like most advocacy waves, the wave of spreading information about what was going on in China died even though not much has really changed. I searched it up and larger publications such as the New York Times have some coverage of the persecution Uyghurs are facing, but in terms of actually ending the atrocities that are occurring, no one in a high position of power has said much that could help. I don’t keep up a lot with politics, but as far as I know, not many politicians have mentioned how they want to resolve this issue. It’s always a tricky debate whether the U.S. should use its own resources to defend victims that otherwise have little to no effect on the U.S. Is it morally correct to ignore the Uyghur persecution? No. But do I think it will continue to happen? Yes. Americans simply do not care enough about the issue.
It is so difficult to watch history continuously repeat itself. I have heard a little about this genocide, but your post made me realize that I need to educate myself more on this issue. Genocide can happen in many different ways, but it is always shocking to be to see the brutal tactics taken to try to eliminate a group of people. This post reminded me a lot of when I visited Germany and went to the Dachau concentration camp; it is so terrifying to know the same things are occurring today. There are so many parallels, and it is hard to fathom that no one has done anything to stop this.