Uyghur segregation

Date and country of first publication

2015
Australia

Definition

Uyghur segregation refers to the practice of separating the Uyghur Muslim population from the rest of society in China, particularly in the Xinjiang region. The Chinese government has been accused of implementing policies and practices that lead to the segregation and discrimination of Uyghurs, including mass detentions, forced labor, surveillance, and strict control over religious and cultural practices.

These policies aim to assimilate Uyghurs into the dominant Han Chinese culture and suppress any potential separatist sentiment. Uyghurs have been subjected to arbitrary detentions in re-education camps, where they are forced to undergo political indoctrination and intensive surveillance. Reports indicate that up to one million Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities may be detained in these camps.

The segregation of Uyghurs also extends to economic discrimination, with reports of forced labor in factories and farms, primarily aimed at eradicating cultural and linguistic differences. Additionally, Uyghur Muslims are subjected to strict controls on religious practices, such as restrictions on fasting during Ramadan, banning of traditional Islamic names for children, and destruction of mosques.

The Chinese government denies allegations of segregation and argues that these measures are necessary to combat terrorism and extremism. However, multiple human rights organizations and foreign governments have condemned these practices as violations of basic human rights and religious freedoms.

Notes

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Further reading

Leibold J., Deng D.X. (2015) Segregated diversity: Uyghur residential patterns in Xinjiang, China. Inside Xinjiang: Space, Place and Power in China’s Muslim Far Northwest, 122-148. Taylor and Francis.[1]