Who are the Uyghurs and why is China being accused of ...

Xinjiang lies in the north-west of China and is the country's largest region. Like Tibet, it is autonomous, meaning - in theory - it has some ... Imagesource,GettyImagesImagecaption,TheUyghursarethelargestminorityethnicgroupinChina'snorth-westernprovinceofXinjiangChinahasbeenaccusedofcommittingcrimesagainsthumanityandpossiblygenocideagainsttheUyghurpopulationandothermostly-Muslimethnicgroupsinthenorth-westernregionofXinjiang.HumanrightsgroupsbelieveChinahasdetainedmorethanonemillionUyghursagainsttheirwilloverthepastfewyearsinalargenetworkofwhatthestatecalls"re-educationcamps",andsentencedhundredsofthousandstoprisonterms.ThereisalsoevidencethatUyghursarebeingusedasforcedlabourandofwomenbeingforciblysterilised.Someformercampdetaineeshavealsoallegedtheyweretorturedandsexuallyabused.TheUSisamongseveralcountriestohaveaccusedChinaofcommittinggenocideinXinjiang.TheleadinghumanrightsgroupsAmnestyandHumanRightsWatchhavepublishedreportsaccusingChinaofcrimesagainsthumanity.ChinadeniesallallegationsofhumanrightsabusesinXinjiang,claimingitssystemof"re-education"campsaretheretocombatseparatismandIslamistmilitancyintheregion.Imagesource,GoogleImagecaption,SatelliteimagesshowrapidconstructionofcampsinXinjiang,likethisonenearDabanchengWhoaretheUyghurs?Thereareabout12millionUyghurs,mostlyMuslim,livinginXinjiang,whichisofficiallyknownastheXinjiangUyghurAutonomousRegion(XUAR).TheUyghursspeaktheirownlanguage,whichissimilartoTurkish,andseethemselvesasculturallyandethnicallyclosetoCentralAsiannations.TheymakeuplessthanhalfoftheXinjiangpopulation.RecentdecadeshaveseenamassmigrationofHanChinese(China'sethnicmajority)intoXinjiang,allegedlyorchestratedbythestatetodilutetheminoritypopulationthere.ChinahasalsobeenaccusedoftargetingMuslimreligiousfiguresandbanningreligiouspracticesintheregion,aswellasdestroyingmosquesandtombs.Uyghuractivistssaytheyfearthatthegroup'scultureisunderthreatoferasure.MoreonthisstoryImamstargetedinChina'sXinjiangcrackdownThecostofspeakingupagainstChinaChina'hascreateddystopianhellscapeinXinjiang'China's'tainted'cottonWhereisXinjiang?Xinjiangliesinthenorth-westofChinaandisthecountry'slargestregion.LikeTibet,itisautonomous,meaning-intheory-ithassomepowersofself-governance.Butinpractice,bothregionsaresubjectedtomajorrestrictionsbythecentralgovernment.Xinjiangisamostlydesertregionandproducesaboutafifthoftheworld'scotton.Humanrightsgroupshavevoicedconcernsthatmuchofthatcottonexportispickedbyforcedlabour,andin2021someWesternbrandsremovedXinjiangcottonfromtheirsupplychains,leadingtoabacklashagainstthebrandsfromChinesecelebritiesandnetizens.InDecember2020,researchseenbytheBBCshowedthatuptohalfamillionpeoplewerebeingforcedtopickcottoninXinjiang.Thereisevidencethatnewfactorieshavebeenbuiltwithinthegroundsofthere-educationcamps.TheregionisalsorichinoilandnaturalgasandbecauseofitsproximitytoCentralAsiaandEuropeisseenbyBeijingasanimportanttradelink.Intheearly20thCentury,theUyghursbrieflydeclaredindependencefortheregionbutitwasbroughtunderthecompletecontrolofChina'snewCommunistgovernmentin1949.Imagesource,GettyImagesImagecaption,UyghurwomenpickcottoninXinjiang.RightsgroupshavevoicedconcernsaboutforcedlabourintheregionWhataretheallegationsagainstChina?Severalcountries,includingtheUS,CanadaandtheNetherlands,haveaccusedChinaofcommittinggenocide-definedbyinternationalconventionasthe"intenttodestroy,inwholeorinpart,anational,ethnical,racialorreligiousgroup".Thedeclarationsfollowreportsthat,aswellasinterningUyghursincamps,ChinahasbeenforciblymasssterilisingUyghurwomentosuppressthepopulation,separatingchildrenfromtheirfamilies,andattemptingtobreaktheculturaltraditionsofthegroup.TheUSSecretaryofState,AntonyBlinken,hassaidChinaiscommitting"genocideandcrimesagainsthumanity".TheUKForeignSecretary,DominicRaab,hassaidthetreatmentofUyghursamountsto"appallingviolationsofthemostbasichumanrights",andtheUKparliamentdeclaredinApril2021thatChinawascommittingagenocideinXinjiang.AUNhumanrightscommitteein2018saidithadcrediblereportsthatChinawasholdinguptoamillionpeoplein"counter-extremismcentres"inXinjiang.TheAustralianStrategicPolicyInstitutefoundevidencein2020ofmorethan380ofthese"re-educationcamps"inXinjiang,anincreaseof40%onpreviousestimates.Mediacaption,In2018,theBBCfoundallreportingwastightlycontrolledEarlier,leakeddocumentsknownastheChinaCablesmadeclearthatthecampswereintendedtoberunashighsecurityprisons,withstrictdisciplineandpunishments.Peoplewhohavemanagedtoescapethecampshavereportedphysical,mentalandsexualtorture.Womenhavespokenofmassrapeandsexualabuse.Whatwasthebuild-uptothecrackdown?Anti-HanandseparatistsentimentroseinXinjiangfromthe1990s,sometimesflaringintoviolence.In2009about200peoplediedinclashesinXinjiang,whichtheChineseblamedonUyghurswhowantedtheirownstate.Butinrecentyearsamassivesecuritycrackdownhascrusheddissent.Xinjiangisnowcoveredbyapervasivenetworkofsurveillance,includingpolice,checkpoints,andcamerasthatscaneverythingfromnumberplatestoindividualfaces.AccordingtoHumanRightsWatch,policearealsousingamobileapptomonitorpeople'sbehaviour,suchashowmuchelectricitytheyareusingandhowoftentheyusetheirfrontdoor.Since2017,whenPresidentXiJinpingissuedanordersayingallreligionsinChinashouldbeChineseinorientation,therehavebeenfurthercrackdowns.CampaignerssayChinaistryingtoeradicateUyghurculture.Mediacaption,China'sambassador:"ThereisnosuchconcentrationcampinXinjiang"WhatdoesChinasay?ChinadeniesallallegationsofhumanrightsabusesinXinjiang.Itsaidit2019thatithadreleasedeveryonefromits"re-education"campsystem,thoughtestimonyfromtheregionsuggestsmanyarestilldetainedandmanyweretransferredfromcampstoformalprisons.ChinasaysthecrackdowninXinjiangisnecessarytopreventterrorismandrootoutIslamistextremismandthecampsareaneffectivetoolforre-educatinginmatesinitsfightagainstterrorism.ItinsiststhatUyghurmilitantsarewagingaviolentcampaignforanindependentstatebyplottingbombings,sabotageandcivicunrest,butitisaccusedofexaggeratingthethreatinordertojustifyrepressionoftheUyghurs.ChinahasdismissedclaimsitistryingtoreducetheUyghurpopulationthroughmasssterilisationsas"baseless",andsaysallegationsofforcedlabourare"completelyfabricated".MoreonthisstoryChina'hascreateddystopianhellscape'inXinjiang10June2021UyghurimamstargetedinChina'sXinjiangcrackdown13May2021ThecostofspeakingupagainstChina31March2021Uighurcampdetaineesallegesystematicrape2February2021RelatedTopicsXinjiangChinaReligionUighursTopStoriesLive. UkraineleaderrebukesNatorefusalonno-flyzoneBlinken:UkrainecanabsolutelywinthewarPublished4hoursagoCanChinadomoretostopRussia'swaronUkraine?Published3hoursagoFeaturesOilpriceriseworriesIndiaafterUkraineinvasionTheright-wingbrigadeinpursuitofaHindustate.VideoTheright-wingbrigadeinpursuitofaHindustateWhoarethemega-richRussiansfacingsanctions?UkrainiansfindingsanctuaryinPolishhomes.VideoUkrainiansfindingsanctuaryinPolishhomes'Manic'crabscapturedonunderwatercamera.Video'Manic'crabscapturedonunderwatercameraTheflat-packwaterheaterthatfightsclimatechange.VideoTheflat-packwaterheaterthatfightsclimatechangeHowLiverpoolwastransformedintoGothamCityTheTikTokerspreadingviralUkrainewarvideosKevinConnolly:EuropeanpeaceseemsasfragileaseverElsewhereontheBBCThefall-outfromadrunkenonenightstand...Asituationthatisabouttogetsuperawkward!Canchocolatereallybehealthy?Thesecretbenefitsofeatingoneofourfavouritetreats'Iwasgonefromthisworldforfiveminutes'ChristianEriksenreflectsonhislifeoverthepasteightmonthsMostRead1Blinken:Ukrainecanabsolutelywinthewar2TheRussiansleavingtheircountryforFinland3Whydoesn'tUkraineattacktheRussianconvoy?Andotherquestions4'Mycity'sbeingshelled,butmumwon’tbelieveme'5RussianangerassenatorcallsforPutin'sassassination6CanChinadomoretostopRussia'swaronUkraine?7Whoarethemega-richRussiansfacingsanctions?8WhyhasPutininvadedUkraine?9FrenchdesignergiantssuspendsalesinRussia10'Lifeiscrumbling'-Russiansonboycottsandsanctions