“Break Their Lineage, Break Their Roots”. This unconscionable doctrine from the Chinese government perfectly epitomizes the genocide they are unleashing on the Uyghur Muslims in the western Xinjiang province. Since 2014, the Chinese government has systematically persecuted ~1.3 million Uyghur Muslims from Xinjiang. In addition to the erratic, capricious detention of Uyghurs in state-sponsored camps, government policies have included forced labor, suppression of Uyghur religious practices, political indoctrination, forced sterilization, and forced abortion. However, this devastating situation brings up 2 main questions: Why is the Chinese government specifically oppressing the Uyghurs in Xinjiang?; How has the international community contributed to ending the Uyghur genocide?
Without a doubt, the Uyghur Genocide has been one of the deadliest genocides of the modern era. However, surrounding the seemingly Islamaphobic intentions of the Chinese government, there is a deeper reason behind the systematic persecution of the Uyghurs. The province of Xinjiang is a crucial resource for China, providing, “...an abundance of coal, natural gas, and oil, accounting for roughly a quarter of China's total reserves, being described as the country’s ‘national energy strategy base’,” (Fallon 1). It is considered a vital link for the economy's need for imported oil and infrastructure development through the One Road, One Belt Initiative. Since this region with such large economic fruits is not adequately under Chinese control, the Chinese government persecuted the Uyghurs in the region because they were seen as a threat due to their religion and the need to preserve the homogenous society of China. The second, more influential reason behind the Uyghur Genocide is the political instability in the region. Throughout the 20th century, “the Uyghurs declared their independence as the East Turkestan Republic, in 1933 and endured until suppressed by Nationalist Chinese forces under Chiang Kai-shek in 1934,” (Fallon 3). While the Chinese government has since quashed the rebellion, the separatist ideology of a majority of Uyghurs is seen as a threat of uprising by the Chinese government, in a region with vast economic benefits. Essentially, the Chinese government is oppressing the Uyghurs in Xinjiang because of the political instability and the crucial resources in the area.
Amidst the deafening silence of Muslim-majority nations in response to the Uyghur genocide, the international community faced a moral obligation to take decisive action, as shown by the stark contrast in reactions and commendable yet incomplete efforts by key nations. The international condemnation began after assessing the stark contrast in reactions from Muslim-majority countries, as noted in the evidence: "If human rights violations of this scope and scale were taking place in Europe or the United States, one would expect Muslim-majority countries to have erupted in protest. Yet, years into this repression, these governments have maintained a deafening silence. Worse still, many have actively helped to whitewash these abuses," (Wang 2). This observation emphasized the need for a critical global response plan that involves other countries all over the world, which paved the way for the involvement of countries like the U.S. and European powers. The catalyst (inaction of Muslim countries) then effectively pushed the responsibility onto countries like the United States, Canada, and the European Union. These countries have imposed targeted sanctions involving "travel bans and asset freezes," (Maya 3) on officials in Xinjiang that were implicated in severe human rights violations against Uyghur Muslims. However, the evidence also points to a gap in implementation, as illustrated by Australia: "Although Australia in 2021 passed legislation that enables such sanctions, it has yet to actually impose them," (Wang 5). This evidence shows that not all countries have been fully applying the resources necessary to the genocide in Xinjiang and that the international community can still do a lot more. The next aspect of the international response is highlighted in the evidence. The evidence advocates that governments should "take a principled stand, recommit to the universality of the U.N. human rights system, and work together to open a comprehensive investigation into the sweeping abuses in Xinjiang," (Wang 4). This call to action aligns with the voices of "U.N. experts and hundreds of civil society organizations from around the world," (Wang 4); emphasizing the need for collective efforts on the international stage.
Finally, the last facet of a response to the Uyghur genocide is demonstrated by underscoring the role of technology companies in facilitating abuses and the corresponding need for decisive measures against them. The evidence asserts that "governments have imposed escalating actions against technology companies found to be contributing to China's mass surveillance state in Xinjiang, including by imposing sanctions on these companies," (Wang 5). This evidence reinforces the fact that the international community is taking a multifaceted approach to combatting the Uyghur genocide in China, without getting directly involved. Effectively, the deafening silence of Muslim-majority countries catalyzed the involvement of stronger countries like the U.S. and Canada, which responded with sanctions, asset freezes, travel bans, and technological limitations to combat the Uyghur Genocide.
In conclusion, the Uyghur genocide stands as one of the most devastating atrocities of the modern era, marked by the Chinese government's systematic persecution of approximately 1.3 million Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Beyond the seemingly Islamophobic intentions, the deeper motives behind this brutal campaign become evident when examining the region's strategic significance for China. Xinjiang, rich in coal, natural gas, and oil, serves as a vital resource base, comprising about a quarter of China's total reserves and playing a crucial role in the nation's economic and infrastructure development strategies. The Chinese government's oppressive actions against the Uyghurs stem from a perceived threat to control these resources, as well as the desire to preserve a homogenous society. Additionally, political instability in the region, marked by historical instances of Uyghur independence declarations, fuels fears of separatist ideologies that could disrupt the Chinese government's economic interests. The deafening silence of Muslim-majority nations has spurred key players like the European Union, the United States, and Canada to impose commendable but unevenly implemented sanctions on officials implicated in severe human rights violations. The international community, prompted by a stark contrast in reactions, faces challenges in fully addressing the crisis. Emphasizing the need for a principled stance and collaboration calls for investigations to align with U.N. experts and civil society organizations. Simultaneously, technology companies ended all services with parties that facilitated the genocide. This multifaceted approach signals the world's commitment to combat the Uyghur genocide indirectly, highlighting the ongoing challenges in fostering a unified global response against the oppression of the Uyghur people.
Works Cited
Fallon, Joseph E. “China’s Crime against Uyghurs Is a Form of Genocide.” Fourth World Journal, 2019, search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.508909415820545. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
Griffiths, James. “From Cover-up to Propaganda Blitz: China’s Attempts to Control the Narrative on Xinjiang.” CNN, CNN, 17 Apr. 2021, www.cnn.com/2021/04/16/china/beijing-xinjiang-uyghurs-propaganda-intl-hnk-dst/index.html. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR, BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY,. “Tibet - United States Department of State.” United States Department of State, 12 Oct. 2023, www.state.gov/reports/2022-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/china/tibet/. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
Maizland, Lindsay . “China’s Repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang.” Council on Foreign Relations, 2019, www.cfr.org/backgrounder/china-xinjiang-uyghurs-muslims-repression-genocide-human-rights#:~:text=Beyond%20the%20detentions%2C%20Uyghurs%20in,sterilizations%2C%20among%20other%20rights%20abuses. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.
Wang, Maya. “How Governments and Civil Society Can Help China’s Uyghurs.” Human Rights Watch, 4 May 2023, www.hrw.org/news/2023/05/04/how-governments-and-civil-society-can-help-chinas-uyghurs#:~:text=experts%20and%20hundreds%20of%20civil,message%20to%20the%20Chinese%20government. Accessed 6 Dec. 2023.
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