re: #213 electrotek

This flies in the face of the “white genocide” crowd who argue that diversity is killing off what makes us supposedly unique.

I’m familiar with the Uighurs and the repression they’ve gone through since 1949. Don’t like what China is doing in Xinjiang by encouraging more Han settlement to dilute Uighurs of their presence and numbers. It should be celebrated instead of repressed. I’m concerned about how many Uighurs will end up becoming more radicalized as a reaction to the repression and make things a lot worse for the province.

Ironically, the Beijing government uses “anti-radicalization” as the primary reason for its increasing suppression of Uyghur culture and religion, which a lot like pouring gasoline on a fire, trying to put it out. ISIS has made some inroads in recruiting Uyghurs, and the government uses those few examples to justify police-state regulation and control. Men can’t grow out their beards. Women can’t be veiled. Government workers who are Muslim cannot fast during Ramadan. Uyghurs cannot get passports to leave the country (Supposedly. One of my students was able to study in Turkey two years ago.) Security police are also supposedly collecting DNA samples of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. The Internet in the province is even more tightly locked down than anywhere else in China but Tibet. And there is a prevailing prejudice against Uyghurs because of their religion and because they don’t look “Chinese.”

Sound familiar?

Anecdotally, most of the Uyghur students I know major in business, maths, science, and IT, and do quite well at them. And most benefit from scholarships offered by the Chinese government to attend uni outside Xinjiang. I’m sure you can guess the advantages to the government to educate Xinjiang youth outside their home province.