By Sahara Douglas
Since 2017, Uyghur Muslims in China have been facing a worsening human rights crisis at the hands of the Chinese government. Over the past four years, this ethnic minority has experienced arbitrary incarceration, forced disappearances, forced sterilization, and forced labour, among other things. While China denies that it is illegally incarcerating Uyghur peoples, activists such as Rayhan Asat assure the world that Uyghurs like her brother Ekpar are being held against their will.
Uyghur Muslims are a Turkic ethnic minority in China primarily located in the Northwestern Xinjiang region in China. The Uyghur people have historically maintained a somewhat independent relationship with China. Xinjiang is an autonomous region and, like Tibet, has some authority over its regional decisions. The province is also rich in minerals and oil and is a source of wealth for China. Additionally, although it was annexed to China in 1949, many Uyghur peoples still refer to Xinjiang as East Turkestan. But it is partly this autonomous ideology of Xinjiang that is playing a role in the Uyghurs’ persecution, dating back to the mid-20th century. Former Chinese president Mao Zedong, in his effort to assimilate all of China’s ethnic minorities, ordered Uyghurs in Xinjiang to dress as Han Chinese and speak Mandarin. Han Chinese people were moved into Xinjiang to dilute the ethnic minority’s presence there. When Uyghur peoples protested these orders, they were met with retaliation, including the razing of the historic Kashgar neighbourhood.
These assimilation tactics continue today. Laws restrict religious and cultural practices such as growing long beards, wearing hijabs, and even Islamic-sounding names. Additionally, there are reports that while detained, women continue to be forcibly sterilized. While countless activists are speaking out against China’s human rights crisis, the Chinese government denies that Uyghur peoples are facing the alleged atrocities. Chinese officials explain that the prisons and factories in which Uyghur peoples are being forcibly detained are in fact “re-education” centres meant to deradicalize them through legal theory, work skills and Chinese language training. The Chinese government explains that these centres have come in response to numerous terrorist attacks perpetrated by radicalized Uyghur Muslims.
But since 2015, researchers have observed these centres grow into large facilities, often described as internment camps. These are also the facilities in which goods are being forcibly produced for consumers around the world. Two of the most common products that come out of the Xinjiang region are cotton and polysilicon. In fact, approximately one-fifth of the world’s cotton comes from Xinjiang, mostly picked by around 500,000 Uyghurs. This statistic means that somewhere in your closet is likely a garment made with Xinjiang cotton. Some large brands that have been implicated in using Xinjiang forced labour in their supply chain include Nike, Volkswagen, Tommy Hilfiger, Apple, and Dell. These products not only use cotton, but also polysilicon and other resources produced in Xinjiang.
However, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of where their goods are being made and by whom. Organizations around the world are also working together to combat this forced labour. Globally, around 190 organizations spanning 36 countries issued a call to action, asking clothing brands to cut off supplies coming from Xinjiang suppliers. The United States has also taken a stand against Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang. While it is conducting targeted sanctions against specific companies, it has also engaged a region-specific sanction, banning all Xinjiang cotton and solar panels from certain companies, a common Xinjiang export.
So what can you do to hold the Chinese government accountable for its oppression of the Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang? Well, before purchasing any items, research whether companies' products have been implicated in Uyghur forced labour. Whenever possible, contact a company representative and inquire as to the provenance of things such as textiles. By avoiding Chinese goods made with Uyghur forced labour, this will hopefully act as a clear message to Chinese officials that consumers will not be complicit in their human rights crisis. You can also keep an eye out for petitions working for Uyghur people’s rights, like this one organized by Amnesty International. Finally, remember to stay informed. The more awareness we can bring to an issue, the greater chance there is of tackling it.
Kommentare