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Issue 8: Destruction of Mosques

Issue 8: Destruction of Mosques

World Uyghur Congress, 23 May 2018

Mosques have sadly been at the forefront of repressive policies from the Chinese government targeting the Uyghur people’s freedom of religion. Mosques are places of worship and form the centre of religious life for Uyghur Muslims, but they have come under heavy restrictions, or have been demolished entirely.

In 2016, the Chinese Ethinic Religious Affairs Department launched its ‘Mosque Rectification’ campaign. Under the guise of promoting ‘public safety’, chinese authorities demolished thousands of mosques in a period of 3 months. In Kashgar it was reported that 70% of all mosques in the city were destroyed. The Uyghur people were not consulted and their complaints were ignored as these places of important religious, cultural and historical significance were destroyed. In Toqquzaq county’s Mush township said 46 of the 65 mosques were said to have been destroyed.

More recently, new Chinese legislation has established absolute state control over mosques, along with almost every aspect of Uyghur religious life. Mosques in East Turkistan must be approved by the Chinese government, have metal detectors and security checkpoints installed at their gates and closely monitor all who come and go. These places of worship have been turned into Chinese propaganda centres and are forced to display Chinese flags, as has been the case during Ramadan in 2018. Recently it has been reported that the Chinese government is also trying to ‘Sinicize’ Islam for the Hui population and has banned any new mosques from having onion-shaped domes, elaborate motifs and Arabic script.

As all praying and other forms of worship have been banned by the Chinese government outside state-approved mosques, Uyghurs in East Turkistan are being deprived of any place where they can peacefully practice their religion.