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China defends Uighur internment camps as part of global terrorism fight

China defends Uighur internment camps as part of global terrorism fight

Financial Times, 24 February 2019

By Lucy Hornby – China is presenting its mass internment of Muslim citizens as its contribution to the international fight against terrorism, as it seeks to counter growing criticism with diplomatic outreach.

At least 1m people belonging to the Uighur ethnicity as well as some foreign citizens have been forced into “vocational education” camps in the Xinjiang region where they are forced to learn Mandarin Chinese and Communist party rhetoric. Some have since been released or moved into labour camps.

The disappeared include many artists and intellectuals in the Uighur community, including the president of the region’s top university and the translator of Red Sorghum, one of China’s best-known contemporary novels. Earlier this month, Beijing was forced to release a proof-of-life video of a prominent Uighur musician, to counter reports that he had died in the camps.

China’s Xinjiang policy came up in Friday’s discussions between president Xi Jinping and visiting Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. “China has the right to take antiterrorism and de-extremisation measures for safeguarding national security,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in its account of the meeting published this weekend. “The Saudi side respects and supports that and is willing to strengthen co-operation with China.”

Deputy foreign ministry Zhang Hanhui briefed diplomats and officials from 80 countries and international organisations about China’s policies on Friday, presenting them as “development achievements” that are “worthy of praise”. He was accompanied by Xinjiang’s deputy governor Erkin Tuniyaz.

“Xinjiang’s antiterrorism and de-extremisation efforts have created a new way to solve the worldwide problem of treating both antiterrorism and the root cause of the crime. It is worthy of praise,” Mr Zhang said.

“China will continue to make due contributions to the international fight against terrorism, work with all countries to safeguard world peace and development, and work together to build a community of human destiny.”

One diplomat said the briefing had helped him “fully and objectively understand Xinjiang”, according to the foreign ministry. It did not identify that participant.

China says the mass internment as well as intensive surveillance in Xinjiang has been successful, since the region has not reported any violent incidents in almost two years. A few Uighurs have fought in Afghanistan and Syria, triggering fears that militants could return to China and commit terrorist attacks similar to the 2014 knife assault at the Kunming train station that killed at least 33 people.

The Xinjiang camps are slowly generating international criticism, including from UN panels, Turkish and Malaysian politicians and Muslim civic groups. Criteria for internment include speaking Uighur, praying and having relatives overseas.

China has twice taken small groups of diplomats on tours of the camps this year. One a tour for journalists, to which the Financial Times was not invited, camp residents praised their new life and sang in English: “If you are happy and you know it clap your hands,” according to a Reuters report.

https://www.ft.com/content/67c29f1a-3812-11e9-b72b-2c7f526ca5d0