Forced Labour to Curb Ramadan: Uyghurs Amidst Religious Repression in Xinjiang

Chinese authorities in Xinjiang force Uyghurs into work during Ramadan to prevent fasting, as per Radio Free Asia. Videos of coerced labor during the Islamic holy month have gone viral, highlighting broader persecution efforts against Uyghur Muslims by banning religious practices under the guise of combating extremism.

In a controversial move, Chinese officials in Xinjiang are reportedly compelling Uyghurs to labor throughout Ramadan, aiming to obstruct their religious practices during the Islamic holy month, according to reports from Radio Free Asia (RFA). Social media stirred last week as videos showcasing this forced labor during Ramadan gained wide circulation.

The RFA report underscores this as part of a larger campaign by the Chinese government to dismantle the cultural and religious fabric of approximately 12 million Uyghurs residing in northwest China. Typically, Ramadan, occurring this year from February 28 to March 29, urges Muslims to fast from dawn to dusk. In contrast, it was reported that Chinese authorities not only banned fasting during Ramadan in their campaign against supposed extremism but also demanded proof of Uyghur compliance by requiring video evidence of eating during daylight hours.

Further religious restrictions reportedly extend beyond Ramadan, with Uyghurs being barred from attending Friday mosque prayers or celebrating other Muslim holidays. Videos surfaced on Chinese platforms like Douyin, showing Uyghurs, particularly in Hotan and Aksu, engaged in unavoidable labor such as fieldwork and communal cleaning during Ramadan's early days.

While the Chinese government cites these actions as necessary measures against extremism, they have prompted international condemnation from human rights organizations, which categorize them as crimes against humanity and potential genocide. These actions are set against a backdrop of heightened surveillance, forced sterilizations, family separations, and an overall erasure of Uyghur language and cultural practices. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)