Chinese Internment Camps for Muslims

[Sydnee Mulherin]

Article Link:

https://www.apnews.com/6e151296fb194f85ba69a8babd972e4b/Chinese-mas...

The Associated Press conducted an in depth study on the Chinese use of internment camps, in recent years, for those who are practicing Muslims. There is a specific focus on the area of Xinjiang. It is here that there are disastrous conditions for those in the camp. As one of the most policed areas in the world, amid deadly riots in 2009, the control over the Muslims in China has continued to expand and become harsher as religious extremist groups continue to grow in their influence. The access of information about the innerworkings of such internment camps are described as “shrouded in secrecy.” This is thought to be because of unethical and even illegal treatment of those being placed within the camps. The U.S. State Department estimates that tens of thousands of people are being kept in the harsh conditions within Xinjiang solely based on their practicing of religion. The camps not only service the people with nearly unlivable conditions, those who stay are forced to attend assimilation sessions. Within these sessions the people must denounce their religion and replace it with a loyalty to the Chinese Law. The stories of those who have been released from the internment camps all remain and confirm the same stories. Innocent people are being forced to denounce all that they know and take up the ideology of communist China. I chose this article because I thought that it would provide detail on the different political situations that exist within other countries. Before reading this article I was unaware of the steep price of living in a country where the freedom of religion in basically nonexistent. This highlights the importance of fighting to maintain religious freedom within the United States, on all fronts. This is clearly a problem that not only exists in the region of Xinjiang but all over the world. It is important as believers to have two responses to this issue. The first is to fight to support those who are working for the width of freedom to be expanded across the world. The second is to pray that even through the harsh religious environment of China the gospel would be able to be proclaimed and that people would come to know the love of Jesus Christ. I think that hearing stories like the camps in China should move us to a great appreciation and thankfulness for the freedoms that we do have in the United States and most of all it should move us into action.

 

[Shavelly Then]

It is so sad how we can go our daily lives and not know about important issues such as this. Thank you for sharing, because I had no idea of these camps. China has always been very extreme in their way of governing. China currently recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism. But, China does not approve of Muslims. I like the diversity and the freedom the United States has. As citizens, we are able to profess the religion we like best and not be tortured for it.