Sep 11, 2008

Uygher Muslims: prohibited from observing Ramdan

Uygher Muslims in Xinjiang (aka East Turkestan) have long suffered repression from the Chinese government, but for the international media it's Tibet that takes the headlines.

The restrictions on practicing Islamic are aim to remove Islam from the lives of the Uygher people, by force. Some of these restrictions include forbidding anyone under the age of 18 from praying, learning Quran or even going into a mosque.


This Ramadan it has become tougher from Uyghres: government officials, teachers, students are prohibited from fasting - in fact students are forced to eat. Any sign of Ramadan such as changing restaurant opening times is also prohibited. Millions of Uygher are forced to fast secretly.

What's most unfortunate is the silence of the Muslim world about the plight of the Uygher people, I have not yet heard a single criticism from a Muslim leader against the Chinese government.

More in this Aljazeera report:



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