Uighur muslims are the Turkish speaking people living in Xinjiang region of China. They have a vast complex historical background which is marked by cultural, political and religious influences. Their religious practices and traditions have influenced various regions. For years, uighur muslims had been fighting over their territory. In recent times, there is migration of Han Chinese in to the same region which lead to increase in ethnic tensions and outbreaks of violence. The Uighurs have a complex engagement with Chinese dynasties. In the late 19th century, during the Qing Dynasty, Xinjiang was brought under the control of china once again. The region was given its new name which meant “new frontier” in Mandarin. The Uighurs still remain the largest ethic group living in Xinjiang Uighur autonomous Region (XUAR).
However, the Chinese govt has been accused for executing genocide and violation of human rights against the minority of Uighurs. Reports claim that over a million Uighurs had been sent to detention camps and more than two million Uighurs sent to “re-education centres”. The Chinese govt also implemented several birth control policies with targeted minority groups in order to reduce the uighur population by 33% in the next 20 years ( Regencia, 2021). Such actions by the Chinese govt was condemned by the international communities, however they rejected these allegations and claimed that their policies directed towards the minority Uighur community to fight extremism. They also claimed that these actions would promote upward economic mobility for these ethnic groups.
Ole waever views securitization through the speech act. He emphasis that the role of language in framing the issue becomes a major security concern thus there must be strategic use of language so that immediate action is necessary. The conflict between the Uighurs and the muslims in Xinjiang revolves around the importance of uighur language and their identity. Whereas the language of Chinese government plays its crucial role in escalating the conflict. Earlier, the governments policy aimed towards allowing more linguistic and cultural diversity. However, in recent years, government shifts its policies towards assimilation language policy which is driven by geopolitical concerns
In this case of China and the uighur Muslim community, the govt has presented the minority as a threat for the integrity of china. The government began the securitisation process since 1990s and t=since then it has been intensified. For justification of using securitization over its population, the Chinese government used the war on terror and framed the Uighurs as terrorist. One of the action by the Chinese govt maimed towards the XUAR and the uighur minority os the Strike Hard Campaigning against Violent Terrorism in 2014. This act involved keeping the uighur groups under surveillance. The policy has made the CCP carry our massive internment of Uighurs in re education camps and extra judicial killings. All these actions has been carried under the pretext of combating terrorism.
Chinese government was also accused of collection of DNA from pregnant uighur women and conducting experiments over the foetus. Lana Hansen’s feminist critique targeting the condition of uighur women would highlight the gendered biases and role of power dynamics being played in the situation. This act of collection of DNA raises concerned about privacy, autonomy and misuse of genetically information by the government. Hansen would emphasis on how this practices impacts women of the Muslim community and would also shed light on the gendered dimensions of this process. The DNA collection is done without taking the consent of the minority women. Later on they are monitored which brings to focus on the power dynamics and privacy concerns impacting the lives of the minority community.
On one hand where Waever and Hansen views securitization through the lens of role playing by language and feminist critique of securitization respectively, Foucault highlights how the governments use their power over the citizens through the usage of surveillance and maintaining control over their population to regulate them.the securitization measures by the Chinese government, which are justified by framing the Uighur community as threat are also consistent with Foucault’s concept of biopolitics. This process includes the control over Brodie’s and biological information , for instance, through biometrics and using the information to monitor minute details of the population. As mentioned before, the Chinese government justifies their act by claiming the Uighur minority as threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the nation.
Whereas, the PARIS school views at how such security practices would affect the society. The practices begin followed by the Chinese government has lead to widespread violation of human rights. The Chinese government’s actions have been actively condemned by the international community Ives where human right groups documents the cases of mass improvement in reeducdational camps, torture and violation of the privacy. These acts have devastating impact over the minority population. Several uighur muslims have been detained without any reason given and subjected to abuse. Several reports also claim that they are forced to change their religion and cultural practices.
In conclusion. The Chinese government acts involving securitization of Uighurs Muslim community have a profound impact over their minority community. There is erosion of civil liberties and suppression of their identity which lead to fuel of cycle of violence and repression. International communities must address these actions and steps should be taken to for the protection of uighur Muslims minority. Commitment to human rights are essential for peaceful future of the uighur community and upholding the principles of dignity ans equality.
References :
What you should know about China’s minority Uighurs, Ted Regencia, 2021, AL Jazeera.
China’s Repression of Uyghurs in Xinjiang, Lindsay Maizland, 2022, council on foreign relations.
The biopolitics of China’s “war on terror” and the exclusion of the Uyghurs, Sean Robert’s, 2018
How 9/11 helped China wage its own false ‘war on terror’, Kristina Petersen, 2021
Michel Foucault: Biopolitics and Biopower, Rachel Adams, 2017, CLT
Structural Power, the Copenhagen School and Threats to Chinese Security, Jeffrey reeves, 2014.
Thank you for providing a descriptive picture of China's ongoing repression of Uyghurs. It would have been really informative in my opinion, if you could have offered a more analytical perspective on the same. The question I would like to ask you is, How might the intersectionality of identity, specifically the religious, ethnic, and gender identities of the Uighur Muslim community, contribute to the effectiveness or challenges in resisting the secularization measures imposed by the Chinese government?
Thank you for providing such a comprehensive overview of the securitization issues surrounding the Uighur minority in China. Considering the lack of consent from these women and the subsequent monitoring, how do you think the international community can effectively address these privacy concerns and protect the rights of the Uighur minority in this context?