Here's a summary of Uyghur-related news from around the world this week:
Vanishing Uyghurs: Empty Homes, Unanswered Questions
The homes of people who went missing in China's crackdown on Uyghurs in Xinjiang stand empty, according to an investigation by Agence France-Presse this summer in the Uyghur-majority region in China. Leaked Chinese police records suggest that up to half of the adult men in the villages AFP reporters visited in Yarkant County in southern Xinjiang had been rounded up. The news agency was prevented by locals in the villages from finding out what happened to the missing Uyghurs. Police records show the Chinese government detained Uyghurs in large numbers in late 2016 and early 2017 under what it called an anti-terrorism policy.
Uyghurs in Exile Demand Answers as China Claims Graduation From Reeducation Centers
While China says that everyone has "graduated" from reeducation centers in Xinjiang, Uyghurs in exile, such as Dilnaz Kerim in the U.K., struggle to obtain information about their missing relatives who were taken to Chinese internment facilities. A London-based nonprofit, The Rights Practice, calls for international pressure on China to disclose detainee information, close reeducation camps and end arbitrary detentions.
China Rebrands Uyghur Culture for Tourists Amid Assimilation
After years of cultural suppression and the erosion of Uyghur traditions, the Chinese government is now making significant investments in reshaping Uyghur culture to align with state-sanctioned norms. According to The Guardian, this initiative is primarily driven by the goal of promoting a revised version of Uyghur heritage, designed to attract both domestic and international tourists.
One Year After UN Xinjiang Report, Calls for Stronger Action and Accountability Grow
On the one-year anniversary of the U.N. Human Rights Office's report on Xinjiang, international rights groups are urging stronger action, including targeted sanctions and humanitarian aid for affected Uyghurs and Turkic groups, while criticizing the U.N.'s response as inadequate. The Human Rights Office told VOA that the current U.N. high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, is committed to engaging with Chinese authorities for the long term, particularly in implementing the report's recommendations. The report highlighted grave issues like arbitrary detentions and family separations, along with recommendations for action.
Labor Delegation Meets Xinjiang Officials Amid Uyghur Forced Labor Concerns
A delegation from the International Labor Organization met with officials in Xinjiang, China, including Communist Party Secretary Ma Xingrui and the chairman of the autonomous government, Erkin Tuniyaz, as reported by the Chinese government newspaper Xinjiang Daily. The ILO confirmed the meeting. Critics viewed the visit as a chance for China to whitewash its image. Reports indicate Uyghurs face forced labor under surveillance and ideological training in Xinjiang, which has prompted U.S. legislation against such practices. China denies Uyghurs work under forced labor conditions in Xinjiang.
China is engaging in a media outreach to Central Asia amid alleged rights abuses in Xinjiang. A high-level visit to Xinjiang, involving leaders from 21 mainstream media organizations representing four Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — was recently organized by Chinese authorities in collaboration with China News Service. The main goal of the seminar was to jointly promote the stories of China-Central Asia friendship and enhance mutual understanding. While some experts believe such visits may have limited impact on shaping perceptions of Xinjiang, others argue that they play a role in promoting China's preferred narrative about the region. Central Asian media have generally echoed Beijing's narratives, contributing to China's perception-shaping efforts in the region.
Quote of note
"The ILO delegation visit comes at a time when the issue of Uyghur forced labor is increasingly important on the global agenda. Although well-intended, such visits do not help improve the situation. It gives the CCP the chance to whitewash their crimes and promote their propaganda messaging. The forced labor schemes will not be lifted with such visits; it will take creative and tangible steps from the international community, including from the ILO, to put an end to this oppressive and exploitative system.” — Zumretay Arkin, advocacy manager at the Munich-based World Uyghur Congress, to Voice of America.
