What’s Going On ?
China Accused of Closing and Destroying Mosques So, Human Rights Watch (HRW) just dropped a bombshell report accusing China of shutting down, wrecking, and even repurposing mosques. Yeah, you heard it right. HRW claims this crackdown is all part of China’s grand plan to put the brakes on Islam in the country.
Islam in China
Now, let’s zoom in a bit. China, officially, is all about that atheism life. But, it says it’s totally cool with religious freedom. Still, HRW and a bunch of observers are side-eyeing China, saying they’re getting all control-freaky, especially with religion lately.
The Big Accusation
HRW’s acting China director, Maya Wang, isn’t mincing words here. She straight-up says China’s been slamming the door on mosques left and right. It’s not just a one-off thing; it’s like a whole system they’ve got going to put the kibosh on Islam.
Xinjiang Under the Radar
Now, buckle up because we’re heading to Xinjiang, China’s north-west, where things are getting serious. HRW’s report adds more fuel to the fire of accusations against China about how it’s treating Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. Beijing’s like, “Nuh-uh, we didn’t do anything,” but the evidence keeps piling up.
Mosques in the Crosshairs
Let’s take a closer look at Ningxia, a region with a Muslim majority. In a village called Liaoqiao, HRW says three out of six mosques got stripped down. No, not to their birthday suits, but they lost their domes and minarets. And get this: some mosques even had their main prayer spots wrecked. Not cool, China, not cool.
Smoking Gun Satellite Footage
HRW’s got receipts, folks. They’ve got satellite shots showing how a traditional mosque got a makeover into something straight out of a Chinese painting. Yeah, they swapped out the dome for a pagoda. Talk about a cultural makeover.
By the Numbers
Hold onto your hats because the stats are in. HRW says over 1,300 mosques in Ningxia got the boot or got transformed since 2020. That’s like a third of all the mosques in the region. It’s like China’s playing SimCity but with religious buildings.
Xi Jinping’s Master Plan
Let’s talk about China’s big boss, Xi Jinping. Under his watch, the Communist Party’s been flexing its muscles when it comes to religion. They want to mix politics with faith and culture. In 2018, they even dropped a document saying they’re all about controlling mosques. Less building, more tearing down – that’s their motto.
Final Word
So, what’s the deal with China and its mosque mayhem? HRW’s waving red flags left and right, saying it’s all part of China’s plot to put the brakes on Islam. But China’s like, “Nah, we’re just tidying up a bit.” Whatever the truth is, one thing’s for sure: tensions are rising, and the world’s watching.
