Map of the region where the Uyghurs reside
A letter from a fellow Uyghur…
Assalam Alaikum Brothers and Sisters,
You might have read and heard about the ethnic violence in the Western part of China, Xinjiang this past weekend. According to Chinese official media, 156 are dead and 1080 injured. However the unofficial figures report that at least 600 people died in the clashed between Uyghur Muslim and Han Chinese majority, and about 95% of the casualties are Uyghur Muslims. Chinese authorities have arrested at least 1400 Uyghurs, claiming they took part in the riot. The official Chinese media, Xinhua, only shows the pictures of few Han Chinese injuries with no mention of the hundreds of Muslims who died in these clashes, putting the blame completely on the Muslims. The reality is far from it. Please see the links below for some unbiased reporting.
http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0706/p06s04-woap.html
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The unrest in Xinjiang (East Turkistan), is near and dear to my heart. I am an Uyghur living in Chicago. My parents and the rest of the family are still in Xinjiang. While they are away from Urumqi where the clashes happened, I still have not been able to get hold of them in past couple of days as the authorities have shut down internet and telephone services. I am praying every moment for their safety.
Uyghurs are the Turkic speaking Muslim people living in the northwest part of China under occupation. Their short lived republic, East Turkistan went under Chinese communist rule in 1950. Since then they have been subjected to severe discrimination because of their Muslim identity and they have seen their 97% majority in Xinjiang shrink to almost 50% in last few decades. There are many underlining sources of tension and humiliation of over 10 million Uyghur Muslims.
I am writing to you for your support in helping spread the word and plight of Uyghur Muslims. I go to Juma prayers and everyone prays about suffering of the Palestinians, Kashmiris, Afghanis, Iraqis and Chechnyans, however not once I have heard someone pray for the Uyghurs.
We are the forgotten people in this world and not even our Muslim brothers and sisters have ever provided any moral support for us. Well I’m asking for the support in this hour of dire need. My brothers and sisters are being persecuted as we speak. They have been captured in mass arrests with no sight of what will happen to their future. Uyghur woman with their children have went on street to protest against the mass arrest of thousands of Muslim Uyghur men.
Under communist Chinese rule we are not allowed to practice our religion until the age of 18 and even after the age of 18 if anyone who works for government like teachers and doctor are not allowed to pray or go to Mosque. Our children and teachers are force fed in schools during the month of Ramadan. There is a governmental agenda to slowly take Islam out of common people’s lives. Majority of the high paying jobs go to the Han Chinese with a lot less qualification in our own home land. Our culture is being slowly disappearing.
I urge you to send this to your friends and families and condemn the killings and mass arrest of Uyghurs in Xinjiang. I ask you to pray for the safety of the people of East Turkistan (Xinjiang), Uyghurs and Han Chinese. I ask you to please stand in solidarity with your Uyghur Muslim brothers. The moral support of Muslim community means a lot to me and the Uyghurs as we are desperate to be seen and heard by our brothers and sisters.
I urge you to send a message of solidarity with Uyghur Muslims and pray for them. I urge you to send this message to at least 5 other family members and friends.
Sincerely,
Zulfiye Osman
Noman Khan (husband)
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Uyghur children
Women and Children take it to the streets
Blood in the streets: Brutal rioting broke out this week in China's Xinjiang region between members of the Uighur ethnic group, Han Chinese, and government security forces. More than 156 people were killed in the riots in the capital of Urumqi, which began after police quashed a protest by students over ethnic discrimination. China has threatened to execute the leaders of the uprising -- while intervening to protect the Uighur community from ethnic reprisals. The violence has briefly focused global attention on one of the world's bitterest, but least-understood, ethnic conflicts. Above, an unconscious protester is pulled away from the fighting on July 7.
8 Comments
July 14, 2009 at 4:33 pm
AssalamuAlikum Akhi you are not alone in this. My prayers are with you and your family and all those that are suffering in that region. I wanted your permission to repost this letter that you wrote on my blog as well as on my facebook page and if it would be okay to send it out as a mass email? Please let me know when you can. Your sister in Islam
July 15, 2009 at 3:10 am
Wa Alaykum as salaam sister,
I am not the brother who wrote the piece, I am only the messenger who posted it on the blog. Please feel free to post this and help spread the awareness of the plight of the Uyghurs. JazakAllahu khayran.
July 17, 2009 at 11:32 am
Assalam walekum Brother,
Im from neighbouring country India and im deeply hurt to see my fellow muslims being in pain.I wish that all the problem of uyghurs are solved amicably and islam will prevail over the non beleivers.
JazakAllah Khair
July 18, 2009 at 1:03 am
This site very fantastic and educational !!
July 18, 2009 at 2:48 am
[...] Images of the Conflict Between the Chinese Hans and the Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China Jump to Comments SEE ALSO: The Truth Behind the Conflict in Xinjiang, China — From an Uyghur Muslim [...]
September 17, 2009 at 5:17 am
ıt ıs the truth that ı wıll be thank full to admınıstratıon of thıs web sıte for gıvıng these do not forget ın pray threse ıs more then ten thousond uygur muslım are stıll ın jaıl may save ın them and gıve them freedoom as soon as poslbel
your brother
s dın
uygur
September 17, 2009 at 7:12 am
i really wonder if you have really stayed in xinjiang and genuinly told the truth. as far as i can see, discrimination rarely exist between the han and the uyghur in china. i admit that there is some form of social segregation and misunderstanding between the han and the uyghur and the government is somehow trying to erase islam from people’s lives, but bear that in mind, china is still a communist country. despite that, as far as i see, they do live in harmony with each other. the han people have always been taught that the 56 ethnic groups is one family and they have to live in harmony. infact, the idea has been so successfully rooted in mind of han people through all these years, it has created a strong patriotism in them and i don’t see why they would start killing their fellows over such a small matter.
and i believe there is a reason why this incidence happened a year after the tibet conflict.
anyway, i do feel sorry for the utghurs who have injured in the event, i will pray for them.
September 28, 2009 at 2:46 pm
abc, you support the Han oppressors of Muslims. Muslims are denied many basic rights of freedom of worship. Xinjiang is not a historic part of China snd neither is Tibet.