Uyghurs

The life of the Muslim Uyghur minority in China is characterized by discrimination, re-education camps, forced labour and human rights violations. The human rights violations have taken on serious proportions. Numerous Western countries speak of genocide. The EU has also imposed sanctions against China. Read the latest news and articles on Uyghurs in China here: re-education camps, propaganda campaign, surveillance and much more. Who are the Uyghurs? The Uyghurs are a Turkic-speaking ethnic group that mainly lives in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in northwest China. They are one of the oldest Turkic-speaking peoples in Central Asia and one of China's 55 officially recognized ethnic minorities. Their language belongs to the group of Altaic languages. The Uyghurs predominantly belong to Sunni Islam. Since the 10th century, the Uyghurs have increasingly turned to Islam, and by the 16th century most Uyghurs identified themselves as Muslims. Islam has played an important role in Uyghur culture and identity ever since. What is the history of the Uyghurs? The history of the Uyghurs is characterized by a rich culture and a deep historical heritage that spans centuries. Originally, the Uyghurs are a Turkic-speaking people from Central Asia. Their early history is closely linked to various Turkic kingdoms and empires in the region. In the 8th century, the Uyghurs founded a powerful khanate along the Orhon River in present-day Mongolia. After its collapse in 840, they migrated southwest to the area around the Tarim Basin oases, an area now known as Xinjiang. The Uyghurs traditionally lived in a series of oasis towns along the Silk Road, where they worked as traders, farmers and craftsmen. Their society became increasingly Islamized over the centuries, beginning in the 10th century, with full identification as Muslims by the 16th century. Islam played a central role in their culture and identity, which is reflected in their art, literature and architecture. Throughout history, the Uyghurs have been under the rule of various external powers, including the Mongols in the 13th century and later the Chinese Qing Empire. In the 20th century, they became part of the People's Republic of China, with the establishment of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in 1955. In recent decades, the relationship between the Uyghurs and the Chinese central government has attracted increasing international attention. Reports of human rights violations, including arbitrary detention in re-education camps, surveillance and assimilation policies, have led to accusations of cultural genocide. The Chinese government claims that these measures are necessary to combat terrorism and promote economic development. The Uyghur story is thus not only a narrative of ancient civilizations and cultures, but also a story of ongoing tensions and the struggle for identity and autonomy in the modern world. What is the Uyghur conflict with China about? The Uyghur conflict with China refers to the tense relations between the Chinese central government and the Uyghurs, a Muslim, Turkic-speaking minority in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region in northwest China. The core issues of the conflict are: The Uyghur conflict is therefore a complex and multi-layered issue that touches on questions of human rights, national sovereignty, cultural identity and international diplomacy. What does the UN report on Uyghurs contain? The UN Report on Uyghurs, published in August 2022, documents serious human rights violations against Uyghurs in Xinjiang, China. It states that arbitrary detention, forced labour, sexual violence and forced sterilizations may constitute crimes against humanity. The investigation is based on interviews and government documents. Among other things, the report recommends that China should ratify international human rights conventions. China's government denies the allegations and criticizes the report. Read the latest news and analysis on Uyghurs from the Table.Media editorial team!