Home News China does not care what the world thinks of its genocide of Uyghurs

China does not care what the world thinks of its genocide of Uyghurs

by Luqmaan Rawat

Washington – Winter Olympics 2022 was marked in spectacular denial with China choosing two athletes – including its only athlete of Uyghur heritage – to light the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony in Beijing. It strategically comes when nations characterize China’s treatment of Uyghurs as genocide.

In a move seen as a political statement to the world, Dilnigar Ilhamjan (her Uyghur name), a cross-country skier, was joined by men’s Nordic combined athlete Zhao Jiawen. Together the pair placed the Olympic flame in the middle of a large snowflake. As it rose, it was a statement to the international world that China feels its policies are correct.

Ilhamjan’s parents were seen on state media – in what many are calling a staged event – celebrating their child’s achievements. Ilhamjan left after the event through the “mixed zone” – the zone which allows athletes to pass without having to take media questions.

Dr Sean R. Roberts, Director of the International Development Studies MA program at The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, has done extensive research on the lives and culture of Uyghurs. Roberts believes including Ilhamjan was a political statement to tell the world that China is comfortable with its policies.

“It does appear that her inclusion in lighting the Olympic torch was a political statement. She is not viewed as China’s best Olympian, and her identity as a Uyghur was likely why the Olympic organisers chose her. I don’t think she was chosen as a means to convince the West that Uyghurs are treated well inside China, but rather as a signal to those throughout the world who continue to doubt the criticisms of the country’s treatment of Uyghurs, of which there are many. In some ways, the action is an act of defiance to such criticism as well, making it clear that the Chinese state is comfortable with its policies towards the Uyghur people.”

Ma Haiyun, an expert on Xinjiang said he did “not think this would have much effect on the West” in terms of China changing how they are viewed by them. Roberts agrees. He admits though that some may have “doubts about whether Uyghurs are actually mistreated…”

“Much of China’s attempts to counter criticism of its treatment of Uyghurs is crafted to raise doubts. Thus, for some, Ms. Ilhamjan’s participation in the lighting may raise doubts about whether Uyghurs are actually mistreated inside China. However, it would have no impact on those who know the situation in China’s Uyghur region, which would include most governments in the world.”

China’s choice of its only Uyghur athlete is a further denial of the state’s atrocities against Uyghurs

Many foreign dignitaries boycotted the event over China’s human rights record and persecutions of Uyghur Muslims in eastern Xinjiang province. China has denied the allegations and warned nations taking part in the boycott that they will ‘pay a price’ for their ‘mistake’. They have however allowed athletes from those countries to participate. To most people this was a strong statement made by governments. Roberts feels more needs to be done before China thinks about changing its policies.

“I don’t think that the Diplomatic boycotts alone will change the Chinese state’s policies towards the Uyghurs, but along with other acts like the boycotting of products produced with Uyghur forced labour, can gradually lead to change. Only the Chinese state can change its policies, but if enough of China’s influential officials and business people start to understand that policies towards the Uyghurs are not in their own best interest, they may lead change. Unfortunately, it will also be difficult for China to radically change its policies without admitting mistakes, and such an admittance of wrong doing is not characteristic of China’s present leadership.”

The treatment of the Uyghur people is not a well-kept secret and there have been accounts of the horrific things done to those taken to China’s Uyghur detention camps. It is why the treatment has been labelled by many as genocide. Roberts expressed this is also a cultural genocide as the Chinese government seeks to eradicate the culture of the Uyghur people while likening it to the cultural genocide that took place during European colonialism.

“In my book (The War on the Uyghurs: China’s Internal Campaign against a Muslim Minority), I call the Chinese state’s campaign against the Uyghurs a cultural genocide, much like that suffered by indigenous peoples during European colonialism. The goal appears to be to dispossess Uyghurs of the territory they view as their homeland, break their spirit, destroy their social capital, and force them to disavow their religion, culture, and language while making them adopt the language and culture of the Han people.”

China has continued to deny any allegations of mistreatment to the Uyghur people and maintains its stance that the camps in Xinjiang have not violated any human rights but are merely for vocational training and are needed to fight extremism.

Due to the fear that Covid could be spread at an event like this, no tickets were sold publicly for the opening ceremony or other games, rather, special invitations were sent out to select individuals.

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