China aims to eliminate Uyghur culture, orders closure of 160 organizations

Chinese government has issued orders for the closure of 160 organizations devoted to researching traditional Uyghur culture and to the teaching of foreign languages with an aim to eradicate the culture of Uyghurs.

Kasimjan Abdurehim, who founded the Atlan Vocational Training School of Uyghurs says, "This policy of elimination the Chinese government is carrying out -- or, in its own words, this 'war on terror -- is a war against the Uyghurs," reported Radio Free Asia.

Kasimjan now lives in the United States and revealed that the campaign against Uyghurs started 4 years ago.

"This is proof," he added. "We can see the cancellation, the elimination, of these Uyghur-run schools and organizations on the list as one small piece of evidence that the policies of the Chinese government continue to operate at ever-new highs."

The Civil Affairs Bureau of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) issues notice on February 22 that states ''revocation of registration certificates and seals of the legal representatives of social organizations," according to Chinese media reports published and information on the websites of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and the Urumqi municipal government.

The list of 160 organizations to be shut down also includes the Uyghur Classical Literature and Muqam Research Association, Dolan Farmer Painters' Association, Atlan Vocational Training School, Intil Language School and Miraj Vocational Training School, reported Radio Free Asia.

Kasimjan said that most of the organizations included in the list are founded by Uyghurs. He said new Xinjiang Communist Party Secretary Ma Xingrui will follow the same path as previous Chinese leaders in the region concerning the repression of the Uyghurs.

The Chinese government is also trying to eliminate the cultural relics of Uyghurs including the targeting of Uyghur muqam, a musical mode and set of melodic formulas that guide improvisation and composition in Uyghur music, and other repertoires in countries across Europe.

The European Uyghur Ensemble has performed Uyghur muqam. Ensemble members denounced the closure of the Muqam Research Society as "one piece of clear evidence of the ongoing elimination of Uyghur culture."

"Now, I've heard this news that they have shut down this great research society," Abbas said. "I'm really shocked to hear this. How can they look at something so important and just eliminate it?"

( With inputs from ANI )

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor