[Thread] You might have heard about "China's concentration camps","Xinjiang", "Uyghurs" in last few years.

But many don't know whats really going on &there are many popular misconceptions on this. As someone directly involved, here I will try to explain what is happening& Why :

In 2016, China assigns for party secretary of "Tibet Autonomous Region" to "Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region".
Though both regions have "Autonomy" by China's constitution, Party secretary holds the actual power. Basically he becomes the ruler/Governor of the region.

After he took power, he started to build more police stations, check points ,mass internment camps and executed other colonial policies that he experimented on Tibetans in Tibet Autonomous Region, but this time on Uyghurs in Uyghur Autonomous Region. https://savetibet.org/the-origin-of-the-xinjiang-model-in-tibet-under-chen-quanguo-securitizing-ethnicity-and-accelerating-assimilation/

Then Mass incarceration started. in less than 2 year, from those who studied or traveled abroad to celebrities, academics, scientists to farmers,teachers- millions of people were taken in midnight & were sent to camps and prisons without any charge or any judicial process

Some countries, Human Rights Organizations & Media also started to pick up this around 2017.Yet China kept denying existence of the camps and mass internment while more and more document and even satellite images on @googlemaps started to show proof the existence of those camps.

On August, 2018 China even denied existence of the camps &mass internement in UN.

On September, 2018 media revealed China secretly transferring Uyghurs from camps to prisons.

On October, 2018 Unsurprisingly,China admitted existence of the camps,yet said they are "Tech schools".

So what is the situation now?
Fast forward to 2020, now China claims that they have released everyone in the camps, but in reality, many already died in those camps, some did get released, yet majority were transferred to the prisons or forced labor factories.

Giving my family as example, my mom,a math teacher was sent to camp late 2017 & released early 2019 in fragile condition, had big surgeries &months hospitalization. I still don't have contact.
My father Erkin, a well known TV producer&journalist still missing, no info since 2018.

Note that, Camps are just one of MANY China's policies in the region, 1 million Chinese in Uyghur homes, destroying historic sites,separating children from family, forced marriage, Chinese settlements,banning cultural &religious expression, eradication of language and so on.

Though Uyghurs are the main target as they make up over 80% of region's population(excluding Chinese settlers) BUT other "Xinjiang"'s non-settler ethnicities are also the target and suffering the same,especially hundreds thousands of Kazakhs and some Uzbeks, krygiz &local Hui.

So why camps,mass internment &all other things are happening?
One of the misconceptions people have, that got mixed up due to lack of understanding on the subject matter is

All these happening because"China's racism against ppl of faith" or "Islamophobia".
its not,here is why:

China's suppression of Muslims and Christians, Islamophobia and racism against minorities, all these do exist in China, YET these are NOT that relevant on this matter.
Its pretty easy for anyone who knows about #Tibetan cause. First take look where these two regions r and China

if the narrative is "its due to religion",then it can't explain why there is no single camp or those policies in Ningxia, an Hui -Chinese Muslim province where you can see headscarfs and beards way more often.
that way, oppression in Tibet would also be called"due to Buddhism"

This narrative also can't explain why all the scientists, ,celebrities and some local non-Muslims were also sentenced and sent to camps.
Even Dr. Perhat Tursun who once dubbed as "China's Salman Rushdie" by @ForeignPolicy was one of the first that sent to camp& still missing.

Of Course, religious practices being banned &those appear to be religious( prayed or fasted) targeted first.
Yet, its not the reason instead its the result as Uyghur &Tibetans,whom China targeting both physically& through assimilation-language,culture&religion shows the identity

Thus, religion becomes the target just like language , culture &everything in identity
But calling it "Due to religion" changes the context and turn the result of policies to the reason.
Its funny, though same policies in Tibet &"Xinjiang“,different narratives were used by media.

So why?
This declassified Soviet Document from 70 years ago tells bits of how everything started:

On June 27, 1949 , Soviet leader Stalin tells Chinese Communist party delegation"should not put off occupation of Xinjiang" and bring Chinese settlers.

4 month later, China did so.

Similarities with Tibet:

October,1949 China occupies "Xinjiang".
October,1951, China occupies Tibet.

1954، Uyghur national army disbanded.

early1950s ,Uyghurs revolted,failed, mass murdered.
late 1950s, Tibetans uprising, failed,mass murdered.

Both later given fake "Autonomy"

Both Tibet and "Xinjiang" under same colonial policies& even by the same governor, Chen . Yet, the different narratives by gos&media to make it sound like minority problems, racism or Islamophobia made it easier for racist politicians to ignore even support it as its "everywhere"

I am grateful for all the journalists and politicians who worked hard and risked their security to let our voice to be heard, without them many lives wouldn't have been saved, yet I think its still important to point out this misunderstanding and double standard that we felt.

At the end, I would like anyone who read this ,to Email or call Chinese Embassy in your country & ask them show me my father.
You can include his full name and id number shown below:
Erkin Tursun(Aierken Tuerxun). Yili TV employee, ID number:654101196804220556
Thank You!