Thread: my view of the Uyghur Muslim situation in China. What I say won’t fully please anyone.

I say all of this sincerely as a Muslim, as an anti-imperialist, and as a socialist. ↓

1/10

It's clear that hundreds of thousands of Uyghur Muslims are being interned in ‘de-radicalisation’ camps, and that their culture and religion are being suppressed in the name of tackling ‘separatism’ in Xinjiang. That is unequivocally shameful and must be condemned.

2/10

This repression is widely documented: it’s difficult to cover-up concentration camps. It’s also hard to argue against the statements of escapees who describe being ‘brainwashed’, as well as being tortured for speaking the Uyghur language and reciting the Qur’an.

3/10

Credible evidence exists of human rights abuses; we can ignore the obvious lies and unsubstantiated allegations. China’s goal in this seems clear: it isn’t about massacring Uyghur Muslims, it’s about forced cultural homogenisation (which is no defence!).

4/10

Uyghur Muslims overwhelmingly view themselves as being East Turkestani, and they loathe the Chinese state and the impositions to which they have been subjected. I’m sure that this, ironically, only fuels separatism and is a cause of any ‘radicalisation’.

5/10

These horrific abuses deserve condemnation. At the same time, people shouldn’t be naïve. It should be understood that this *longstanding* issue is currently being exploited as part of a belligerent, cold war drive against China in an effort to salvage US world dominance.

6/10

The US-led ‘War on Terror’—and the propaganda and demonisation that came with it—increased Islamophobia exponentially. All the countries involved, including the UK, are responsible for countless atrocities against Muslims. A million deaths in Iraq alone!

7/10

So, I won't be jumping on the ‘impose sanctions’ bandwagon. What right have countries like the US and the UK to impose sanctions on China? The bloodshed unleashed by Western imperialist countries over the past 20 years, against Muslims in particular, is unmatched.

8/10

Am I to link arms with some of the most virulent and notoriously Islamophobic politicians in the world because—now that it suits their clandestine foreign policy goals—they’re pretending to care about Muslims? I won’t do that, I’m afraid.

9/10

The human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims—and against any person or group—should be fought against. That is our duty as socialists. But we should never take our lead from imperialist aggressors who only ever speak with a forked tongue, especially about ‘human rights’.

10/10