I'd like to make a couple things clear about my position on Xinjiang. So I'll paraphrase the introduction of this doc that I'll link at the end. (1/n)

In the mid-2010s, China launched far-reaching de-radicalization and economic development programs in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Before then, few casual Western observers were even aware of the province’s existence, which makes up 17% of China’s land and whose 2/n

population consists of 65% ethnic minority peoples. Fewer still could speak to the autonomous region's complex political, cultural, and religious history as well as to its complex legacies as a crossroads between diverse peoples over many centuries. 3/n

However, since 2018, Western media and state officials have put Chinese government policy in Xinjiang under intense scrutiny, citing just a handful of think tank reports and witness testimonies to lodge charges of forced labor, slavery, and genocide. 4/n

Having saturated Western media, these charges are difficult to systematically refute. The situation on the ground is complex, and there are limits to what we can know. While we recognize that there are aspects of PRC policy in Xinjiang to critique, these critiques should be 5/n

debated and resolved on Chinese terms and in Chinese dialogues, and not be used as crude ammunition in the U.S.-led geopolitical assault on China. Based on the history of Western atrocity propaganda, its funding sources, and the poor quality of the ‘research’ being pushed, 6/n

we are skeptical that the U.S.—having engaged in two decades of perpetual war in Muslim-majority nations—has any legitimate moral interest or grounds on which to defend Muslim religious rights in Xinjiang. 7/n

Moreover, given the history of PRC ethnic and religious minority policy, and the reports from first-hand delegations to Xinjiang from countries and organizations including Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Thailand, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and even the World Bank 8/n

neither genocide nor slavery accurately describe the realities of Xinjiang. It is not a coincidence that these accusations have ramped up during a period of unprecedented Western antagonism towards China. 9/n

Instead, these unfounded claims serve primarily to build consensus for conflict, intervention, and war with China. 10/n

These resources are preceded by a timeline that focuses on the events preceding China’s Xinjiang de-radicalization program, the international responses it provoked, and other relevant contexts. 11/n

This resource list is intended only for initial inquiry into the immediate controversy over China’s de-radicalization program in Xinjiang. In the spirit of seeking truth from facts, this resource does not offer definitive answers, nor is it comprehensive in scope. 12/n

It aims only to be a starting point for critical inquiry, and we urge readers to seek a diversity of sources and form their own opinions. A more complete and nuanced view requires further study into the region’s history, 13/n

China’s policies towards ethnic and religious minorities, and ongoing geopolitical developments. 14/n https://www.qiaocollective.com/en/education/xinjiang#introduction

If you wish to learn more about the situation in Xinjiang from a perspective that isn't aligned with the Western hegemony, I will be glad to supply what I've read and what has lead me to this conclusion. 15/n

This is simply a starting point. 16/n

It's important, so I'll reiterate this point. The West has never had our best interests in mind and as Indians we know that perfectly well. There are a variety of things that China has done regarding the Xinjiang situation that deserve criticism. 17/n

Most important of all how they've dealt with the press and how tight lipped they are regarding information about the camps. 18/n

If at all you're emotionally invested in this, please do fully investigate.
End of thread.