How China Has Influenced Perception As It Hides Human Rights Violation Of The Uighurs

China has made used of powerful financial and PR tools to mellow down the criticism around its treatment of a minority Muslim community

In a strongly worded letter that originated from Indonesia, the clerics questioned the Chinese treatment of the Uighurs. But instead of giving any justification of their treatment, Beijing influenced media opinion through paid trips and bolstered positive feedback. The world had been trying to bring maltreatment to notice, but effective and false PR can have its own affect. 

 

Chinese government has used PR tools to its advantage and influence positive image of the detainment of Uighurs in so called re-educational camps

 

This is a strategy closer to the Qatar’s treatment of misinformation, which is covered up with fan trips, luxurious stays and media freebees. The small but rich Middle Eastern nation is known to hide human rights violations through paid PR.

The Wall Street Journal carried out independent investigations, where it was discovered that leaders of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second-largest Muslim organization had issued an open letter in December 2018 to Beijing, noting reports of violence against the “weak and innocent” community of Uighurs that flashed all over the social media and conventional channels of communication. 

The United States had already raised concerns over the mistreatment in its talks at the 75th United Nations Assembly.

The focus was more on the re-education camps in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region that were homing the Uighurs. The formal presentation of PR was impressive. This comprised tours for more than a dozen Indonesian religious leaders to the re-educational camps, trips for journalists and academics, presentations on terrorist attacks by Uighurs given by the Chinese authorities, inviting visitors to pray at local mosques, etc.

In the camps they visited classrooms where they were told students received training in everything from hotel management to animal husbandry. However, the photo grabs of the camp makes it look nothing less than a prison, unlike statements made by certain Indonesian religious leaders who were made to feel the facilities were excellent.

 The world’s perception also seemed to change thereafter. But Uighur activists, in contrast, condemned China’s actions in Xinjiang, saying China had ‘wrongfully imprisoning large portions of the population, breaking up families, silencing intellectuals and razing holy sites as it seeks to destroy Uighurs’ religion and culture and force them to assimilate into broader Chinese society.’

There is a certain kind of ethnic cleansing being seen happening in Xinjiang, which was reported by human rights organizations and US aswell. Other Indonesian individuals who have not adhered to the candy have said, that “Beijing’s frequent invitations to influential Indonesians was designed to brainwash public opinion” an attempt which has transformed Indonesian Muslims as apologists for China.

International criticism continues to grow over the illegal detentions of its own citizens that belong to an ethnic minority group. While China has recently confirmed that Uighurs and other minorities believed to be detained in Xinjiang have been freed, repeating claims made previously, it has offered no evidence of their release. Over 1.5 million people have been detained in re-education and other internment camps.

Those who are not in the camps are subject to constant surveillance, including having Chinese officials living in their homes, and live under the threat of being sent to a centre, confirms reports gathered by the Guardian.

All claims of skill enhancement have been seen as dubious and in complete violation of human rights. Nicholas Bequelin of Amnesty International has said, “While this may sound like progress, it’s more likely just the Chinese propaganda machine’s latest attempt to shift the narrative on its horrendous human rights violations in Xinjiang in the face of growing international condemnation.

“If Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities are really being released from these repressive detention camps, then the onus is on the Chinese government to prove it.