Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uighur people who speak a Turkic language, has been beset for years by violence that the government blames on militants or separatists.
Authorities will prohibit five types of passengers - those who wear veils, head scarves, a loose-fitting garment called a jilbab, clothing with the crescent moon and star, and those with long beards - from boarding buses in the northwestern city of Karamay, state media said.
The crescent moon and star symbol of Islam features on many national flags, besides being used by groups China says want to set up an independent state called East Turkestan.
The rules were intended to help strengthen security through August 20 during an athletics event and would be enforced by security teams, the ruling Communist Party-run Karamay Daily said on Monday.
"Those who do not comply, especially those five types of passengers, will be reported to the police," the paper said.
In July, authorities in Xinjiang's capital Urumqi banned bus passengers from carrying items ranging from cigarette lighters to yogurt and water, in a bid to prevent violent attacks.
Exiled Uighur groups and human rights activists say the government's repressive policies in Xinjiang, including controls on Islam, have provoked unrest, a claim Beijing denies.
"Officials in Karamay city are endorsing an openly racist and discriminatory policy aimed at ordinary Uighur people," Alim Seytoff, the president of the Washington-based Uyghur American Association, said in an emailed statement.
While many Uighur women dress in much the same casual style as those elsewhere in China, some have begun to wear the full veil, a garment more common in Pakistan or Afghanistan than in Xinjiang.
Police have offered money for tips on everything from "violent terrorism training" to individuals who grow long beards.
Hundreds have died in unrest in Xinjiang in the past 18 months, but tight security makes it almost impossible for journalists to make independent assessments of the violence.
About 100 people were killed when knife-wielding attackers staged assaults in two towns in the region's south in late July, state media said, including 59 "terrorists" shot dead by police. A suicide bombing killed 39 people at a market in Urumqi in May.
COMMENTS (68)
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@Syed Arbab Ahmed: "Just check here, how many Endians ridicule Islam and Muslims till i had to show them the mirror"
It would take a long, long time and thinking for you to understand. Indians do not mock countries like Malaysia, Indonesia or even Bangladesh that was a part of Pakistan. These countries have their own identities and stand on their own and not tag with other countries in the name of religion.
Indians and hindus do not ridicule Islam also but ridicule certain practices and even perversions carried out in the name of religion and ignorant and illiterate followers quote religious texts to justify their acts and thoughts. Every religion is perfect and every religious text also teaches good principles, morales and ethics, provided the followers read it correctly and understand the context properly. There are many bad things that Indians and hindus do but you will not find them bringing in religion to defend their acts.
As an example, watch this small clip. Nabil Gabool says that Baluch and Pathans are never satisfied and considered manly if they do not have more than one wife. He says, his first marriage was at 22 and by 30 years he had 4 wives. Now, two of his wives have died and so he is looking for two more. If two die later, he shall take two more to make it the full quota of 4. He ends with saying that he prays every day that this cycle of two of his wives dying and he marrying two more keeps continuing. This was a Ramzan special TV transmission. Watch this clip: http://www.zemtv.com/2014/07/29/nabeel-gabol-proposes-anchor-rehman-khan-in-live-show/
@Blunt: I read four Pakistani papers everyday. I have never seen a day when India is not discussed in the editorials or the opinion page. And you still say Pakistanis are indifferent to India.
@Sid: Just check here, how many Endians ridicule Islam and Muslims till i had to show them the mirror
@Zayed Hamied:
hahaha! I like the sarcasm!!
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: Dude seriously your history is profoundly messed up. Spend some time on google, wiki and library and avoid history books written by Zia Ul Haq and Zaid Hamid.
@John B: Have u heard of beard bomber ? If not ... than oops!!
@Syed Arbab Ahmed: Correction, we mock Pakistanis not Indian muslims.
@WB: I am a native of this land which is known now as Pakistan, but known previously under many names like Khurasaan, Malikat Sindh, Mughal Empire, Sarhad, etc.
Your allegation that Pakistanis are not natives are unfounded. We have more right over our land and Kashmir than anyone from the interior and south of the subcontinent.
@truthbetold: China never massacred Muslims en masse the way Indian Hindu extremists (with the aid of British or Sikhs) did in Kashmir, East Punjab, Bihar, Assam, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Deheli, Agra, and Bengal.
East Turkestan issue is between the Turkish/Muslim world and the Chinese. It will be resolved between us. We don't need our maleficent enemies like India, Israel, US, NATO, and others to prod where they are not needed.
If you care so much for Muslims, why are Kashmir, Palestine, Afghanistan, Burma, Chechnya, Somalia bleeding? What have you ever done to help Muslims?
Saudi's are nationalist first banning marriages. China is nationalist first banning these new attires. However Pakistan continues to be Islamist first than nationalist.
Since Pakistan was created on Islam, shouldn't these people be invited to live in Pakistan?
@Bushy: Turkey??? turkey is turning into another Pakistan, a country that exports terrorists. It has extremely bad relations with Egypt, Israel, Syria, Iraq and Iran
This is because in all regional forums at least, India has been known to behave in an obnoxiously dictatorial manner, making smaller countries prodding Pakistan into confronting their larger neighbour. India could play a magnaminous role, as Turkey did, by creating cordial relations with its neighbours. India seems to be the insecure entity here despite being the most powerful one in the SAARC family. It can help create a very viable pocket of well being ..economically and otherwise..and bring some semblance of security to the South Asian sub-continent if it so chooses. India has been trying to get into the OIC for some time now..but first needs to stop playing its naughty games to do away with the enormous trust deficit that exists not only between it and Pakistan but also between it and other countries in the region. @Hilarious:
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan What made you think that India is concerned about muslims of other countries
@Pity: Did u read Sachar report on the condition of Muslims in Endia, made by then Indian gov.
and some new estimates say that Pakistani Muslim population has exceeds Indian Muslim population
@Hamid: Pakistani media is reporting such Anti-Islamic stance of China, Pakistani government may be doing it, through back door diplomacy, who knows??? Everything can't be share in front of thousands of reporters and countless cameras
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan:
"Thankfully, we haven’t reached the massive violence against Muslims as seen in Kashmir, Palestine, Chechnya, Somalia, and other occupied Muslim lands by occupier nations"
What a hypocritical statement! China illegally annexed East Turkistan (Xinjiang) and have killed off thousands of Uighur Muslims. China has forbidden the Uighurs from freely practicing their religion. The only reason the level of violence and killing Uighur Muslims has not been more widely reported is because the Chinese fascists have put a strict ban on any independent news agency from operating in Chinese territory.
"Indians should free Kashmir and give them the right to choose their destiny (even if they choose to join Pakistan). Otherwise, India is an occupier and oppressor of Muslim land and has no right to speak on Muslim issues".
While Kashmir has been Hindu land for over 5000 years, Balochistan never belonged to Pakistan. Pakistan has occupied Balochistan and committed genocide of the Baloch. Over 200,000 Baloch have been killed. Shouldn't you advocate the same "right to choose" for the Baloch that you profess for the Kashmiris?
@Saniya:
@observer: China is their own country.
Then why do the call it 'East Turkestan'? And why do they speak Turkic and not one of the Chinese dialects?
http://www.cfr.org/china/east-turkestan-islamic-movement-etim/p9179
Will Hamid Gul, Hafiz Saeed and Lal Topi say something about this? I am sure they are all with the Chinese on this. They do not have an option. China is the only "friend" they have left in the world.
@observer:
1) Uighur Muslims are Chinese; they are not foreigners.
2) Culture of Uighur Muslims is a part and parcel of Chinese culture. I cannot say Goan culture is foreign to Indians. Agreed, Culture of Uighur Muslims and Goan culture are not mainstream cultures in their respective countries.
So, in my opinion, you cannot justify what China is doing to Uighur Muslims based on what Qatar is doing to its foreigners.
@AAT: Not by conviction but by sheer reproductive aggression
@Syed Arbab Ahmed: Most of us (Hindus) don't say anything bad about Muslims or Islam. Our 'target' is you, Pakistanis who happen to be Muslims. Can you please tell us what kind of issues we might be having with Muslims living in Malaysia, Indonesia, UAE; for that matter in any of the Muslim countries except Pakistan.
Since you are Muslims you tend to consider (wrongly) that we are targeting the whole of Muslim world with our (nasty) comments. Trying to give you a simple clarification.
@observer: China is their own country.
@Zayed Hamied:
India should take a leaf out of China and implement similar actions
@Inam Rehman, so do you want the Chinese to take chances?.
Los Angeles times has a headline report in its main page on Aug. 5, 2014 which says much more than this ET report. China even does not allow usage of usual Islamic greetings praising "Allah". Here is the link to the LA times report: http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-80998589/
Los Angeles Times report says: (1) Chinese authorities here want to know what you eat and when you eat it. How you style your hair, how you dress, and what songs are on your iPad or smartphone. (2) As for women, they are targeted by the Communist Party's version of the fashion police. Under a local initiative known as Project Beauty, guards at mobile checkpoints detain women whose clothing looks too Islamic. (3) During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ended Monday, Kashgar authorities enacted extraordinary measures to prevent people from observing the ritual fast, (4) Cafeterias at some government offices were directed to keep records of who ate lunch. (5) University students were required to eat lunch with their teachers and forced to drink from bottles of mineral water at 4 p.m. You couldn't leave the classroom until you drank at least one-third of the bottle. (6) University officials also tried to prohibit students from eating after sunset. To enforce the ban, teachers conducted surprise inspections of dormitories between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. to make sure nobody had sneaked in flatbread, the most popular food for late-night snacking. (7) Students said there were spot checks of their laptops, iPads and smartphones to make sure there was no religious content. (8) "They don't want us listening to any songs in Arabic or anything that has to do with religion," said the 21-year-old student, (9) Females cannot cover their heads at all, not even with a kerchief. Beards and mustaches are banned for males. (10) A Uighur photographer living in Beijing complained recently that his mother was barred from making a pilgrimage to Mecca because his sister teaches middle school. (11) Woman wearing veil and long dresses are arrested and taken to a Project Beauty headquarters to be given a lecture on appropriate dress. (12) To discourage veils, there are billboards that say "Let our hair flow and reveal our beautiful faces. Abandon old and outdated customs," (13) Bans against Islamic clothing vary by municipality. In Turpan and Aksu, civil servants and students have been made to sign "guarantees" that they will not wear offending clothing. Manufacturers have been fined for making black garments.
Frankly Indians have a point. I am saying this as a patriotic Pakistani. Why are we not protesting the Chines oppressing the Muslims like this? We scream and have seizures if there is a mosquito biting an Indian Muslim. Muslims population of India is the size of Pakistan, something like 1/6th of Muslims of the world live in India. Yet we don't allow them to OIC. We are extremely hypocritical and dishonest, and that is being mild.
@All Indian Commentators:
We highly appreciate your deep concern over the unreasonable dressing restriction imposed on the Uighur Muslims by the local Chinese authorities only in two towns for a limited time period due to volatile security situation there. Your support for the Chinese Uighur Muslims is really commendable. However, strangely thougha, your tongues goes numb, and the ink of you pens go dry when it comes to state sponsored plight, massacres, and genocides of the Muslims of India, Indian occupied Kashmir, and Palestine. Rather you elect a person as India's prime minister whose main reason to fame was his ugly role in the 2002 pogrom of Gujarati Muslims. Here on the 'Human Rights Watch' website is a picture of the mass grave of 72 (34 women and 27 children) who were massacred in the Gujarat pogrom of 2002, but we never heard a single word of condemnation from you, but only justification for their killing.
@sharabi:
"If Religion is a standard for drawing Boundaries then we Indian Muslims have much more right on Kashmir..."
Well, no one, neither Pakistan nor India, has any right over Kashmir except Kashmiris themselves. And this is exactly the stand of Pakistani government and people. The same way the people of Goa, Hyderabad Deccan, Junagadh, Sikkim, etc. ect. had the right to decide, similarly Kashmiris also have the very same right whether the want to join Pakistan or India. India never will be able to keep Kashmiris in bondage and under occupation for long, if Kashmiris don't want to be part of it, Inshaallah.
@Syed Arbab Ahmed: India has more Islam/Muslims in India than Pakistan. Have you seen them move to Pakistan. They know that Islam cannot be malign and is strong if some says otherwise. The same cannot be said of Pakistan.
Blatant discrimination targeting Muslims ... and Pakistan won't say anything and the Pakistani people won't protest or take to the streets. It would appear that all the anti Muslim hubbub directed at the West is more about anti West than pro Muslim.
Veil, loose clothes etc can be a security problem (hidden bombs) in a bus, sub way transport etc due to lack of security screening. Fairly understandable during unrest.
But what is the security risk in beard?
Collectively this policy of china is totally discriminatory against Muslims living in the region (collective punishment).
Collective punishment is not new. Happened in Nazi regime, in the US to Japanese origin people, and Muslim rulers of previous and present era also practice(d) collective punishment against others in the name of security and religion.
However, this policy of china will only back fire fueling unrest and justification for separate state.
I am GLAD they are doing that. It is simple, Qatar is banning foreigners from wearing short skirts and stuff because they say it disagrees with their culture. Just like that China has a right to ban hijabs & beards if it disagrees with their culture. If you want to wear the hijab or keep a untidy beard then you should live in your own country where it is your own culture and not impose on other countries. It is easy to say it is racism but it actually is NOT.
@Zayed Hamied: Your hypocrisy is exposed.China can do what ever they want and India you are bothered? height of arrogance.Who gave you the right to monitor Indian Muslims? If you are that much bothered invite them to the land of pure paradise.First take care of your own minorities and the shed crocodile tears.For existence as a nation you are begging globally, on top of that this attitude!
@Syed Arbab Ahmed First of Let me tell you one thing, Nobody yes i said Nobody can malign Islam Some(sorry Many would be appropriate word) Fanatics describe themselves as Muslim but for me they are Evil Followers because Islam teaches us Love, Truth & Humanity. Do not generalize for every Indian (As i do not generalize word Terrorist for every Pakistani) And last thing is that Kashmir is an Integral part of India & Inshaallah will remain Forever, If Religion is a standard for drawing Boundaries then we Indian Muslims have much more right on Kashmir then Pakistan because India have more Muslim Population than Pakistan. May Allah(swt) show mercy on Human kind.
@Arsha: Just check comments here u Indians, talk bad about Islam and Muslims, and not only for Pakistan, this shows Indian mindset, and they always in Pakistan related communities etc to abuse Islam and Muslims, Shame......
We want peaceful resolution of Kashmir according to the wishes of Kashmiri ppl, through plebiscite but so called biggest democracy in the world INDIA, kicks it and UN resolution, otherwise there could have been great relation.
@Syed Arbab Ahmed: Indians don't mock Muslims- they mock Pakistanis who incidentally are mostly Muslims. The rivalry is mutual. I am sure Pakistanis' dislike and mockery of Hindus is primarily a dislike of Indians, while Hindus in Nepal or Srilanka would not be treated to the same sentiment.
A BAD MOVE FROM CHINA . Not every beard guy and veiled woman is terrorist.
Will NS be a cry baby and complain to OIC about 1) institutional discrimination of Muslims in China 2) legal and cultural discrimination of Saudis by putting a ban on Saudi men from marrying Pakistani women or will he forget everything while tasting sweet honey and free dates.
@WB:
"we don’t hate liberal Muslims. But we do hate all narrow minded, bigoted Muslims". And you are so lucky to find ET to collaborate with your sentiments and print 'hate' message too..
Rex Minor
@AA: There is not a single week when Pakistani papers like DAWN, THE NEWS, NATION do not publish any editorial or column about India or Modi.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: First we shall make Baluchistan free, as we did in Bangladesh, and then we shall sit down and talk Kashmir over a cup of tea. Happy?
@Syed Arbab Ahmed: What is the other way? The Chinese will lose the land otherwise. This is political Islam.
Why Indians come here to show their frustration? and I always get surprised when they mock Muslims, it was the Muslim "Abdul Kalam" who secured them, otherwise they always been a colony for invaders, shame on such Indians who are not thankful to a Muslim who saved them for life.
@Zayed Hamied: Very unfortunate to hear that. "If you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything". There is no nationalism in Islam. Its really unfortunate to see people giving ridiculous reasons to justify oppression.
@AAT
Not second, but third highest. Pakistan overtook us in number of Muslims in the mid-90s. Still, we have the third highest, but Pakistan feels insecure and their inferiority complex makes them oppose our entry into OIC, threatening to walk out if India is admitted. In any case, India feels no need to participate in such impotent organisations - so we're not forcing OIC to take a stand.
And Pakistan feels they are so important that they can speak for Muslims of India, forget about Muslims of the whole world...
Hilarious!!!
and still the muslim population is the second highest in the world my friend
China seems to have the right answer to deal with Muslims everywhere !!!
@Aziz: India decided to be a secular state and reason for partition. All the illegal religious structure has to go down. Why didn't you mention about mosques in turkey that are returned back to Christians?
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: India has already created Pakistan for Indian Muslims in 1947. Jordan was also created for palestinians. Pakistan is also an occupier of people of hindu civilization.
@Blunt:
No one here cares about India or you can say very few people care about India,
Ya...that's why you see most Pakistanis thanking Jinnah for giving them a separate nation when an incident related to Muslims happen in India.....
@Blunt:
You are right, I am not a Pakistani, but the reason for this sarcasm was your selective approach to the way Muslims are treated in India and in China even though India gives far more, more freedom and liberties for Muslims....... Do you really believe the response would have been same had this happened in India........the answer is NO.........There would have been as many comments piling up thanking Jinnah for giving them a separate nation..........My only problem is general myopic view you holds towards the Muslims in general........supporting Muslims of Gaza and Kashmirs, but remains silent on the Muslims of China............. (ET please publish)
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan:
Muslim land?
Ok. Why don't you Pakistanis leave Pakistan which is a part of India and go back to Your Muslim land Saudi?
Mr. Bakhtiyar, you are one of the 180 million failed Pakistanis. remember that. You are a failure.
Wow, reading some of these comments it's clear that Pakistanis feel our dear friend China could never do any wrong. I guess the term 'Islamophobia' is reserved solely for Israel, India and America. Our great and mighty ally China is right in any dealing it does, from banning Muslims from fasting, to this new development. Proceed, glorious China, Pakistan is ever subservient.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan - I can understand your predicament as you try to walk the tightrope vis-à-vis your relations with China..
Why not have the "intense" dialogues with India, Israel, Russia for all the hotspots you mentioned above.
What's your definition of massive violence? If you're clever enough, you will realize that this "massive violence" is inevitable in Xinkiang - sooner or later.
ET - Pls. publish..
There will be Massive Protest in whole Pakistan,against the Chinese Brutality. Pakistan is Nuclear Power Muslim state thus it is the responsibility of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to protest against this inhuman behavior of Han Chinese. World should aware that Pakistan have Babur, Guari & Ghazanavi Missiles.
Well done China
;)
And France bans veils. Others considering. Switzerland bans mosques. Others considering. India demolishes Babri Masjid and burns two and half thousand Muslims. Myanmar does not want Muslims. Serbia, Israel and some African countries ethnically cleanses Muslims.The list is endless.
Chinese are Pakistan's friend - unlike India and Israel. No comments. So lets go to the next article.
Situation in Uyghur areas of China is still salvageable if the Muslim countries unite to help mediate the situation. This requires intense dialogue and also consultation with China's other Muslim provinces.
Thankfully, we haven't reached the massive violence against Muslims as seen in Kashmir, Palestine, Chechnya, Somalia, and other occupied Muslim lands by occupier nations.
Indians should free Kashmir and give them the right to choose their destiny (even if they choose to join Pakistan). Otherwise, India is an occupier and oppressor of Muslim land and has no right to speak on Muslim issues.
My dear Muslim friends to remember Tianmin chowk where tanks were used against agitating students they don't care about any religion the are concerned with the safty of the state and they are always ready to sactifice anything/
Time for humanity warriors to come out. Why do I feel they wont? Surely they are not hypocrites.
@Zayed Hamied: No one here cares about India or you can say very few people care about India, that too very little. So come out of your victim mindset and also from camouflage.
Only China know how to control terrorists
I am expecting meek response from Pakistanis or in some cases explanatory statements excusing the Chinese for their actions and a deafening silence from the govt of Pakistan. The self proclaimed champions of Islam and the flag bearers of Muslim umma.
This is called Nationalism , only way to protect country .
Now let us see how many pious pakistanis do the keyboard banging against the chinese. The chinese are very logical though.
Is this the way China can end extremism, terrorism and independent movement??? this will only create more hatred towards the state, dialogue is the key, this is not the time of using guns to impose your will on others.
This really doesn't matter to us............all which matter to us is how Muslims are treated in India............China is our all weather friend. China has right to do anything with its citizens and we will support them wholeheartedly like the ones mentioned in the article.........