Human Rights Watch: Large-scale demolition and reconstruction of mosques in China, some mosques turned into “poverty alleviation” factories China: People enjoy religious freedom

Human Rights Watch issued a report yesterday, accusing the Chinese government of using “mosque mergers” as an excuse to demolish, close or rebuild mosques on a large scale in Ningxia and Gansu. The report takes two villages in Ningxia as an example, saying that four of the seven mosques in the two villages were significantly damaged. A spokesperson for the Chinese government responded by saying that the Chinese people enjoy full religious freedom in accordance with the law.

China: People enjoy full religious freedom in accordance with the law

The British “Guardian” quoted a Chinese government spokesperson as saying that people of all ethnic groups in China enjoy full religious freedom in accordance with the law. China, like other countries, pursues policies to protect freedom of religious belief and manages religious affairs in accordance with the law. The spokesperson emphasized that China firmly opposes and combats religious extremism, and that people’s normal religious activities are guaranteed in accordance with the law, and their customs and habits are also respected.

Human Rights Watch’s report pointed out that the Chinese government has closed a large number of mosques in the name of “merger”, saying that the CCP has proposed “mosque merger” in a document issued in 2018 to promote the “Sinicization” of Islam. The report states that it is impossible to determine how many mosques in Ningxia and Gansu have been closed or repurposed. However, Hannah Theaker and David Stroup, two experts who specialize in studying Hui Muslims, are quoted in an upcoming research report as estimating that the number of mosques in Ningxia will increase from 2020 to 2020. Two-thirds have been closed so far this year.

A mosque in Gansu was converted into a garment factory for “poverty alleviation”

Human Rights Watch also used online videos and satellite images to investigate. Taking two villages in Ningxia as an example, 4 of the 7 mosques were significantly damaged, including 3 main buildings being bulldozed, 1 prayer room being damaged internally, and the domes and minarets of all mosques were demolished by the authorities.

Another example cited in the report is located in Gansu. The local Linxia TV station’s Weibo account once posted an article saying that after “hard and meticulous ideological education and guidance work”, a mosque was converted into a “poverty alleviation” garment factory in 2018, allowing Women in the village earn money by making cloth shoes.

The report also quoted Ma Ju, a Hui Muslim rights activist living in the United States, as saying that the authorities had installed surveillance equipment in the remaining “Sinicized” mosques.

Wang Songlian, acting China director of Human Rights Watch, said that the Chinese government’s closure of mosques in the name of “merger” is a violation of religious freedom. “The Chinese government’s closure, demolition, and reuse of mosques in various places is one of a series of measures to curb the activities of Islam in China.” .”