Cedars, November 2018

November 2018 11 OFF CAMPUS their own religious and cultural practices. While Xinjiang is designated an autonomous region, meaning that they are granted some level of self-governance, the national govern- ment has implemented several policies to restrict Uighur au- tonomy over the last few decades. For instance, Han-Uighur couples receive marriage bo- nuses, incentivizing cultural assimilation. The government has also provided financial incentives for Han families to move to Xinjiang, diluting the Uighur population in the prov- ince from a comfortable majority to less than 45 percent. According to ChinaFile, over a million Han Chinese state employees have also permanently or temporarily mi- grated to Xinjiang as “big brothers” or “big sisters” — indoc- trination and surveillance workers hosted in Uighur homes, ensuring their loyalty to the Communist Party. The smallest sign of dissent, from having a picture of a woman in Islamic dress to not paying the water bill on time, could be enough to recommend a Uighur individual for “re-education.” The Uighurs have lost the rights to education in their own language, been banned from teaching their own history and are not permitted to have long beards or wear head- scarves. Every Uighur household has a barcode on the door that can be scanned by police to confirm who is supposed to be in the house, and Uighurs face severe travel restrictions both within Xinjiang and beyond. Uighurs have now been forced to surrender all passports to the police, prohibited from leaving the country. Amid increasing information about what’s been hap- pening in China for the past two years finally coming to light, the international community has remained stoically silent. According to Duerr, while the treatment of the Ui- ghurs is clearly a violation of human rights, whatever the history of conflict, the international community is limited in its ability to take action against China in response. “Because of China’s economic prowess people are much more reluctant to speak out because, ‘Well, China will just stop trading with us,’” Duerr said. “And they will. … China’s become too powerful, unfortunately. From a U.S. perspec- tive we’re lucky enough that we’re the one that could say and do something, but it’s a big risk. Are you willing to stick your neck out for the Uighurs? We should, yes. Will people in reality do so? No.” The crackdown on the Uighurs coincides with a broad- er tightening of cultural and religious freedoms in China. In addition to the extreme persecution of Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang, Pew Research Center reports that approximately 2,000 “crosses and church structures” have been destroyed in the province of Zhejiang. The Chinese government, not the pope, appoints bishops, and Protestant churches face restrictions on who can preach, where sermons will be giv- en, what can be spoken on in church, and even the number of baptisms that can occur per year. However, according to Duerr, Christians are slightly more protected by their large numbers, lack of ethnic distinc- tiveness, and geographic dispersion across mainland China. While churches have been destroyed, pastors removed from the pulpit, and congregations surveilled by the government, the gospel is still being preached throughout much of China. Kim exhorted Cedarville students to pray for political leaders, the Uighurs in Xinjiang, and the Christian churches in China. “We start by praying for the national leaders,” Kim said. “We don’t have the capacity or the authority to make the decisions, so we just pray that they can make the right deci- sions. For the Uighurs, we pray that this persecution would lead them to the light and truth of Jesus Christ, and for Chris- tians, we pray that they experience the goodness of God amid trials.” Originally from Korea, Kim encouraged students to re- member to give thanks for their freedoms. “As a non-Western sister in Christ, enjoy ... the free- dom of speech, freedom of religion, separation of church and state, et cetera,” Kim said. “What you enjoy is what many others including those in China are anxious to get and dying to achieve.” Infographic created by Katie Wingert