LAGC
01-12-2015, 12:31 PM
Chinese authorities have banned women in the capital city of Xinjiang—an autonomous western region where Muslims account for almost half of the population—from wearing burqas in public, according to a brief article on a government-run website, Tianshan News. Local legislators for Urumqi proposed the ban in December, and now the regional legislature has approved it.
It’s not clear when the ban will go into effect. State media said only that it will be implemented after being modified to meet comments proposed in a meeting over the weekend.
What is clear, though, is that moves like these are likely to further alienate an already disenchanted minority group—the Uighurs, who feel their culture and economy is being overrun by Han Chinese. Ever since a group of Uighur Muslims went on a killing spree in a train station in Kunming last March, Chinese officials have ratcheted up restrictions on a group they see as potential extremists. Xinjiang officials later banned students and civil servants from fasting for Ramadan, and authorities in the Xinjiang city of Karamy barred anyone wearing burqas, niqabs, hijabs or simply “large beards” from taking public buses.
Despite—or as a result of—these measures, attacks and clashes involving Uighurs have only increased. Today, police in Shule county, near Kashgar, shot dead six attackers who were allegedly trying to detonate a series of explosives. Militants attacked police, residents, and officials in Shache county in August, leaving almost 100 dead.
http://qz.com/324805/china-has-just-banned-the-burqa-in-its-biggest-muslim-city/
Man, these poor Muslims just can't catch a break. Seems like they are being persecuted all over the place these days. Like the whole world is out to oppress them and their deeply held religious traditions.
No wonder they are upset. Can't even allow your women to go outside dressing "modestly" any more. Or hide any suicide vest explosives underneath their cloaks either. I mean, how fair is that?
It’s not clear when the ban will go into effect. State media said only that it will be implemented after being modified to meet comments proposed in a meeting over the weekend.
What is clear, though, is that moves like these are likely to further alienate an already disenchanted minority group—the Uighurs, who feel their culture and economy is being overrun by Han Chinese. Ever since a group of Uighur Muslims went on a killing spree in a train station in Kunming last March, Chinese officials have ratcheted up restrictions on a group they see as potential extremists. Xinjiang officials later banned students and civil servants from fasting for Ramadan, and authorities in the Xinjiang city of Karamy barred anyone wearing burqas, niqabs, hijabs or simply “large beards” from taking public buses.
Despite—or as a result of—these measures, attacks and clashes involving Uighurs have only increased. Today, police in Shule county, near Kashgar, shot dead six attackers who were allegedly trying to detonate a series of explosives. Militants attacked police, residents, and officials in Shache county in August, leaving almost 100 dead.
http://qz.com/324805/china-has-just-banned-the-burqa-in-its-biggest-muslim-city/
Man, these poor Muslims just can't catch a break. Seems like they are being persecuted all over the place these days. Like the whole world is out to oppress them and their deeply held religious traditions.
No wonder they are upset. Can't even allow your women to go outside dressing "modestly" any more. Or hide any suicide vest explosives underneath their cloaks either. I mean, how fair is that?