China's Way of Tackling Muslim Separatist Extremist Uighur Groups

China's Way of Tackling Muslim Separatist Extremist Uighur Groups

Uighurs are Turkic people coming from Central and East Asia. About 110 lakh Uighurs live in the autonomous Xinjiang province situated in the west of China. Significant diasporic communities of Uighurs live in the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgystan, Uzbekistan and in Turkey.

Most of the Uighurs practice Islam and are ethnic minority in China. Uighurs make up about 44% of the population in Xinjiang and Han Chinese 42% of the region. Han Chinese constitute 92% of the national population.

In 1990s there was growing anti-Han, separatist sentiments in Xinjiang with reports of violence. Government responds with force.

In July 2009 violent clashes took place between Uighurs and Han Chinese in Xinjiang in which nearly 200 people killed.

In 2013-14 there was sudden spike in violence. It is claimed that separatist terrorists conducted deadly attacks.

In April 2017 China bans long beards, veils and Islamic names in Xinjiang.

In December 2017 surveillance and security increased  in Xinjiang.

In July 2017 authorities stated clearly  that Xinjiang residents  install a phone app that scans their device and reports what it finds to authorities.

In August 2018 a UN human rights panel found that more than ten lakhs people held in internment camps.

China has put more than ten lakhs Uighurs in detention camps at Xinjiang. China has blamed separatist and extremist Uighur groups for violence. It has used it as justification to take forceful action against Muslim minority group. In Xinjiang every move is watched and recorded as China has turned to technology to tighten its grip on the Uighurs.