on Monday, and inspected homes to check if the fast was being observed…..“China
taking these kinds of coercive measures, restricting the faith of
Uighurs, will create more conflict”…
Brazil: There are rumors that fasting caused the Algerians to become exhausted and lose out to Germany via two late goals. The Algerian team denies this is the case.
France/Europe: You watch your neighbors celebrate the burqa ban win in court and you wonder: what comes next? (our advise- emigrate to UK or USA).
Saudi Arabia: The boot is on the other foot. Any non-muslim observed having food during fasting hours will be immediately punished.Harshly.
China: If any muslim is observed fasting, s/he will be immediately punished. Harshly.
The DAWN commentators are a confused lot. The true believers are (justifiably) upset. But a fair few people have been shouting- their country, their rules. So are Pakistanis OK with discrimination against muslims in the non-muslim world? The burqa ban is appropriate?? More to the point are these China-fans OK with discrimination against non-muslims in the muslim world (this includes Pakistan)???
We repeat: If you think islamists are scary, China/Chinese are scary beyond imagination. The Chicoms would like each of us (all of us) to behave like a central-command programmed robot. By the time they have finished there will be no human beings left on the planet.
…..
China has banned civil servants, students and teachers in its
mainly Muslim Xinjiang region from taking part in Ramazan fasting,
government websites said, prompting condemnation from an exile group on
Wednesday.
China’s ruling Communist party is officially
atheist, and for years has restricted fasting in Xinjiang, home to the
mostly Muslim Uighur minority.
……………..
Xinjiang sees regular and often
deadly clashes between Uighurs and state security forces, and Beijing
has blamed recent deadly attacks elsewhere in China on militants seeking
independence for the resource-rich region.
Rights groups blame
tensions on religious and cultural restrictions placed on Uighurs and
other Muslim minorities in the vast area, which abuts Central Asia.
Several
government departments posted notices on their websites in recent days
banning fasting during Ramazan, which began this weekend. During the
holy month, the faithful fast from dawn to dusk and strive to be more
pious.
The commercial affairs bureau of Turfan city said on its
website Monday that “civil servants and students cannot take part in
fasting and other religious activities”.
The state-run Bozhou
Radio and TV university said on its website that it would “enforce the
ban on party members, teachers, and young people from taking part in
Ramazan activities”. “We remind everyone that they are not permitted to observe a Ramazan fast,“ it added.
A
weather bureau in Qaraqash county in western Xinjiang said on its
website that “in accordance with instructions from higher authorities”,
it “calls on all current and retired staff not to fast during Ramazan”.
A
state office which manages the Tarim River basin posted pictures of its
staff wearing traditional Uighur “doppa” caps tucking into a group meal
on Saturday.
“Although the meal coincided with the Muslim
festival of Ramazan, the cadres who took part expressed a positive
attitude and will lead the non-fasting,” it said.
China has in the past said that restrictions on fasting are meant to ensure the health of government employees.
Dilxat
Raxit, a spokesman for the exiled World Uyghur Congress, cited local
sources as saying that authorities encouraged Uighurs to eat free meals
on Monday, and inspected homes to check if the fast was being observed.
“China taking these kinds of coercive measures, restricting the faith of Uighurs, will create more conflict,” he said. “We call on China to ensure religious freedom for Uighurs and stop political repression of Ramadan.”
….
Link: http://www.dawn.com/news/1116546/china-restricts-ramazan-fasting-in-xinjiang
….
regards