ANI, Washington
Published by: Surendra Joshi
Updated Sat, 19 Feb 2022 07:41 AM IST
Summary
Principal Sherep Hayat had invited well-known Uighur scholars Yelkun Rozi and Abdukadir Jalaliddin to deliver a lecture at the school. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), both these intellectuals were also jailed in 2017.
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Principal Sherep Hayat had invited well-known Uighur scholars Yelkun Rozi and Abdukadir Jalaliddin to deliver a lecture at the school. According to Radio Free Asia (RFA), both these intellectuals were also jailed in 2017. Chinese authorities began detaining Uighurs and other Turkic-speaking Muslims in a vast network of re-education camps in Xinjiang since 2017. In defense of this oppression, China said that it is taking this step to stop religious extremism and terrorism in the country.
18 lakh people imprisoned in camps
According to reports, about 1.8 million Uighurs are imprisoned in camps. Husseinzan, a former student of Principal Sherep Heyt, who is now living in exile, said he was also taken prisoner by Chinese authorities in Korla four years ago. Hussainjan was not even aware of his punishment. He was told by one of his Chinese friends that he had been sentenced to 18 years. Husseinjan said he was shocked but not surprised by the news of Principal Sherep being jailed, as he too was jailed for three-four years. After that he had disappeared.
That’s why the repression of Uighur intellectuals is happening
Chinese authorities are repressing teachers and intellectuals in Xinjiang because they know they are the intellectual force of the Uighur community. Through these, Uighur culture and identity is being spread. Abdureshid Niyaz, an independent Uighur researcher based in Turkey, gave this information to the RFA. Husseinjan said the principal was sentenced because of his association with Uyghur scholars.
Xinjiang is the second largest city in the Uyghur Autonomous Region and the capital of the Bayin Gholin Mongol (Beinguoleng Menggu) Autonomous Province. It is the largest state of China.