A STAND-OFF between the Chinese state and the Muslim community in the country’s Ningxia region threatens to harm communal harmony if not approached delicately. The dispute is over a new mosque in the region; the state says the mosque “had not received proper permits”; Beijing is apparently irked by the domes used in its structure — a feature of mosques across the Muslim world. However, members of the local Hui Muslim community have strongly objected to the government’s intentions of demolishing the mosque, and have staged a sit-in to prevent this. While the People’s Republic has, in a positive move, delayed the action, as reports coming out of China indicate, believers of all faiths have come across restrictions, as the Communist Party seeks ‘Sinification’ of religion.

Muslims in China have a history that goes back centuries and at present they number over 20m. However, as has been the case with many communist states, there have been tight curbs on religious practice there. While the Chinese state may have legitimate concerns over extremism within the Uighur community, the methods it has used to clamp down on the Turkic Muslims in their home region of Xinjiang can only be described as harsh. Now, beyond the Uighurs, it appears that the party is cracking down on Muslims of other communities as well. The Hui are ethnically Chinese; however, that has not stopped the state from limiting their religious practices, as the Ningxia stand-off shows. Instead of ostracising ethnic and religious minorities in China, Beijing should adopt a more inclusive policy and lift restrictions on religious and cultural practices. By cracking down and pushing communities to the wall, the state will only alienate them and strengthen the extremist narrative. As far as the Ningxia matter is concerned, the state should find an amicable solution together with the local Hui community. Where the Uighurs are concerned, a more relaxed policy and positive interaction with the locals of Xinjiang can help deter extremism and separatism.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2018