Reply With QuoteCAIRO— Muslim Uighur leaders denounced China's demolition of the Old City in Kashgar, an ancient city that symbolizes their long-preserved identity, urging the international community to intervene to save the city. "Chinese authorities are no longer content to eradicate our language from schools and our religion from mosques," Rebiya Kadeer, the head of the Uighur American Association (UAA), said in a statement mailed to IslamOnline on Tuesday, June 23.
"Now they are physically tearing down our homes, our businesses and our places of worship."
China Bulldozes Uighur Identity Eroding Uighur Identity Chinese authorities had given some 200,000 residents of the ancient cradle of Uighur culture until Thursday, June 18, to move out voluntarily before their houses are destroyed. "Old City residents were given no opportunity to voice their opinion about the demolition project or their resettlement," Kadeer said.
It is not clear how much of the eight-square-kilometer City is left, but reports have documented the destruction of parts of the city and evacuation of residents to apartment blocks in an area just outside of Kashgar.
"In addition to being uprooted from their jobs, communities and centers of worship, residents have also reported that they have received inadequate compensation for their Old City homes," said the UAA.
Kashgar has long been noted as a political and commercial centre of Xinjiang, a Muslim-majority region autonomous since 1955.
Beijing views the vast region as an invaluable asset because of its crucial strategic location near Central Asia and its large oil and gas reserves.
Xinjiang and its Uighur Muslims, a Turkish-speaking minority of more than eight million, continue to be the subject of massive security crackdowns.
Muslims accuses the government of settling millions of ethnic Han in their territory with the ultimate goal of obliterating its identity and culture.
They also cite a recent government plan that has brought the teaching of Mandarin Chinese in Xinjiang schools, replacing their local dialect.
World Heritage
Kadeer, the prominent Uighur leader and political activist, called on the world community and UNESCO to intervene and save the city. "The international community must call upon China to prevent the further destruction of the Old City, for the sake of Uighur cultural identity and to prevent the loss to the world of an irreplaceable center of architecture and heritage."
The Chinese government contends that the project aims at resettling the residents because of fears, including earthquake safety, poor drainage, and public safety.
But experts maintain that the city's traditional mud brick homes, which have stood for centuries, are neither dangerous nor backward.
A Beijing professor suggested that the houses be reinforced and repaired instead of completely destroyed.
Under the plan, authorities razed to the ground Xanliq Madrasa, a centuries-old Islamic college at the Old City that was listed as a protected cultural site.
Reports said the landmark college was demolished to make room for an athletic field.
"UAA is concerned that the remaining sections of the Old City will take on the characteristics of an open-air museum of Uighur culture, where once a vibrant community lived," said Kadeer.
Source: IslamOnline
Originally Posted by sweet_a, post: 382083
