The Uyghur people in Xinjiang will start a religious ritual, the annual Sunnah of Fasting starting September 3rd for a month. Some residents in Xinjiang called Radio Free Asia (RFA) saying that the authorities oppose the ritual.
World Uyghur Congress spokesman Dilshat said that the regime forces Uyghur cadres to sign letter of responsibility to oppose the Sunnah of Fasting and strengthen the supervision of religion
RFA called local Uygur people in Awati County in Aksu Prefecture to understand the situation. A Uyghur people said that the Fasting is starting, but it’s not convenient for him to talk about the details on the phone.
A local person in Kuqa County in Aksu Prefecture, Xinjiang, clearly told RFA that the regime opposes the Sunnah of the Fasting. The situation there is bad now.
When reporter asked whether any people do the Sunnah of the Fasting now, the person answered, “The elderly do, but the young people don’t. The elders eat two meals a day. They eat at the early morning and late at night.”
Dilshat indicated, in order to prevent the Muslim Uyghur restaurants from stopping their business in the month of Fasting, the authorities force them to sign a “guarantee.” If restaurants refuse to sell liquor, their business licenses will be revoked, he said, “The annual Islamic holy Fasting month is coming. But the Uyghur is welcoming the fasting month in fear. According to the information we got, the Chinese regime issued an order to severely crack down the activity of fasting for 40 days. The main targets of crackdown are the Uyghurs who do fasting or propagandize fasting in the month.”
It is understood that the authorities have prohibited the Sunnah of the Fasting for some years. And it has strengthened the ban this year. Dilshat said, “At present, the crackdown has expanded to the retired veteran cadres, has expanded its enforcement of the ban to different levels and different areas.”
Dilshat revealed the authorities’ strategy that it requires the current Uygur cadres of all levels to play an exemplary role, not to join the religious activities, such as fasting and vigils. Meanwhile it demands them to prevent retired cadres from doing the Sunnah of the Fasting. If anyone violates the ban, the local cadres should be severely punished and be liable for it. It specially sets surveillance teams in schools to monitor whether the Uyghur teachers and students carry out the education of anti-fasting. The regime clearly makes the rule to expel teachers and students who participate in the activities of fasting.