China Bans Ramadan Fasting Among Children and Members of Public Service in parts of the far Western Xinjiang district

China Bans Ramadan Fasting Among Children and Members of Public Service in parts of the far Western Xinjiang district. (ES).

China has banned Ramadan fasting in parts of the far Western Xinjiang district – a district known to have a minority population of Uighurs, the second largest Muslim ethnic group in China. Currently, the ban only applies to children and members of public service.

State media and government websites in Xinjiang have reported that fasting is banned for Muslim party members, civil servants, students and teachers. Shops and restaurants are also being required to remain open during daylight or else be threatened with closure.

It is also reported that shops and restaurants owned by Muslims have been ordered to continue selling cigarettes and alcohol during Ramadan, or face closure.

In the Jinghe county – near the Kazakh border – food safety officials have announced they would “guide and encourage” shops and restaurants to stay open during the day throughout Ramadan.

This is not the first time China has enforced a ban like this. From 2011, the Chinese authorities have consistently brought in measures to coerce its Muslim population into not fasting during the holy month.

In June and July of 2014, school children and government workers were given food and water in the middle of the day in an attempt to target and prohibit those choosing to fast.

“China is increasing its bans and monitoring as Ramadan approaches,” says Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the World Uighur Congress in a statement to Reuters. “The faith of the Uighurs has been highly politicised, and the increase in controls could cause sharp resistance.”

Raxit also accused Chinese authorities in an interview with Radio Free Asia of “extracting guarantees from parents, promising that their children won’t fast on Ramadan.” China has a Muslim population of around 20 million. The largest Muslim ethnic group is the Hui, followed by the Uighurs.

China has an developing 'Islamic extremists' problem

SOURCE.

China has an developing 'Islamic extremists' problem. (TheWeek).

Seven Chinese nationals were recently detained in Turkey as they attempted to enter Syria. The Chinese, described as hailing from the traditionally Muslim province of Xinjiang, were detained by border guards.

The incident has highlighted China's growing problem with its own Muslim minority.

Chinese officials are worried radicalized Uighurs traveling abroad to train and fight will return with skills that could bolster China's domestic insurgency.

This is a small problem that will become a much bigger problem in the near future.

Xinjiang Autonomous Region is China's westernmost territory. Twice as large as Texas, it was incorporated into China in the 18th century. The Uighur people, the traditional dominant ethnic group, are Central Asians of Turkic origin and predominantly Muslim.

Chinese Jihadists were first reported in Syria in 2012, and in September of last year one was captured by the Iraqi military. China's state-run tabloid Global Times reported in December that 300 Chinese nationals were fighting in Iraq and Syria. In 2014, Islamic State leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi criticized Chinese rule in Xinjiang and asked Beijing's Muslims to pledge allegiance to him instead.

Chinese jihadists aren't just traveling to the Middle East. Last year an Israeli foreign policy analyst warned a Chinese delegation to Israel that 1,000 jihadis were training at a Pakistani military base. Chinese have also been detained in Indonesia seeking out extremist Islamic groups. Hmmm......And as usual there's a Turkish link.Read the full story here.