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Local Authorities Still Unclear on How to Handle Ramadan in Western China

| Jul 07, 2016 10:42 PM EDT

Muslims pray at a mosque in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region during Ramadan.

Authorities in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are still uncertain on how to treat Muslims who celebrate the Ramadan, despite claims of religious freedom and tolerance by government, The Washington Post reported.

In a white paper released just before the Ramadan, the government described the level of tolerance and religious freedom in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, home to the country's largest population of Muslims, as "unprecedented" and unparalleled by "any other period in history." Signs posted by government expressing respect for faith were also placed in the old city of Kashgar.

However, in recent years, hundreds have died in clashes between the Uyghurs and local authorities. This included the assassination of an imam at a mosque during Ramadan in 2014.

Local government blamed it on religious extremism that drove the state to intensify security and surveillance action, affecting the way Uyghurs conduct their business and worship, including the way they dress.

When news of "fasting bans" spread across Pakistan and Indonesia, the Chinese government invited officials from both countries to tour the country's far northwest to observe.

An Indonesian official who returned from the trip was quoted as saying: "The [Chinese] state guarantees freedom of religion to all religions."

Similarly, a Pakistani observer denied seeing restrictions being imposed on students, teachers, and government employees.

But as far as the Communist Party is concerned, the faith is flourishing in Xinjiang, as the number of mosques has increased and the government is spending money to send students to travel and study the faith abroad, the state news media noted.

According to the authorities, Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang have religious freedom, just like Christians and Tibetan Buddhists.

A Global Times report on Ramadan in Xinjiang noted that the celebration went on "without government interference" because the government has "only imposed an exemption from this practice on Party members, civil servants and underage students."

The report said that the selective fasting ban was imposed due to health concerns and in deference to the "spirit of China as a secular country."

President Xi Jinping said in a conference in April that cadres must help "religions adapt to socialist society" in order to "merge religious doctrines with Chinese culture."

But many Uyghurs who fear integration sees the Ramadan restrictions as an attempt by government to further curtail their culture and way of life.

In addition, Uyghurs felt alienated in their own home as more than 40 percent of Xinjiang's population are Han Chinese.

This was further worsened by violent crackdowns as officials prohibited people younger than 18 to pray at mosques. Some men were also punished for growing beards, while women were arrested for wearing a certain type of veil.

It was also reported that local officials in one town have asked Muslim shopkeepers to sell cigarettes and alcohol to curb extremism.

Some Kashgar residents also said that the Internet service of those using private networks to evade government control was cut off.

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