On Uyghur Genocide Recognition Day, Zeteo shares a harrowing story of forced sterilization and explores the wider physical and psychological toll on Ugyhur women in Xinjiang.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing attention to the forgotten and overlooked Chinese genocide of the Uighur people and other indigenous ethnic groups in Xinjiang.
By the way, in 1951 it was reported that among the many brutal atrocities of the Chinese after Mao's conquest of Tibet was forced sterilization of women. Reference "In Exile from the Land of Snows", perhaps the best book ever written about the exile of the Dalai Lama, the concentration camps, the brutalization, and the continuing genocide of the Tibetan people. Tibet is where Mao and his acolytes honed their genocide skills to be later used in Xinjiang.
All True, the government of China over the years has engaged in mass genocide of the minority ethnic groups that live in their territory, some who follow Islam. Finally this is coming to the attention of Zeteo, I do not what took them so long to report on this but I am glad that Zeteo is finally doing the right thing and I hope they continue there reporting on this.
I read this piece yesterday & was so distraught that I could not respond. I knew what China was doing to the Ugyhurs but NOT THIS! Horrifying, depraved, disgusting, in humane. This poor woman - is just want to hug her - not that it would help much.
BUT, I did some research & found that Planned Parethood in Virginia - they have a few locations, DOES offer mental health counseling & usually, they provide services on a "sliding scale" according to what the patient can afford.
If i could afford it - which i cannot at this time - I would pay for her myself. I am heartbroken for her but SO glad she is here AND that she has such an amazing husband! Mrs. Duwat, I am praying for you
& hope that you are able to find the help that you need & deserve!🙏♥️🫶🫂☮️
Thank you for highlighting the plight of Uyghurs. I sadly witnessed this more than 10 years ago when I visited Xinxiang province. The fear amongst this ethnic group was palpable, and the open racism of the Han Chinese.
The sterilisation of women of ethnic minorities is an all too familiar story. Even those so-called humanitarian Nordic countries have practised this against their ethnic people in recent times - aka Denmark and their treatment of Greenlanders, and Sweden and their horrific behaviour towards the Sami.
The Chinese government has consistently and firmly denied allegations of forced sterilization or any form of coercive population control targeting Uyghurs or any other ethnic group in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
According to official statements and state media, the policies in Xinjiang are designed to:
1. Promote Stability and Development: Combat extremism and terrorism while fostering economic growth and social harmony.
2. Ensure Equal Rights: Uphold the rights of all ethnic groups, including reproductive rights, under Chinese law. The government states that all ethnic groups in Xinjiang enjoy equal rights and freedoms.
3. Provide Voluntary Services: Characterize family planning and health services, including those related to reproductive health, as entirely voluntary and provided in accordance with national laws that apply uniformly across China.
The Official Position:
Chinese authorities and state media have explicitly rejected reports from some Western governments,NGOs, and researchers about forced sterilizations, calling them "completely fabricated," "baseless accusations," and "lies concocted with ulterior motives to smear China." They assert that such claims are part of a geopolitical strategy to contain China's development.
Context of National Policy:
Officials note that China's national family planning policy has evolved.While the controversial "one-child policy" was historically enforced nationwide (affecting Han Chinese most strictly), it was relaxed to a "two-child policy" in 2016 and a "three-child policy" in 2021. The government states that all ethnic groups, including Uyghurs, have been subject to the same national policy at any given time, with some historical allowances for minorities.
Focus on Vocational Training and Poverty Alleviation:
The government redirects the narrative towards its stated goals in Xinjiang:poverty alleviation, job creation through vocational education and training centers, and improving overall living standards and healthcare access for all residents.
In summary, from the official Chinese perspective, the charge of forced sterilization is a falsehood, and the situation in Xinjiang is one of lawful governance, successful counter-terrorism, rapid development, and the protection of all citizens' lawful rights.
It is important to note that this description reflects the position of the Chinese government. There exists significant international controversy and conflicting reports on this issue from other sources, including United Nations committees, human rights organizations, and foreign governments.
They point not to the enslaved Uighurs in farms and factories around the country but to the modernization of Xinjiang. The roads, the large and ugly housing blocks, the high-speed trains and the importation of Han Chinese into the region to replace the indigenous. It's a tragedy and an obscenity.
It goes back a long way but the problem starts with the blowback from having helped fund, and train mujahadeen fighters in Afghanistan in the 70s to fight the Russians. Elements of what became AQ found their way back to Xingjiang and helped stir up sentiments the population already had since historically Han Chinese have never looked to fondly upon the population. There were legitimate terror attacks that happened in later years, but CPC has traditionally taken a very heavy hand when problem solving. They view the Uhygurs as a problem to solve and the camps, forced labor, mass surveillance, and even what the article talks about are the methods of solving it. It’s one of the few really black marks on what would should be a fairly stellar report card as far as what the PRC have managed to accomplish in such a short amount of time.
This reporting was funded by a Pulitzer Center fellowship grant for reporting on mental well-being in the US. This story features an interview with Zumrat Dawut, translated by Zubayra Shamseden.
Khaleel Rahman is a freelance journalist and former talk show producer for Connecticut Public Radio. He also writes satire for The Onion and Reductress. Follow him @krahman333 on X.
I am just catching up to this news. Thank you for bringing attention to this horrific genocide of the Uyghur people. My heart breaks for all the women.💔
The Chinese document attached to this report was written in Chinese except the name of her husband was in English letters. I have some doubts on the authenticity of this document. As a person who grew up in China, I can't imagine a local Chinese government office would issue an official personal document using English letters to identify that person.
Growing up in China during the one-child policy era, I was aware that a Han (race of majority) family could have only one child, while any minority family could have more than one child! -- maybe 2 or 3. I did hear stories of Han women who violated this policy gor forcibly sterilized " like pigs" in their own language. It was brutal. It seemed that Han women shared the majority of such brutal treatment than minority women.
Minority race people did receive special protective treatment. When I enrolled in university in 1980, my minority classmate got in with lower marks. It was an affirmative equity action similar to the ones in India and the U.S.
I currently live in Canada. I am providing you the above facts to help you gain a broader perspective and context of what is reported in this article.
While an insider perspective would be valuable and I’m not a huge fan China-bashing in the Western Media, I’m sorry to say this: what you claim sounds utterly illogical and unlikely. And sadly like a Chinese version of Hasbara
I didn't claim. I just told what I experienced. You may claim that my experience "utterly logical and unlikely". That's your choice. Just be mindful how your choice may affect your credibility when you claim another person's real life experience as "unlikely".
Thank you for bringing attention to this horror. 💔
Thank you, thank you, thank you for bringing attention to the forgotten and overlooked Chinese genocide of the Uighur people and other indigenous ethnic groups in Xinjiang.
By the way, in 1951 it was reported that among the many brutal atrocities of the Chinese after Mao's conquest of Tibet was forced sterilization of women. Reference "In Exile from the Land of Snows", perhaps the best book ever written about the exile of the Dalai Lama, the concentration camps, the brutalization, and the continuing genocide of the Tibetan people. Tibet is where Mao and his acolytes honed their genocide skills to be later used in Xinjiang.
All True, the government of China over the years has engaged in mass genocide of the minority ethnic groups that live in their territory, some who follow Islam. Finally this is coming to the attention of Zeteo, I do not what took them so long to report on this but I am glad that Zeteo is finally doing the right thing and I hope they continue there reporting on this.
You will still cry when Zeteo continues to report on Israel’s ongoing genocide and settler colonialism
You do not know what I will do. Speak for yourself. I will though condemn the
I wish Zeteo had more articles like this one. The struggles of ordinary people are a needed counterbalance to the insanity going on in Washington.
I wish such activities were not taking place. No one needs to be subject to such life altering events.
The whole damn world is nothing but a nightmarish hellscape full of sociopaths running the show and getting richer and richer. Revolution time!
Thank you for reporting on this, I would love to see more articles about what the Ugyhur people are facing. How can we best help them?
I read this piece yesterday & was so distraught that I could not respond. I knew what China was doing to the Ugyhurs but NOT THIS! Horrifying, depraved, disgusting, in humane. This poor woman - is just want to hug her - not that it would help much.
BUT, I did some research & found that Planned Parethood in Virginia - they have a few locations, DOES offer mental health counseling & usually, they provide services on a "sliding scale" according to what the patient can afford.
If i could afford it - which i cannot at this time - I would pay for her myself. I am heartbroken for her but SO glad she is here AND that she has such an amazing husband! Mrs. Duwat, I am praying for you
& hope that you are able to find the help that you need & deserve!🙏♥️🫶🫂☮️
Thank you for highlighting the plight of Uyghurs. I sadly witnessed this more than 10 years ago when I visited Xinxiang province. The fear amongst this ethnic group was palpable, and the open racism of the Han Chinese.
The sterilisation of women of ethnic minorities is an all too familiar story. Even those so-called humanitarian Nordic countries have practised this against their ethnic people in recent times - aka Denmark and their treatment of Greenlanders, and Sweden and their horrific behaviour towards the Sami.
The Chinese government has consistently and firmly denied allegations of forced sterilization or any form of coercive population control targeting Uyghurs or any other ethnic group in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
According to official statements and state media, the policies in Xinjiang are designed to:
1. Promote Stability and Development: Combat extremism and terrorism while fostering economic growth and social harmony.
2. Ensure Equal Rights: Uphold the rights of all ethnic groups, including reproductive rights, under Chinese law. The government states that all ethnic groups in Xinjiang enjoy equal rights and freedoms.
3. Provide Voluntary Services: Characterize family planning and health services, including those related to reproductive health, as entirely voluntary and provided in accordance with national laws that apply uniformly across China.
The Official Position:
Chinese authorities and state media have explicitly rejected reports from some Western governments,NGOs, and researchers about forced sterilizations, calling them "completely fabricated," "baseless accusations," and "lies concocted with ulterior motives to smear China." They assert that such claims are part of a geopolitical strategy to contain China's development.
Context of National Policy:
Officials note that China's national family planning policy has evolved.While the controversial "one-child policy" was historically enforced nationwide (affecting Han Chinese most strictly), it was relaxed to a "two-child policy" in 2016 and a "three-child policy" in 2021. The government states that all ethnic groups, including Uyghurs, have been subject to the same national policy at any given time, with some historical allowances for minorities.
Focus on Vocational Training and Poverty Alleviation:
The government redirects the narrative towards its stated goals in Xinjiang:poverty alleviation, job creation through vocational education and training centers, and improving overall living standards and healthcare access for all residents.
In summary, from the official Chinese perspective, the charge of forced sterilization is a falsehood, and the situation in Xinjiang is one of lawful governance, successful counter-terrorism, rapid development, and the protection of all citizens' lawful rights.
It is important to note that this description reflects the position of the Chinese government. There exists significant international controversy and conflicting reports on this issue from other sources, including United Nations committees, human rights organizations, and foreign governments.
And the chinese people talk like nothing is happening ...
They point not to the enslaved Uighurs in farms and factories around the country but to the modernization of Xinjiang. The roads, the large and ugly housing blocks, the high-speed trains and the importation of Han Chinese into the region to replace the indigenous. It's a tragedy and an obscenity.
Something doesn't smell right in this article. Do you smell it as well.
Seems like run-of-the-mill persecution to me. 🤷🏻♂️
Ya I read the article just can't wrap my head around China's reasons for the alleged inhumane treatment.
It goes back a long way but the problem starts with the blowback from having helped fund, and train mujahadeen fighters in Afghanistan in the 70s to fight the Russians. Elements of what became AQ found their way back to Xingjiang and helped stir up sentiments the population already had since historically Han Chinese have never looked to fondly upon the population. There were legitimate terror attacks that happened in later years, but CPC has traditionally taken a very heavy hand when problem solving. They view the Uhygurs as a problem to solve and the camps, forced labor, mass surveillance, and even what the article talks about are the methods of solving it. It’s one of the few really black marks on what would should be a fairly stellar report card as far as what the PRC have managed to accomplish in such a short amount of time.
This reporting was funded by a Pulitzer Center fellowship grant for reporting on mental well-being in the US. This story features an interview with Zumrat Dawut, translated by Zubayra Shamseden.
Khaleel Rahman is a freelance journalist and former talk show producer for Connecticut Public Radio. He also writes satire for The Onion and Reductress. Follow him @krahman333 on X.
Is this satire?
An excellent and informative piece.
I am just catching up to this news. Thank you for bringing attention to this horrific genocide of the Uyghur people. My heart breaks for all the women.💔
Very well written.
Disgusting Reptilians!
The Chinese document attached to this report was written in Chinese except the name of her husband was in English letters. I have some doubts on the authenticity of this document. As a person who grew up in China, I can't imagine a local Chinese government office would issue an official personal document using English letters to identify that person.
Growing up in China during the one-child policy era, I was aware that a Han (race of majority) family could have only one child, while any minority family could have more than one child! -- maybe 2 or 3. I did hear stories of Han women who violated this policy gor forcibly sterilized " like pigs" in their own language. It was brutal. It seemed that Han women shared the majority of such brutal treatment than minority women.
Minority race people did receive special protective treatment. When I enrolled in university in 1980, my minority classmate got in with lower marks. It was an affirmative equity action similar to the ones in India and the U.S.
I currently live in Canada. I am providing you the above facts to help you gain a broader perspective and context of what is reported in this article.
While an insider perspective would be valuable and I’m not a huge fan China-bashing in the Western Media, I’m sorry to say this: what you claim sounds utterly illogical and unlikely. And sadly like a Chinese version of Hasbara
I didn't claim. I just told what I experienced. You may claim that my experience "utterly logical and unlikely". That's your choice. Just be mindful how your choice may affect your credibility when you claim another person's real life experience as "unlikely".