09/28/2020, 09.52
CHINA
Send to a friend

Xinjiang: 16 thousand mosques destroyed or damaged in the last three years

Domes and minarets demolished in the name of "sinicization". The destruction occurred in correspondence with the launch of the New regulations on religious activities.

Beijing (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Chinese government has reportedly destroyed or damaged about 16 thousand mosques in the western region of Xinjiang, inhabited by a Uyghur Muslim minority.

This is what emerges from a report released three days ago by an Australian research institute, supported by the US State Department.

The Australian Institute of Strategic Policy, a think-tank sponsored by the Canberra government, claims that 16,000 mosques have been destroyed or damaged; many of them have suffered the demolishing of domes and minarets to be recognized as "sinicized" constructions. In fact, most of the destruction took place in the last three years, i.e. in correspondence with the New regulations on religious activities, officially launched on 1 February 2018.

Among the various duties listed, there is the "sinicization", the submission of thoughts, texts, images and constructions to Chinese culture. Precisely for this reason, oriental-style domes and minarets are considered not "Sinicized" and thus destined to be replaced with "more Chinese" forms or to be completely destroyed. In August 2018, the Weizhou (Ningxia) mosque was in danger of destruction.

TAGs
Send to a friend
Printable version
CLOSE X
See also
Yining (Xinjiang): 'Thanks to you, the church has not been destroyed. But Catholics cannot use it '
25/03/2021 09:17
Yining’s Sacred Heart church to be torn down
19/02/2021 14:18
Christian Council of Hong Kong: We pray for the Churches of China
13/10/2018 11:55
Henan, chronicles of daily persecution: crosses and religious signs destroyed, blackmail and bans
07/06/2019 10:02
Bishop Fang Xingyao: The homeland before the Church; Chinese law before Canon law
02/12/2019 13:10


Newsletter

Subscribe to Asia News updates or change your preferences

Subscribe now
“L’Asia: ecco il nostro comune compito per il terzo millennio!” - Giovanni Paolo II, da “Alzatevi, andiamo”