Christian Larson argues in the New Republic that the Chinese government’s attitude toward its Uighur minority could incite the precise radicalism it fears:
But perhaps the most tragic irony lies in the Chinese insistence that Uighur dissent is rooted in ideology and religion, and that recent incidents of violence–such as the string of bus bombings and attacks on police that last year riled southwestern Xinjiang–are the work of Islamic extremists and agitators tied to foreign campaigns. In truth, the Uighurs’ observance of Islam is largely apolitical, but by treating the Muslim faith itself as a threat and sharply curbing religious practice in Xinjiang, Chinese security forces may end up breeding the very kind of insurrection they are now trying to quell.
[…]
In fact, the notion of highly politicized religion seems at odds with Uighur mentality. When I traveled along the Karakorum Highway, a winding mountainous route stretching between Kashgar and Islamabad, my Uighur driver was quite concerned that we not actually cross the border into Pakistan. “It’s a dangerous country—it’s fundamentalist,” he said. I asked him what that meant, and he explained, with a touch of mirth, “Fundamentalism means the men make the women stay home and take care of their bad children.” Humor aside, he said he didn’t want his home to become a place where Islam was deeply politicized. For now, he saw Xinjiang as different.
Some observers credit China’s strict border controls—including a policy of routinely denying visa requests to Uighurs who wish to visit Mecca—with insulating the region from more incendiary religious factions in neighboring and nearby countries.
But at the same time, many analysts believe that further restricting religious observance—a troubling likelihood today, as Chinese authorities look for scapegoats in the wake of the riots—could encourage radicalism.
Read the full article here.