China's 'Ethnic Unity Law' sparks fresh crackdown on Uyghur language, cultural identity

Beijing [China] April 1 (ANI): After the adoption of China's "Ethnic Unity Law" by the National People's Congress on March 12, authorities have reportedly begun a fresh wave of actions aimed at erasing Uyghur cultural identity, according to a report by Uyghur Times (UT).
Over the past decade, extensive evidence has shown that the Chinese government has destroyed mosques, shrines, and heritage sites, restricted the use of the Uyghur language in education, and removed religious symbols from public areas across Uyghur, Tibetan, and Mongolian regions.
However, since late March, these actions appear to have escalated further. Beginning around March 27, Uyghur Times examined several videos from Urumqi and Kashgar that show municipal workers taking down Uyghur-language signboards from shops, restaurants, supermarkets, and even privately owned businesses. In many instances, only Chinese-language signs remained.
One widely shared video on China's version of TikTok reportedly shows the dismantling of Uyghur-style architectural features at a major transport hub in Urumqi, known as Uchtash Qatnash Bikiti (also called Sandongbi Transportation Station).
In the video, a Uyghur man standing near the site expresses his grief, saying that they are witnessing the destruction of one of Urumqi's most significant cultural landmarks. He added that the place held deep memories for many people, marking both the beginning and end of countless journeys, and now it has disappeared, UT reported.
Observers believe that this campaign is part of a wider push to remove visible elements of Uyghur cultural and linguistic identity under the framework of the new law. At the time of its passage, experts had cautioned that the law could legitimise cultural erasure and forced assimilation. Uyghur activists also criticised the law, as noted in the UT report.
The persecution of Uyghurs in China is primarily linked to policies in the Xinjiang region under the Chinese Communist Party. Since around 2017, reports from rights groups and governments have alleged mass detention of Uyghurs in "re-education" camps, along with surveillance, forced labour, and restrictions on religion and culture.
Beijing claims these measures combat extremism, but critics describe them as systemic repression targeting the Muslim minority population in the region. (ANI)