China's Surveillance State: Impact on Minorities, Human Rights and International Legitimacy
This is the third article of a 3 part series, taken from an interview with Mr. Dolkun Isa.
China's actions in developing various mechanisms, such as surveillance and concentration camps, have raised serious questions about its international legitimacy. These mechanisms are designed to exert control over civil society and instil fear within the community, further complicating its actions on the global stage due to territorial disputes with neighbouring countries.
The Chinese government often uses certain laws or directives to legitimise its actions internationally. Although Chinese national law and the constitution appear to grant civil, political, and economic rights to the people, including those in autonomous regions like Tibet, the reality is different. The power of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) supersedes the constitution and other laws, enabling the government to take drastic actions against specific groups, such as Uyghurs and Tibetans, through harsh campaigns, mass arrests, and accusations of terrorism or separatism. China's enactment of the counterterrorism law in 2015 exemplifies how it uses its legal framework to justify actions against minority groups like Uyghurs and Tibetans. Despite international silence on the matter, this law has been used to suppress dissent and target specific communities. Similarly, the National Security Law passed in 2014 was employed to suppress democracy activists in Hong Kong.
Recent Chinese legislations which require citizens to assist in state security
China's international standing is impacted by its actions in multiple ways. By adopting and signing various international conventions on human rights, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, China portrays itself as a country committed to respecting human rights. However, its treatment of Uyghurs and Tibetans blatantly violates these conventions. For instance, the forced separation of over a million Tibetan children from their families goes against the principles enshrined in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. China's actions demonstrate a pattern of misusing the international system to serve its own interests. The Chinese Communist Party, as a powerful and authoritarian organisation, often manipulates international and national laws to suppress the rights of its citizens and maintain its grip on power.
Xinjiang Police leaked files from an Uyghur detention centre
The approach of enforcing law and order disturbances to address protests or disputes is a strategic move aimed at gaining international legitimacy for China's actions. Many states around the world rely on their law enforcement mechanisms to address civil unrest, but China's use of this approach has faced criticism and condemnation. Other nations view it as an attempt by China to legitimise its heavy-handed responses and maintain control over its citizens.
China's development of mechanisms to pressurise civil society and instil fear in the community raises serious concerns about its international legitimacy. The country's actions, including the misuse of its legal framework and international conventions, have led to diplomatic tensions and questions about its commitment to human rights. China's approach to addressing protests and disputes through law and order disturbances has further impacted its standing on the global stage, with many nations viewing it as an attempt to gain international legitimacy for controversial actions. As the international community continues to scrutinise China's actions, the need for accountability and respect for human rights remains a crucial issue.
One of the innocent Uyghurs detained by China
The Impact of Human Rights Violations on the Uyghur Community and Societal Implications
In our previous discussions, we explored the geopolitical aspects of China's actions, focusing on the development of mechanisms like surveillance and concentration camps. Now, let's delve into the sociological aspects and examine how these human rights violations impact men within the Uyghur community and their interactions with other people in China.
The Chinese government's crackdown on the Uyghur community extends beyond the use of military and security forces. It also employs a strategy of creating external and internal enemies to manipulate the Chinese population's perception of the Uyghurs. Consequently, this has led to a lack of support for the Uyghur community among Chinese civilians. Heavy brainwashing and indoctrination by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) have shaped a distorted view of Uyghurs as terrorists in the minds of many Chinese people. The CCP tightly controls the flow of information, censors the internet, and operates state-controlled media, which perpetuates propaganda that supports their narrative about the Uyghurs. This propaganda aims to foster fear and distrust, creating an internal enemy to rally the Chinese population under the Party's rule.
The discrimination against the Uyghurs is not limited to the government's actions but also pervades society at large. For instance, in the 1990s, Uyghurs faced challenges in accessing basic services like hotels or taxis, as they were discriminated against due to the government's directives to discriminate against people from Xinjiang. This widespread discrimination and labelling of Uyghurs as criminals and terrorists have severe social implications. Uyghurs find themselves marginalised and excluded, facing limited interactions with Chinese people due to the lack of justice and protection under the law. The Chinese government's rhetoric of national harmony and unity stands in stark contrast to its promotion of hatred towards certain groups, perpetuating a sense of inequality and insecurity among Uyghurs.
These sociological impacts go beyond the Uyghur community alone; the Chinese people themselves suffer under the authoritarian rule of the CCP. However, for Uyghurs, the situation is particularly distressing, as they experience double persecution – both at the hands of the government and the discrimination propagated by society. The deep-rooted prejudice against the Uyghurs hinders social cohesion and creates divisions within society. As Uyghurs isolate themselves from interactions with Chinese people, and vice versa, it becomes increasingly challenging to foster a sense of understanding and empathy among different groups. The lack of mutual trust and empathy impedes any meaningful dialogue or collaboration that could contribute to societal harmony.
China's internal propaganda and surveillance efforts have had a profound impact on its Uyghur population. The extensive use of surveillance technology and the manipulation of law enforcement agencies raise serious human rights and ethical concerns. The Uyghurs' daily lives are under constant scrutiny, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. As the international community continues to grapple with the extent of China's surveillance practices, the future for the Uyghur community remains uncertain, and the need for accountability and respect for human rights becomes ever more critical.
Uyghur man being tortured in Xinjiang
Unveiling the Impact of China's Surveillance on the Uyghur Community
In recent years, China's internal propaganda and surveillance practices have become subjects of intense scrutiny in the international community. While there has been considerable discussion about China's propaganda efforts on the global stage, the extent and success of its internal campaigns have largely remained hidden from the world. The Chinese government has been highly successful in dividing its own people through these campaigns, a phenomenon that has raised serious concerns about the future of the Uyghur community.
One of the most pressing concerns is the increasing use of surveillance technology on the Uyghurs. China has effectively turned East Turkestan into a testing ground for these surveillance measures. This region has a history of being subjected to nuclear testing, resulting in the deaths of millions of people due to radiation exposure. Despite these tragic events, China has now set its sights on the Uyghur community for further experimentation with surveillance technology.
Since 2016 and 2017, the Chinese government has been conducting extensive DNA tests and collecting blood samples from over 11 million Uyghurs for analysis. This raises serious privacy and ethical concerns as the government gathers biometric data on such a massive scale. Moreover, the government utilises advanced technologies, including facial recognition and voice recognition, to closely monitor the Uyghurs' activities. This dual approach of combining digital technology with more traditional methods, such as checkpoints, has created a highly controlled environment.
Chen Quanguo, the former Party Secretary of Tibet, was appointed as the party secretary in East Turkestan in 2016. He implemented a surveillance experiment similar to the one he had used in Tibet. This resulted in the rapid installation of numerous checkpoints across East Turkestan, creating a pervasive and restrictive atmosphere. In the capital city of Urumqi, within a mere four months, 960 checkpoints were set up, strategically placed every 200-300 metres, making it increasingly difficult for the Uyghurs to go about their daily lives without constant monitoring.
Adding to the intrusive surveillance measures, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) sent one million Party cadres to stay with Uyghur families for a week in March 2018 and 2019. This unsettling intrusion into the private lives of Uyghur families led to numerous cases of abuse and violations of privacy. Moreover, the government imposed a mandatory app that the Uyghurs were forced to download, allowing the authorities to exert constant control over them. The severity of surveillance is such that even the simple act of turning off or closing their phones for a few hours resulted in over 170 people being arrested in a hotel area in 2021. China closely monitors phones, flagging any religious-related words or phrases. This creates an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship, where expressing even the most basic religious sentiment can lead to severe consequences.
China uses checkpoints and a mobile app for surveillance of citizens in Xinjiang
Furthermore, the Chinese government employs advanced camera technology, installing surveillance cameras in front of every apartment to monitor the movement of Uyghurs. Visitors to Uyghur families are closely questioned if they stay for longer than 15 to 20 minutes, creating an environment of suspicion and distrust. Additionally, before entering an apartment, individuals are required to sign in and declare their loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party, further reinforcing the sense of control and surveillance.
While the international community has put pressure on China to change some of its strategies, such as removing some checkpoints, it remains clear that the digital monitoring of the Uyghur community persists. China's surveillance infrastructure continues to raise grave concerns about the future implications for the Uyghur community.
In conclusion, China's internal propaganda and surveillance efforts have had a profound impact on its Uyghur population. The extensive use of surveillance technology and the manipulation of law enforcement agencies raise serious human rights and ethical concerns. The Uyghurs' daily lives are under constant scrutiny, creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. As the international community continues to grapple with the extent of China's surveillance practices, the future for the Uyghur community remains uncertain, and the need for accountability and respect for human rights becomes ever more critical.