They are bad right now.
The biggest problem is that neither side believes things that the other side says. Then it is impossible to even report news about the facts since ultimately it depends who you're citing and what race the reporter is.
There have also been a lot of distortions to the nature of Han and Uighur relations in order to fit a narrative that Westerners can understand. The familiar narrative is that the Han are colonizers and are racist against the Uighurs the same way white Americans and other Europeans were/are racist against black people. However, many of the Han who moved to Xinjiang are poor also, but to be clear there are two kinds of Han moving to Xinjiang: the lower class peasants and middle class entrepreneurs.
They are not exploiting the Uighurs for their land or cheap labor. In fact, a big Uighur complaint is that the Han won't hire them. While this is a legitimate complaint, the Han could hardly be considered exploiters. The lower class Han themselves are being "exploited" for cheap labor all across China by other Han and foreigners.
Some complaints are really ridiculous and only confirm to Han Chinese that Uighurs don't make any sense. Then, instead of considering that there is a misunderstanding, Han Chinese get offended and feel the need to point out where Uighurs do have certain advantages. Then it becomes an argument over who has it worse instead of trying to clear anything up.
For example, some overseas Uighurs and people in Turkey claim that there is a governmental policy of driving Uighurs from Xinjiang to other parts of China for cheap labor. That would really be an elaborate plot, and doesn't even make sense given other complaints that Han won't hire Uighurs. Anyway, there is plenty of Han Chinese cheap labor, especially in the economic downturn.
While Han Chinese have a stereotype that Uighur culture and way of life is more primitive, it's not the same attitude that white settlers had towards Native Americans, which is that they're amoral heathens that need to be civilized. For one, Han Chinese are not religious and are not interested in proselytizing. In Han culture, there is a policy of "non-interference" into other people's affairs (that is, people not in your family). This policy was put on hold in the early years of Communism, which most people now consider a disaster, and so ever since the economic reform era, it's been reinstated. It is the Uighurs who are religious and probably think the Chinese are godless heathens.
Han Chinese people consider their own culture and way of life primitive. That is why there has been such a big drive to develop and live and dress like Western people. Indeed, Han Chinese people consider much of the lower class to also be behind in culture and lifestyle, not to mention the lifestyle of more isolated minorities. The developments that Han Chinese bring are not even Han, they're Western, and they're developments that Han themselves are still getting used to. That is why Han Chinese do not understand why Uighurs think Han are trying to supress their culture. The difference is that Han consider it progress while Uighurs simply feel culture shock. However, undoubtedly, when Uighurs move to Western countries they become assimilated to Western culture. It's like how Tibetans complain about cultural genocide, but when I see Tibetans in the states, they're not wearing traditional dress and collecting yak dung. The real issue, perhaps, is that the Uighurs as well as the Tibetans do not feel that they are in control or a part of the modernization.
Uighurs are upset that they have less opportunities if they don't know Mandarin and they also claim that the Chinese are forcing them to learn Mandarin. Well, it would seem that if it's such an advantage to know Mandarin, why are they upset about having to learn it? Actually, every region in China speaks a different dialect, and so in schools across China, there has been a drive to teach the official Mandarin dialect so that people across China can talk to each other. Also, because of the advantages of knowing English, Han Chinese are practically falling over themselves trying to learn English. In China, they start teaching English in elementary school and continue through high school. The Uighurs are understandably upset because they feel they have to know Mandarin to make a living even their own hometown. This is indeed sad, but many lower class Han Chinese actually have the same problem.
With that said, Han Chinese should try to be more understanding, but there is something of a culture difference, I think. In Han culture, there is an emphasis on reforming yourself and accepting your fate. Honestly, Han Chinese often take it to the extreme and are willing to endure a lot of humiliation in pursuit of a better life or better life for their children. Part of this is because of the lack of a strict religion and thus increased flexibility for lifestyles. Many Han are now unreligious, but even those who are not practice Buddhism or Taoism, which are not that strict. Actually in old society there used to be strict rites that families were to follow, but it is now considered reactionary and "superstitious." Another part, I think, is that there are so many Han people, even if you think doing something is against your principles, there are thousands of other people who will do it so you go with it or risk losing out on an opportunity. I think these reasons are why Han Chinese don't think it's such a big deal that there are restrictions placed on Uighur religious practices.
Consider that the Chinese government does not encourage developing Xinjiang or encouraging students, teachers, businesses, and doctors to move there. Then the Uighurs would be complaining that they are being ignored and left out of the economic development.
Han Chinese, on the other hand, should stop claiming that the Uighurs and Han have always lived together harmoniously. This impossibly rosy assessment of Uighur and Chinese relations may actually have been true in the past when there were fewer Han in Xinjiang, but of course when there is such a large demographic shift in such a short amount of time, there is bound to be increased tension, especially since Uighur and Han culture are so different. Ethnic policy should be debated but Han should be sensitive when calling to revoke privileges that Uighurs have. We need to consider what are the problems that need to be addressed? Anti-affirmative action sentiment is growing in China just as it is growing in the United states amongst white Americans. This rhetoric only fosters further mistrust and antipathy between the races.
As for calls by the World Uyghur Congress and Uyghur sympathizers for the creation of an East Turkestan nation, I'd like to remind everyone that the only states that have been created based on self-determination are Kosovo and Israel, both of which were created by force and are the cause of considerable strife. If the real grievances of Uighurs are about rights and way of life, then we should focus on addressing their concerns with changes in policy and fostering better mutual understanding. The creation of a nation is based on military and economic power, not a means for solving civil problems. There should be no reason to split Chinese territory.
In short, there are race relation problems, and solutions can only come from dialogue.
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