Malaysian Islamic Organizations Support Boycott of Hotel Construction on A Xinjiang Mosque’s Ruins

Kuala Lumpur, MINA – The President of the Malaysian Islamic Organizations Council (MAPIM), Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said he supports the campaign to boycott the planned construction of the Hilton Hotel in the ruins of a mosque in Xinjiang Province, China.

Mohd Azmi in his official statement, received by MINA on Thursday also called on world Muslim leaders to prevent this from happening.

“This is not just an issue of mosques in Xinjiang but it touches on the sanctity and dignity of Islam and Muslims around the world,” he said.

The US-Islamic Relations Committee’s move to launch a boycott campaign on the Hilton hotel chain, for us, is justified and should be supported, after they consulted with the hotel parent company but it still wants to continue its plans to build a hotel on the site of the Uyghur-owned mosque.

The Chinese government and the Hilton hotel chain need to get a strong message that Muslims will not remain silent when mosques and mosque sites are encroached and desecrated.

“Pressure must be exerted and strong protests must be voiced against China and Hilton,” he streessed

The U.S. Congressional Commission itself expressed protest against Hilton’s involvement in the construction of a hotel on the site of a mosque demolished by Chinese authorities in Xinjiang.

“We emphasize that the question of enmity between America and China is a separate issue and it is an issue between the two countries,” he said.

“However, what we want to emphasize is, China’s continued use of its power to oppress the Uyghur ethnic group and threaten the status of the mosque in Xinjiang, cannot be compromised”.

The Muslim leaders need to express their deep concern to the Chinese government’s campaign of destroying the sanctity of the Uyghur’s religious sites.

What is now prevailing is a religious and cultural genocide launched by the Chinese government against the Uyghur Muslims.

“We reiterate our deep regret that the leaders of Islamic countries are still swayed by China’s denial.
The reason for wanting to maintain trade relations with China is the reason that betrays the obligation to defend Islam and Muslims who are oppressed China,” he added.

What question, is the information gathered, of 16,000 mosques in 900 locations in Xinjiang being partially or completely demolished between 2017 to 2020 according to a study by the Australian Institute of Strategic Policy , is not a concern by Muslim leaders ?

Why is the Muslim world silent and not urging China to respond to the study by allowing an international independent Islamic body to investigate the allegations.

The operation of the Chinese authorities to demolish mosque towers and the destructions can be seen through satellite images over the past few years until now.

“We urge the OIC to state its position on this issue,” he ended. (R/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)