Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang Suffer as Covid-19 Lockdown

sajadi - Friday, 16 September 2022 - 17:18 WIB

Friday, 16 September 2022 - 17:18 WIB

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BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 16: A Chinese man wears a protective mask as he stands outside a main entrance at Beijing West Railway Station as it is nearly empty on February 16, 2020 in Beijing, China. The number of cases of the deadly new coronavirus COVID-19 rose to more than 57000 in mainland China Sunday, in what the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global public health emergency. China continued to lock down the city of Wuhan in an effort to contain the spread of the pneumonia-like disease which medicals experts have confirmed can be passed from human to human. In an unprecedented move, Chinese authorities have maintained and in some cases tightened the travel restrictions on the city which is the epicentre of the virus and also in municipalities in other parts of the country affecting tens of millions of people. The number of those who have died from the virus in China climbed to over 1650 on Sunday, mostly in Hubei province, and cases have been reported in other countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and several others. The World Health Organization has warned all governments to be on alert and screening has been stepped up at airports around the world. Some countries, including the United States, have put restrictions on Chinese travellers entering and advised their citizens against travel to China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)

Xinjiang, MINA – uyghurs/">Muslim Uyghurs in Xinjiang Province, China said they are experiencing hunger, forced quarantines, and dwindling supplies of medicine and daily necessities after more than 40 days of lockdown because of Covid-19.

Hundreds of posts from social media users in Ghulja, China uploaded videos of empty refrigerators, feverish children and people shouting from their windows. Thus, it was quoted from the Independent on Friday, September 16.

As more infectious variants of the coronavirus spread to China, the outbreak became more and more common. Under China’s “zero-COVID” strategy, tens of millions or people are experiencing rolling lockdowns, paralyzing the economy, and making travel uncertain.

The horrible conditions and food shortages are reminded of Shanghai’s harsh lockdown this spring, when thousands of residents posted online complaining they were being sent rotten vegetables or denied critical medical care.

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Unlike Shanghai, lockdowns in small towns like Ghulja only received little government attention.

The lockdown in that town has also raised fears of police brutality against the Uighurs.

Over the years, the region has been the target of a security crackdown, trapping large numbers of Uighurs and other Muslim minorities in camps and prisons.

The previous lockdown in Xinjiang has been so difficult, with forced quarantine, arrests, and residents sprayed with disinfectant.

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Authorities have ordered mass testing, district lockdowns in cities across China in last weeks, from Sanya to southwest Chengdu and the northern port of Dalian.

The local governor apologized for the lack of response to Covid-19. The governor also stated about blind spots and missed spots. He promised improvements in aid distribution.

Although the authorities admitted that there are their flaws, the government’s action has silenced them. The posts about hunger conditions in Ghulja removed from social media. (T/ri/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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TagLockdown Muslim Uyghurs Uyghurs