BY
DIPANJAN ROY CHAUDHURY
, ET BUREAU | UPDATED: JUN 14, 2017, 01.13 AM IST
NEW DELHI: China is walking an extra mile to operationalise China-Pakistan Economic Corridor under the One Belt One Road (OBOR) project but Beijing’s recent treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang region has lessons for Islamabad, which is relying heavily on the corridor to change its economic fortunes.
In a latest move, the Chinese authorities have banned the use of names such as Muhammad, Haji, Islam and Imam for babies in Xinjiang. Names that start with ‘Turk’ — such as Turkizat and Turkinaz — have also been banned.
The Chinese authorities claim that this move will curtail ‘religious fervour’. The new law also prevents people from rejecting ‘radio, television or other public facilities and services’, marrying in accordance with religious rather than legal procedures, and using the ‘halal’ principle to interfere with the ‘secular life of others’, according to people familiar with Beijing’s latest moves to dictate lifestyle of the Muslim community.
Last year, the Chinese authorities had imposed a ban on ‘abnormal’ beards and full-face and body coverings for the Muslims. The new code also comes after the appointment of Chen Quanguo as the chief of the Xinjiang unit of the Communist Party of China. Chen had earlier quelled protests in Tibet.
Beijing’s tough measures in Xinjiang include neighbourhood ‘grid’ reporting systems, widespread checkpoints and searches, extensive electronic surveillance, confiscation of passports and compulsory political education courses for Uyghurs who visited abroad.
“The legislation codifies security policies that have been applied patchily throughout the region in recent years as part of government efforts to combat religious extremism. It also forms part of a response to a series of deadly attacks in Xinjiang and in other parts of China.
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