Chinese Muslims Clash with Police to Defend Mosque

UCANews ^ | 5/31/23

[marshmallow]

Authorities were seeking to remove the dome and minarets of a 13th-century Arabic-style mosque in Yunnan province

The Najiaying mosque in Yunnan province of China. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Thousands of Muslims from the ethnic Hui community in southwest China clashed with police and surrounded a mosque to stop the authorities from removing its dome and four minarets as part of a state campaign known as ‘sinicization of religion’ in the communist country, reports say.

An altercation over the partial demolition of the mosque between Muslim residents and police in Najiaying village, Yunnan province led to clashes last weekend, prompting the authorities to deploy hundreds of police and make arrests.

The Najiaying mosque was reportedly constructed in the 13th century and is among the last two government-approved Arabic-style mosques in the country, according to a report on the China Project site.

The crackdown came as the authorities continue a sweeping campaign unleashed by President Xi Jinping to purge religious faiths from foreign influence and align them more closely with traditional Chinese culture — and the authoritarian rule of the officially atheist Chinese Communist Party, CNN reported on May 30.

Najiaying lies within Nagu township, known as the historic home of predominantly Muslim Hui people. Yunnan province is an ethnically diverse region and a hub of Islamic culture that borders Tibet, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar.

Videos on social media showed police in riot gear wielding batons as they blocked the entrance of the mosque and the protesters pelted them with bricks and water bottles to break up the police cordon, on May 27.

“This is our last bit of dignity,” a local witness told CNN. “It’s like coming to our house to demolish our home. We can’t allow that to happen.”

[Fai Mao]

The Muslims copied the domes from Byzantine Churches.

[Leaning Right]

Muslims vs. Chinese communists. Who to root for?

Both groups believe that their way is the only true way. Unbelievers are not just wrong. They are worthy of persecution and death.

After some hesitation, I’m going to go with the ChiComs here. There’s a slim chance that the Chicoms might someday reform themselves into a more tolerant society.

There is zero chance that the Muslims will do so. Death to the infidels, and all that.

[Fai Mao]

I think the PRC has already moved on from communism, they just can’t say so. They are more of an old-fashioned military dictatorship now with a thin velvet glove of “The party” over the iron fist.

A true communist state would not have an economy that is even close to market driven.

Islam is frozen in time. Root for the government of the PRC on this one.

[Leaning Right]

Good post, yours. Today’s ChiComs have moved away from Marxist nonsense to a capitalist/fascist reality. But as you noted, this cannot be acknowledged publicly. So let’s all wave the red flag now and again.

On the other hand, Islam is routed in a rigid, submit-or-die philosophy. They have not budged one inch in the last 1500 years. Submit or die.

[dfwgator]

Good post, yours. Today’s ChiComs have moved away from Marxist nonsense to a capitalist/fascist reality. But as you noted, this cannot be acknowledged publicly. So let’s all wave the red flag now and again.

Ditto for Vietnam.