Monday, September 29, 2008

Let me tempt you away from Allah with...a free lunch!

China has often been accused of discrimination and persecution of its Muslim Uyghur minority (including once by me), and during the current holy month of Ramadan, come a slew of accusations, including this bizarre one from Radio Free Europe:

Chinese authorities in the northwestern region of Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uyghur ethnic group, are implementing a campaign to offer free lunches during the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, when eating is proscribed until sundown.

The lunches are being offered in government departments to ethnic Uyghur and Han Chinese officials alike, employees said.

Uyghur exiles say that Chinese authorities have previously offered free lunches during Ramadan as a means of determining who is fasting.

And this isn't the only example of Ramadan-related mischief on behalf of the CCP:

Exiled Uyghur groups said Uyghur government cadres throughout Xinjiang had been forced to sign “letters of responsibility” promising to avoid fasting, evening prayers, or other religious activities.

Special groups have been set up in schools to educate Uyghur teachers and students not to fast, and to monitor their activities on pain of expulsion from school, the Germany-based World Uyghur Congress said in a statement signed by spokesman Dilxat Raxit.

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