It’s come to the light of mainstream media that China appears to be detaining Muslims and “reeducating” them on the values of socialism and other important aspects of the officially atheist State. This week covers this issue of the camp, its censorship in Chinese media, China’s attempt to censor it in Western media, and why the persecution might be occurring in the first place.
Instructors, click on the link below to download this week’s lecture for use in your classroom. The deck contains a writing prompt, a debate question, as well as other assessment questions.
Download the PowerPoint Lecture Spark for Censorship in the Media: Chinese Muslim Detention Camps
Video
Uighur Woman Tells Congress Of Torture in Chinese Internment Camps: I Begged Them To Kill Me
Is China An Atheist Country? How Strict Are China’s Censorship Laws?
Articles
- Rights Groups Seek U.N. Inquiry Into China’s Mass Detention of Muslims
- The mystery of a Muslim poet who may or may not be dead in a Chinese detention camp is at the center of a diplomatic crisis between China and Turkey
- China suddenly takes BBC news off air after Muslim detention camps mentioned
- This map shows a trillion-dollar reason why China is oppressing more than a million Muslims
Assessment
Writing: In China, religious organizations are only legal if registered and regulated. Only 5 religions are sanctioned by the country. In addition, the official Communist Party policy is atheism. Does this constitute a separation of Church and State?
Debate: As explored above, the official state party of China is atheist and religions are highly regulated. Do you feel there are moral, ethical, or other concerns with their approach to religion? Why or why not?
Poll: Had you heard about the detention of Muslims in China before now?
- Yes
- No
- Unsure
Short Answer: Does the placing of Muslims in camps resemble another historical event to you? Which and why?
Current Events Quiz
Human rights groups have called for an investigation from _______ into the events in China.
- President Trump
- The United Nations
- NATO
- The European Union
Kumi Naidoo, secretary-general of Amnesty International, made an allusion to which author in describing the conditions in the Chinese detention camps?
- Aldous Huxley
- Neil Postman
- George Orwell
- Ray Bradbury
Turkey recently made a statement about the camps, calling them a(n) ____.
- Step in the right direction
- Event akin to the Armenian genocide
- Great shame to humanity
- Issue for other countries to stay out of
Evidence of missing poet Abdurehim Heyit being safe appears to:
- Not match up
- Be accurate
- Be corroborated by Latvia
- Change daily
Some have accused China of persecuting Muslim groups in order to accomplish progress with their trade project, the _____.
- Taoist Buddist Friendship Bridge
- Bridges and Roads Infrastructure Development Project Initiative
- Belts and Bridges Initiative
- Belt and Road Initiative
Photo credit: State Dept./D.A. Peterson