Forum on Uyghur Plight: Countering Extremism or Religious Discrimination

(IAIS Malaysia,, 2 April 2019)

Abstract

The unfolding crisis in Xinjiang has witnessed large-scale Sinicization of the Uyghur community at the hands of the Chinese government. Global uproar and condemnation have focused on the flagrant violation of human rights in Xinjiang, where Uyghurs have experienced mass incarcerations, discrimination, surveillance, and intrusion. Against this backdrop, IAIS Malaysia, in collaboration with JUST, MAPIM, and Global Peace Malaysia, organised the above-mentioned forum. The event was moderated by Dr Mohammed Azam (Deputy CEO of IAIS Malaysia) and featured four panellists: Mohd Azmi Abd Hamid (President of MAPIM), Dr Alexander Wain (IAIS Malaysia), Ahmad Fahmi Mohd Shamsudin (CEO of Global Peace Malaysia), and Hassanal Noor Rashid (Project Coordinator from JUST). Several issues pursuant to the crisis were explored by the speakers, including geopolitical context, international relations, Han Chinese nationalism, the Uyghurs history of separatism, and the internal politics of Xinjiang. Also discussed were the responses of Muslim countries to this crisis and possible actionable steps that might be taken to help mitigate it.