{"id":87447,"date":"2019-12-12T08:30:02","date_gmt":"2019-12-12T13:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=87447"},"modified":"2019-12-12T05:59:45","modified_gmt":"2019-12-12T10:59:45","slug":"wsj-how-china-persuaded-one-muslim-nation-indonesia-to-keep-silent-on-xinjiang-camps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=87447","title":{"rendered":"(WSJ) How China Persuaded One Muslim Nation (Indonesia) to Keep Silent on Xinjiang Camps"},"content":{"rendered":"

A year ago, clerics here in the world\u2019s largest Muslim-majority country expressed alarm over China\u2019s treatment of ethnic-minority Muslims\u2014around a million of whom have been detained in re-education camps<\/a>, according to human-rights groups.<\/p>\n

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Leaders of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia\u2019s second-largest Muslim organization, issued an open letter in December 2018 noting reports of violence against the \u201cweak and innocent\u201d community of Uighurs, who are mostly Muslims, and appealing to Beijing to explain.<\/p>\n

Soon after, Beijing sprang into action with a concerted campaign to convince Indonesia\u2019s religious authorities and journalists that the re-education camps in China\u2019s northwestern Xinjiang region are a well-meaning effort to provide job training and combat extremism.<\/p>\n

More than a dozen top Indonesian religious leaders were taken to Xinjiang and visited re-education facilities. Tours for journalists and academics followed. Chinese authorities gave presentations on terrorist attacks by Uighurs and invited visitors to pray at local mosques. In the camps they visited classrooms where they were told students received training<\/a> in everything from hotel management to animal husbandry.<\/p>\n

Views in Indonesia changed. A senior Muhammadiyah religious scholar who went on the tour was quoted in the group\u2019s official magazine as saying a camp he visited was excellent, had comfortable classrooms and wasn\u2019t like a prison.<\/p>\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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An inside look at China\u2019s public-relations campaign to persuade one Muslim nation to stay silent on Xinjiang\u2019s re-education camps for Uighurs https:\/\/t.co\/R4JHvVsG9K<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 WSJ China Real Time (@ChinaRealTime) December 12, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n