Differences Between Hui and Uighur Ethnic Groups in China’s Treatment

Xinjiang –

Even though they are both Muslim, the Chinese government’s treatment of the Hui and ethnic Uighur really different. So, what are the differences? Let’s see…

Thousands of Hui Muslim ethnic minorities clashed with the Chinese authorities, who wanted to destroy their domes and mosques.

Since Saturday (27/5), ethnic Hui residents have been under siege and have been on guard for fear that their mosque was forcibly destroyed by government troops.

“After arriving at the mosque, we realized that they (Chinese authorities) had brought cranes into the compound and were ready for forced demolition,” the source said.

This is not the first time Hui Muslims trying to protect their mosque have come into conflict with authorities in China.

In 2018, thousands of Hui residents in Ningxia staged a three-day sit-in to prevent authorities from demolishing a newly built mosque.

The local government delayed demolition, but later replaced the dome and minarets of the mosque with traditional Chinese-style pagodas.

Unlike the Uighur Muslim ethnic minority in Xinjiang, the Hui Muslim ethnicity actually still gets ‘special treatment’ from the Chinese government.

ethnicity Uighur vs Hui Ethnicity

According to The Diplomat, the Uighurs and Hui are the two main Muslim ethnic groups in China. Even though they both adhere to Islam, their image among the Chinese community is very different.

The Uighurs, who speak a Turkic language with Arabic script, have a different appearance from China’s Han majority. The Uyghur population of about 8 million lives mostly in the Uyghur Autonomous Region in Xinjiang.

Meanwhile, the Hui ethnic group, which is estimated to consist of 11 million people, is spread throughout China. But most of them are concentrated in the Ningxia autonomous region.

In terms of skin color, the Hui ethnicity is slightly different from the Han ethnicity. For most Hui people, Mandarin is their mother tongue.

They also have almost the same food preferences as the Han, although they don’t eat pork and drink alcohol. But the most striking difference between the Uighurs and Hui is their position in the eyes of the Chinese government.

Unlike the Hui ethnicity, the Uighur ethnic group has experienced more discrimination by the Chinese government.

“Under the guise of counterterrorism and ‘anti-separatism’ efforts, the government maintains systems of ethnic discrimination against Uighurs and sharply curbs religious and cultural expression,” a 2013 Human Rights Watch note noted.

Causes of Ethnic Disparities Uighur dan Hui

It turns out that there are two things behind the gap between Uighurs and Hui for the Chinese government. The first reason is culture.

Like the majority Han ethnic group, the Uighurs also have a strong attachment to cultural practices and place great importance on their long cultural history.

The Uighurs are considered reluctant to mingle with Han society. Instead, the Han consider the Uighurs to be ‘barbarians’ because their inferiority breeds hatred.

Meanwhile, the Hui ethnic group is considered an ideal religious minority for the Chinese government, especially because they easily assimilate with the majority Han ethnic group.

Hui mosques are for the most part a harmonious blend of traditional Chinese dynastic architecture with Islamic motifs.

Another aspect that influences the position of the Uighur and Hui people is race. Racial discrimination colors Uighur and Han relations in China.

Many Han people feel uncomfortable with the Uighurs, believing them to be thieves and religious bigots. Part of this misunderstanding is because the Han are thought to be less able to distinguish differences between the Turkic minority groups.

As a result, when crimes are committed by Tajiks, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, or Tatars, the Han are likely to describe the wrongdoers to the authorities as Uyghurs.

The Hui ethnicity who mixes freely in society and their mastery of Mandarin gives ‘legitimacy’ to the Han ethnicity.

The second and most important reason in the government’s treatment gap for Uighur-Hui is territoriality. Uyghurs believe China is carrying out an unjust occupation of the Xinjiang region.

Meanwhile, the Hui ethnic group almost never challenged China’s territorial authority. The Hui tend to show little interest in politics, nor do they have much experience in government.

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This article has been published on CNN Indonesia.

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