A Chinese official claims that muslims living in the northwest region of Xinjiang are the happiest in the world.
Writing in the Xinjiang Daily, the deputy foreign publicity director said that people should not believe the lies spread by extremists and their western supporters.
China has been cracking down on the heavily populated Muslim region with restrictions on people under 18 practicing Islam along with bans on fasting during Ramadan.
Ethnic Uyghurs walk by a closed mosque in Kashgar, far western Xinjiang province
Soldiers of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps attend a pep rally (File photo)
Ailiti Saliyev wrote in Xinjiang Daily that Xinjiang was ‘stable, harmonious, prosperous, open and modern.’
He continued: ‘Many people say from the bottom of their heart: ‘The happiest Muslims in the world live in Xinjiang.’
Xinjiang is home to 10.37 million Uygurs who practice the Muslim faith. It is a four and a half hour flight from Beijing.
Many Muslims in the country say they feel victimised by the government who have tightened control on the region.
Wearing Burqas and having long beards have been banned. While members of the government in Xinjiang were banned from fasting this year.
The government also required all restaurants to remain open throughout the fasting period.
Local Muslims leave a mosque after Friday prayers in Hotan, Xinjiang (File photo)
Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps patrol during a pep rally (File photo)
William Nee, China Researcher at Amnesty International told MailOnline: ‘In China there are numerous cases where the government is arresting imams on flimsy charges, sending government cadres to people’s homes during Ramadan to ensure they don’t pray, banning outward manifestation of Islamic faith – ushc as ‘abnormal beards’ of wearing veils – and are subjecting many Muslims to arbitrary detenion.’
Speaking in the Xinjiang Daily, Ailiti Saliyev claimed that it was western supporters who were spreading lies about life in the northwestern province.
He added that the problem stems from the ‘evil collusion’ between extremists’ and ‘hostile western forces’.
The official lashed out at ‘extremists’ in the region saying: ‘They coordinate with hostile western forces to wantonly spread rumours, misrepresent, vilift and besmirch Xinjiang in the overseas media.’
Locals gather at Id Kad Mosque in Kashgar, China’s Xinjiang province (File photo)
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