China’s Muslims ‘Happiest in World’: Official
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.
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,' the Daily Mail reported.
Xinjiang is home to 10.37 million Uyghurs who practice the Muslim faith. It is a four and a half hour flight from Beijing.
Many Muslims in the country say they feel victimized 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.
William Nee, China Researcher at Amnesty International said: '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 - such as 'abnormal beards' of wearing veils - and are subjecting many Muslims to arbitrary detention.'
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 rumors, misrepresent, vilify and besmirch Xinjiang in the overseas media.'
