 In East Turkistan, China is actively promoting the "Sinafication" of Uyghurs, whereby cultural, linguistic, and religious aspects of Uyghur culture are outlawed, banned, or otherwise discouraged. At the same time, China's putative "Develop the West" Campaign," while pumping millions of dollars into East Turkistan, does little to improve the life of most Uyghurs. Jobs are being created, but those jobs are given to those from China's Eastern provinces who are given substantial financial incintives to move to East Turkistan.
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The fate of Kashgar's Old City, a fabled stop on the Silk Road and an historic meeting point for the exchange of goods and ideas, hangs in the balance. The area, both home to 220,000 Uyghur residents and a vibrant hub of Uyghur culture, is located near China's border with Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan.
The Chinese authorities’ continuing demolition of the urban heartland of Uyghur society is also the outward face of a deeper dispossession, says Henryk Szadziewski.
What are the Chinese up to in the Old City of Kashgar, the Uighur "Jerusalem"?
Kashgar stands at the very western edge of China – an oasis city that has long provided relief for travellers on the ancient Silk Road. Parts of the city have stood for more than 2000 years and within its labyrinth, Uighur traditions have played largely unchanged over time. It’s a living history