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Electricians Can Help With Re-Education of Uighurs & Australians
Uighurs, or Uyghurs are a Turkic ethnic group from Central and East Asia. Native to the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in Northwest China, Uighur are considered one of China’s 55 officially recognised ethnic regional minorities within its multicultural nation.
Traditionally, Uighurs have inhabited a series of oases scattered across the Taklamakan Desert, which lies within the Taraim Basin. It is an area that has been variously under the influence of the Chinese, Mongolian, Tibetan and Turkic politics and sometimes existing as independent states. Islam plays an important role in Uighur identity and culture with most Uighurs identifying themselves as Muslim by the 16th century.
DNA indicates that peoples of central Asia, such as the Uighurs, are all of mixed Caucasian and East Asian ancestry. Uighur activists identify with the Tarim mummies, the remains of ancient inhabitants of the region, but genetic research remains problematic. Chinese government officials are concerned with the ethnic separatism brought by genetics, while the Uighur are apprehensive about the affect on indigenous claim.
The Chinese, using their own pronunciation, called them ‘Weiwuerh’ in the 1970s. As a matter of fact, no all-encompassing name was used for centuries; people identified themselves with the oasis they came from, such as Kashgar or Turfan.
The Uyghur population has long been the subject of some dispute. Chinese authorities place the Uighur population within the Xinjiang region at just over 12 million, which is approximately half the total inhabitants of the region. Smaller subpopulations in other parts of the country are estimated as being between 5000 and 10000. Population disputes have continued for almost two decades with Uighur groups claiming their population is being vastly, systematically and intentionally miscalculated by Chinese authorities, and that the Uighur population actually exceeds 20 million.Some claim the real number is more than half that again. These claims however, are generally rejected by scholars, with American Professor Dru C. Gladney, whose research focuses on ethnic and cultural nationalism in Asia, published that there is “scant evidence” to support Uighur population claims of numbers exceeding 20 million.
So what’s the issue?
Since 2014, Uyghurs in Xinjiang have been affected by extensive controls and restrictions imposed upon them by the Chinese government regarding religious, cultural, economic and social practices.Police surveillance is used to monitor for signs of ‘religious extremism’ that includes growing a beard, quitting smoking or drinking, having a prayer rug, or possessing any literature of any kind related to the peoples or culture of the Uighur. There are reports that the government has also installed cameras in the homes of private citizens.
Further, at least 1% of the Chinese claimed Uighur population of 12 million are being held in mass detention camps – and it’s very possible that number could be as high as one million. Termed ‘re-education camps’ the aim is to change the identities and political and religious beliefs of these detainees; sometimes in centres around the clock, other facilities allow returning home at night. According to Chinese government operating procedures, the reason for the camps is to ensure adherence to Communist Party ideaology, upon which they are regularly tested over their minimum of 12 months in captivity.
In 2017, Human Rights Watch released a report stating that, “The Chinese government agents should immediately free people held in unlawful ‘political education’ centres in Xinjiang, and shut them down.”The internment, along with mass surveillance and the scheme to insert intelligence officials into Uyghur families, led to widespread accusations of cultural genocide against the Chinese Communist Party. Most particularly, the scope of the operation doubled in 2018.Satellite evidence suggests China destroyed more than two dozen Uighur Muslim religious sites between 2016 and 2018.
Initially denying the existence of the camps, the government then changed its stance and asserted that the camps are there to combat terrorism, and give vocational training to the Uighur people.This gave call for activists to demand the camps be opened to visitors to prove their claimed function. Media groups report that detainees are held in rough and unhygienic conditions, while undergoing relentless political indoctrination.There are also lengthy isolation periods between Uighur men and women, and this is interpreted by some analysts as an attempt to inhibit Uighur procreation and therefore change the ethnic demographics of the country.
It appears that the Chinese CCP state and social media cannot be relied upon, and the weight of activist claims seems evidenced by international media reports.
According to a major new report by a US-based think tank, Beijing is currently breaching every single provision of the UN Genocide Convention with “intent to destroy” the Uighurs as a group.
Evidence published by Newlines Institute for Strategy and Policy, includes mass detention, mass birth prevention, forcible transfer of children, forced labour schemes, eradication of Uyghur identity and the targeting of intellectuals and other community leaders.
It is the first independent expert application of the 1948 Genocide Convention to the ongoing treatment of the Uighurs in China. Uighurs in Australia live with survivor’s guilt and want the federal government to take action.
What electricians with a conscience and high ethics may be able to achieve in this situation is limited only by their belief in what’s right, what’s possible and how it will be done.
Black Swan Red Dragon: Perth’s Chinese Presence
Chinese people have a rich history in Australia and the city of Perth, Western Australia is no exception to that. The goldfields of Kalgoorlie and Coolgardie saw some of the estimated 40 000 Chinese who came to Australia in the nineteenth century seeking their fortune. Racism in the eastern state’ goldfields led to governments there restricting immigration. WA, the smallest colony, decided to swim against the current and began taking the Chinese as a source of cheap labour for projects. There was exploitive abuse by employers of the Chinese labourers and when gold was discovered they soon moved there. Unrest soon followed, with occidentals displaying their violent tendencies against the oriental presence around the mines. The fear of the ‘yellow peril’ was played upon by many early Australian politicians; and it remains a rich vein to mine, even, today.
Black Swan Red Dragon: Perth’s Chinese Presence
The ancestors of people like Pauline Hanson and her followers treated the Chinese and people of other non-white races appallingly; and this is the historical origin beneath the attitudes of many racist Australians today. These Chinese immigrants put up with terrible treatment and overcame it through hard work and determination. Those inimitable Chinese restaurants that dot the landscape of Australian towns and cities, bear testament to the fortitude of these people and their descendants. These Chinese Australian pioneering families survived hatred, social and institutional prejudice. The White Australia policy, then, locked out their relatives for nearly a century from coming to this country.
A Chinese Garden was constructed in Kalgoorlie in 2001 to celebrate the Chinese presence historically in the area. The garden was built by artisan Chinese workers, specially brought out to create a traditional Chinese garden. It was crafted with hand tools only in the traditional way; and remains a surprising presence in an otherwise stark and brutal landscape.
In Perth itself, there is a Chinatown, where Chinese restaurants and food stores proliferate. Located in Northbridge, the nightclub heart of the city, on Roe and James Streets and Nick’s Lane. It seems you can always find the Chinese where the energy and bustling commerce of a city exists, wherever you are around the globe. The Chinese love their food and they are famous for their cuisine. Creating a kitchen cabinet business in Perth is a good idea, because the locals love their food. Even cooking great food has become popular of late. You can have your kitchen custom built to cook Chinese at home. Wok on, I say.
Why They Lock Their Doors in China Too
The Chinese lock industry is a multibillion dollar industry. In fact, the country’s lock manufacturing companies export their products to at least 160 countries. Among these are your typical padlock, door locks, motorcycle locks, magnetic locks and the like.
In the past, people left their doors unlocked, maybe because the environment back then is different. Today, only a few people worldwide consider themselves as the “no lock people.” In China, it is advised that residents always keep their doors bolted. Even if the country has a low crime index and homicide rate compared with other Western countries, it still is best to be safe. Data shows that the China ranked 90 on the crime index by country. Moreover, it is at the 110th spot on the list of countries by intentional homicide rate. The robbery statistics in the country are also low, again in contrast to Western nations. Despite these good data, Chinese residents are still taking extra preventive measures for their safety while in their homes.
Robberies and Burglaries
China Daily released a list of burglary hotspots in the country’s capital. The Dongchan district is considered as the safest while Chaoyang and Haidan districts are regarded as the most dangerous. Based on the report, residents still lose their stuff, even if they have good locks and security guards are on patrol. There are also 24 hour locksmith services for locks that need repairs.
Aside from locks, Chinese households also install anti-theft window frames. These are common in apartments that are mostly on the first or second floor. In Yantai, a homeowner set in place anti-theft rails that are three-meter high. The house was described as “the best anti-theft house.” Beefed up security measures like this are being made in an effort to avert robberies and burglaries in densely populated Chinese cities.
Lock Innovations
Digital locks are becoming the latest craze in China’s home security. Usually, you can see advanced security features in posh hotels and building. Until recently, a digital door-lock revolution has hit the country as a response to an increase of households needing tighter security measures. These digital locks boast security features such as RFID readers, three-point deadlocks, burglar alarms and floating ID technology, among others.
Family Planning in China
During the 1980s, the Chinese government enforced the infamous one-child policy which is conceived as vitally important to the social and economic aspects of the communist nation. For decades, human rights activists have been pushing for the deregulation of the
There were also cases of infanticide, kidnappings and forced
said policy, with some saying that it is as if the Communist Party had also owned the wombs of its citizens. That being said, the government has rebutted that if the one-child policy was not introduced, there would be an additional 400 million in the country’s growing population.
The results of the policy were harrowing. The Diplomat reported that there were around 70,000 children being sold on the black market each year. There were also cases of infanticide, kidnappings and forced abortion. In comparison with the abortion in Australia, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said that China performs at least 13 million abortions in a year.
Just last year, The Guardian published in an article that the Chinese government has finally put an end to the one-child policy. Due to gender imbalances that ensued following the implementation of the said policy, a statement put out in China’s official news agency said that “the change in policy is intended to balance the population development and address the challenge of an ageing population.”
Interestingly, there are also rules that were put in place as measures in controlling the population. There were incentives given to couples who will marry or have a child late. In addition, there were sex education, family planning and use of contraception.
Sex Education
Although a relatively new concept in the country, the sex education in China aims to make sure that young Chinese adults will be given complete and thorough information on sex and family planning. Through this, they will be able to come up with a responsible decision regarding sex and contraception.
Contraception
According to US-China Today, China has one of the highest rates of the use of contraception in the world, with 86.4 percent prevalence. This is in contrast with Japan’s 54.3 percent prevalence and the United State’s 78.6 percent.
The Chinese government’s policies on family planning are primarily intended on married women. In fact, sterilisation has 28.7 percent rate of use while intrauterine devices (IUDs) have 40.6 percent rate of use.
Even with a relaxed one-child policy in the form of two-child policy, the billion-people nation is actively promoting family planning methods in order to control the growth of its population, decrease gender imbalances, and lessen the ratio between its ageing citizens and its workforce.
The Ancient Chinese Art of Prophecy
No one knows when it all started, but men have been quite interested with what lies ahead. Fortune telling or divination, involves hundred of methods for which some can be traced as early as 4000 B.C. In fact, there are proofs that forms of divination were practiced in ancient China, Egypt and Babylon. Dreams of prophets and visions of oracles have played a significant role in ancient medicine and religion.
In China, conferring with alchemists and fortune tellers is a part of their culture. In fact, Chinese fortune tellers aided their leaders in making decisions. The Chinese also strongly believe in predestination and things that can bring luck or ward off misfortunes. At some point in the 2nd century B.C., fortune tellers use the texts of Li Hsu-chung. Aside from birthdates, clairvoyants use a person’s facial features, fortune sticks and the palms as the bases in divination.
Fortune Telling Industry
Fortune telling has different types and levels. As a matter of fact, advanced fortune tellers are allowed to hold important government positions or prominent social standing. Government officials, bosses of big industries and wealthy families seek advice or assistance from fortune tellers. For instance, some politicians in Taiwan consider fortune tellers as their most trusted scholarly and political counsellors. The Kuomintang Party (KMT) is said to have been counselled by fortune tellers during the 2008 presidential elections. Jin-pyng Wang was also “advised” by a clairvoyant that he will make a “fine presidential candidate” while Premier Den-yih Wuh was envisaged by a seer that he has an “emperor’s destiny.”
Due to the widespread belief in fortune telling, there are people who use this as a means of scamming people. The Associated Press reported that a New Yorker was ripped-off with $700,000 by a fortune teller. The man consulted the psychic for a love advice. On the process, the New Yorker made several payments to get rid of the negativities that are keeping him away from the woman he loves. The expenses, according to the seer, will be used in building a bridge to confine the evil spirits and in cleansing of sins.
There are also those who do harm when given “wrong” advices by psychics. In Hong Kong, a businessman set on fire the office of the fortune teller he consulted for counsel. The guidance given to the businessman did not work but only resulted to harming his business and family.
Chiropractic Comes to China
When the Beijing Olympics was held in 2008, the U.S. Olympic health care team sent 62 medical and allied health professionals to look after their Olympic delegates. Part of the 62-man team was four chiropractors. It is also reported that other Western countries included chiropractors and therapists on their medical teams. Will the arrival of these Western chiropractors see more Chinese people embrace this form of treatment?
Currently, there are a few chiropractors that can be traced at key Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Their number is quite few considering that the billion-people nation is a good market for chiro practice.
Chiropractic Care One Step at a Time
With only a handful of licensed chiropractors working in China, the country presents a great opportunity for chiropractors. In order to bring the practice to the country, Dr. Corey Rodnick decided to start small. He first introduced chiropractic in Zigong, Sichuan. With over 6 million people, Zigong is teeming with industrial facilities, mining operations, learning institutions and vast enterprises. With the population growing at an expeditious rate, the city’s hospitals are in need of health care providers and professionals. In response to this demand, Dr. Rodnick proposed to the Chinese government that chiropractic be included in the services that hospitals in Zigong provide. After eight years, his efforts paid off. The city is now looking for chiropractors who will work in their hospitals.
Like Dr. Rodnick, Dr. Lee Atkinson also felt that China should be introduced to chiropractic care. After working for 30 years in Michigan, Dr. Atkinson went to Sichuan to start her chiropractic care practice. The opportunity allowed her to present the wonders of natural and drugless healing to Chinese doctors who had no idea about chiropractic care and what it does to our bodies. Her takeaways in this experience are the fulfillments chiropractic care brings when rendering services that will help alleviate the pain of patients without unnecessary surgeries and harmful drugs.
For those who wish to bring chiropractic care to countries where it isn’t accessible yet, Dr. Atkinson suggests to know more about the culture of the country or place, look into the living conditions, study the language and assess yourselves whether or not you can live with the food or climate.
As chiropractic care starts to become available in some parts of China, everyone, regardless of social status, can now manage their pain without heavily relying on drugs or surgeries.