China rechristens Uyghur villages to diminish Islamic influence

China has reportedly renamed hundreds of Uyghur villages and towns in Xinjiang, replacing names that reflect the region's religious and cultural heritage with ones promoting Communist Party ideology.

According to a recent report by Human Rights Watch and Norway-based Uyghur Help, about 630 communities have undergone these politically motivated name changes, particularly during the intense crackdown on Uyghurs from 2017 to 2019.

The report highlights that the name changes targeted villages with names related to Uyghur religious and cultural practices. Terms such as "hoja," a title for a Sufi religious teacher, "haniqa," a type of Sufi building, and "mazar," meaning shrine, were systematically removed.

Additionally, any references to historical Uyghur kingdoms, republics, or pre-1949 leaders were erased. Notably, words like "khalifa" (ruler) and "meschit" (mosque) have vanished from village names across Xinjiang.

This renaming initiative is part of broader efforts by the Chinese government to diminish Islamic influence and reinforce Communist ideology among Uyghurs. Many of the new names are in Mandarin Chinese and are designed to promote positive sentiments aligned with the government's vision.

For instance, in 2018, Aq Meschit (White Mosque) village in Akto County was renamed Unity Village, and in 2022, the Karakax County village of Dutar, named after a traditional Uyghur instrument, became Red Flag village.

The renaming practice is seen as a strategy to erase Uyghur cultural identity, a concern underscored by numerous human rights activists. The alterations not only strip away historical records but also sever the ties between communities and their cultural and historical roots. This erasure is perceived as part of an overarching objective by Beijing to eradicate Uyghur culture and assimilate the population into a homogenized national identity devoid of its unique heritage.

This policy mirrors similar actions in Tibet, where the Chinese government has renamed locations to reflect Chinese Communist Party ideals. Since 2017, official Chinese names have been assigned to places in Arunachal Pradesh, a disputed Himalayan region claimed by China.

The renaming campaign is just one facet of China's broader repressive measures in Xinjiang. Since launching its "strike hard" campaign against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in 2014, ostensibly in the name of counter-terrorism, the Chinese government has detained millions in re-education camps and prisons.

Activities such as growing beards or reading the Qur'an have been criminalized, and those with international connections or who have travelled overseas have faced persecution. Reports also indicate enforced mass labour transfers, social re-education programs, torture, enforced disappearances, and coercive reproductive control.

International condemnation of China's actions in Xinjiang has been widespread. In 2021, Human Rights Watch declared that the Chinese government had committed crimes against humanity.

The following year, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported long-standing human rights abuses in the region, potentially rising to the level of crimes against humanity. Several governments have labelled China's actions as genocide, although China denies these allegations, framing its policies as necessary counter-terrorism measures.