Chinese authority ordered closure, destruction, and repurposing of mosques: Report

The Chinese authorities have reportedly reduced the number of mosques in the northern regions of Ningxia and Gansu as part of their alleged efforts to 'sinicise' the Muslim populations, following the controversial model implemented in Xinjiang.

A report by Human Rights Watch (HRW) reveals that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has significantly reduced the number of mosques in these regions, further tightening its grip on religious and ethnic communities.

Since 2016, when Chinese leader Xi Jinping called for the sinicization of the country's religions, the pace and intensity of altering mosques have escalated. In April 2018, a directive from Beijing urged officials to "strictly control the construction and layout of Islamic activity venues" and prioritize demolishing existing structures. This directive set the stage for the systematic closure and alteration of mosques in Ningxia and Gansu.

HRW researchers, using satellite imagery, analyzed the impact of the mosque consolidation policy in two villages in Ningxia. The findings reveal a disturbing trend between 2019 and 2021, where the domes and minarets of all seven mosques were removed.

Four of these mosques saw significant alterations, with three main buildings razed and one ablution hall damaged. The removal of ablution facilities effectively rendered the mosques unusable, serving as a clandestine strategy to undermine these places of worship without drawing immediate attention.

According to a report published in The Guardian, the impact of the mosque consolidation policy extends beyond Ningxia and Gansu. Government reports suggest that hundreds of mosques across various regions have been closed or modified.

In Zhongwei, authorities claimed to have altered 214 mosques, consolidated 58, and banned 37 "illegally registered religious sites." The town of Jingui reported the "rectification" of over 130 sites with Islamic architectural features.

Maya Wang, the acting China director at HRW, emphasizes that the "closure, destruction, and repurposing of mosques" form part of a systematic effort to curb the practice of Islam in China. The Chinese government maintains that people of all ethnic groups are entitled to religious freedom, but reports and evidence suggest otherwise.

The mosque consolidation policy mirrors a broader trend in the country, with estimates from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute indicating that 65 per cent of Xinjiang's 16,000 mosques have been destroyed or damaged since 2017.

In May, clashes erupted in Yunnan province as police confronted protesters resisting the dismantling of a significant local mosque, highlighting the widespread opposition to these religious restrictions.