They believe the allegations are aimed at politicizing religious issues in order to interfere in China’s internal affairs.
The authorities of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region have denied reports of the alleged destruction of mosques in this region of China with a predominantly Muslim population. Such allegations are contained in the U.S. State Department’s annual report on the state of religious freedom in the world for 2019.
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“The accusations contained in the report are absolutely groundless and represent rumours”, – Ilkhan Anayut, the Autonomous Region Press Representative, said at a press briefing in Urumqi. His statement is available on the XUAR government website. He also added that these allegations are aimed at politicizing religious issues in order to get into the situation in Xinjiang and interfere in China’s internal affairs.
“The so-called destruction of mosques in Xinjiang is a complete nonsense”, – Ilhan Anayut said. – “The legal rights and interests of religious sites registered in accordance with the law are protected by the government”, – the speaker specified.
“Xinjiang has always paid important attention to the protection and repair of mosques, the administration at all levels not only helped and supported the improvement of mosques, but also guaranteed normal religious demands of the population”, – Ilhan Anayut said. At the same time, he said some mosques in Xinjiang, built in the 1990s or earlier, are dilapidated, threatening security. According to the speaker, the Xinjiang authorities are renewing the mosques, which are in a threatened condition, renew their appearance.
As for reports of allegedly dismantling the Jami Mosque in Kargalyk (Yechen) County, Kashgar District, as well as the 800-year-old Eid Kah Mosque in Khotan District in 2018, this is not true, Ilhan Anayut said.
“On the contrary, not only have local authorities not dismantled these ancient mosques, but they are well guarded”, – he said.
At a briefing on the publication of the report, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo drew particular attention to the situation in China. “In China, state-sponsored repression against all faiths continues to increase,” he said. “The Communist Party of China now orders religious organizations to listen to the CPC leadership and include communist dogma in their doctrines and religious practices,” the secretary of state added.