Have attacks on minorities been normalised in India?

 

‘We don’t have the capacity to control mobs once they are unleashed,’ says the chair of Amnesty International India.

“We’ve always had structural violence, and we’ve always had explicit violence on Dalits, on women, on tribal people, all of that. But earlier, I thought this operated on the margins of the state. These were feudal things that happened. I think that has changed now,” Shahrukh Alam, a lawyer for India’s Supreme Court, says of attacks on minorities, including Christians and Dalits.

What is fuelling intolerance in India?

 

India’s government is under pressure to curb growing hate speech and attacks against religious minorities.

Human rights organisations around the world are sounding the alarm on India.

They say hate speech is fuelling violence and intolerance against minorities to levels never seen before.

Mesut Ozil racism row: Germany's minorities speak out with #MeTwo (video)

A new debate on racism has started in Germany since footballer Mesut Ozil quit his national team because of "racism and disrespect" over his Turkish roots.

Germans with immigrant backgrounds are speaking out with their discrimination stories using the hashtag #MeTwo.

Inside Mosul: What's life like under Islamic State?

Exclusive footage from Iraq's second city of Mosul reveals how Islamic State wields power over people's everyday life, a year after it was captured.

Secretly-filmed videos obtained by the BBC's Ghadi Sary show mosques being blown up, abandoned schools, and women being forced to cover up their bodies.

Residents said they were living in fear of punishment according to the group's extreme interpretation of Islamic law.

They also described IS preparations for an expected government offensive.



1. Control of women

The videos, filmed over several months last year, reveal the reality of life under IS. The first series shows how women are forced to cover up, with one woman challenged for not having her hands fully covered.


2. Persecution of minorities

The footage reveals how homes belonging to Mosul's ethnic and religious minority communities have been confiscated by Islamic State. Many residential areas once popular with minorities now stand empty.

Mariam, a gynaecologist who is a Christian: "I'm known to be an avid reader and own a large collection of books. My collection kept on growing as friends and family leaving Iraq used to send me their books because they knew I wasn't going to leave and that I would take care of them.



"I was threatened and harassed [by Sunni extremists] before the capture of Mosul, but I kept on delivering babies for women from all religions and sects. I never differentiate between my patients as I believe everyone deserves equal care.

"However, I had to flee as Mosul fell. I escaped with my body unharmed, but my soul remained where I had left it: at home with my books.

"After moving to Irbil [in Iraq's Kurdistan region] I received shocking news: Islamic State had confiscated my house and marked it with the letter 'N' [for Nasrani - a word used by IS to refer to Christians]. I immediately telephoned my friends in Mosul and begged them to save my books.

"But it was too late. They called back saying my library had been emptied onto the street. However, some of my neighbours were able to rescue some precious books that remain hidden."

China arrests 110 in Xianjiang for spreading online rumors

Nearly 400 people in China's north-western Xinjiang region have been investigated for spreading online rumours, state media report.

From 26 June to 31 August 110 people were detained and 164 received a warning, the Xinjiang Daily reports.

The suspects disseminated religious extremism and material that threatened stability, it said.

Xinjiang is home to mostly Muslim Uighurs who are a minority in China and have often clashed with authorities.

The Xinjiang Daily, regarded as the mouthpiece of the local Communist Party committee, says the rapid rise of internet users in Xinjiang has seen an increase of religious extremism spreading online.

Criminal offences online such as instigating violence and creating and spreading rumours have also increased, the paper say

The Xinjiang Daily report did not say whether any suspects had been released.

It mentioned the cases of some of those arrested. They include a primary school teacher in Kashgar and a farmer in Hotan.

The school teacher created and uploaded four video clips to his personal website in May, it said.

They contained materials which promoted religious extremism, local police were quoted as saying, without giving details.

He gave out the links to his site on Weibo, China's equivalent of Twitter.

The videos received 1,500 views and were posted 11,000 times on Weibo before they were discovered and removed by police.

The farmer in Hotan uploaded 2GB of e-books containing separatist materials to a site which he created, the paper said.

They received more than 30,000 visits and were reposted 600 times and downloaded 14,000 times before being discovered.

He has been charged with instigating separatism, the paper adds.

People are familiar with the Great Firewall of China the Communist parties internet censorship efforts which employees thousands of "moderators"  to insure that online users are behaving in a civil manner.

What most are less familiar with are Communist Parties efforts at integration on its ethnic minorities into the majority population of the Han Chinese. The exception of course is Tibet which China gained control over in the 1950's.

.  The Chinese are a biological race

The myth: The late Sinologist, Lucian Pye, said that it was "self-evident that the Chinese people share the same blood, the same physical characteristics, the same ancestry".

Why we think it: It appears obvious since many Chinese people share phenotypical trait such as black hair and high cheekbones. And the Chinese do nothing to discourage it. One of the most popular Chinese pop songs of the past 40 years is Hou Dejian's "Heirs of the Dragon" with its lyrics: "Black eyes, black hair, yellow skin, forever".

The truth: There are at least 56 different minority 'nations' who live mainly in China's borderlands. These range from the Mongols of the grassy steppes, to the Manchus of the Korean border. Like 'Anglo-Saxons' or 'Hispanics', the Han Chinese constitute a purely imagined biological community.

The Chinese all speak the same language

The myth: "Chinese, regardless of whether they live in China, Taiwan, or Hong Kong, are essentially the same," according to the Shanghai-based advertising executive Tom Doctoroff.

Why we think it: Because it makes this vast and complex land feel easier to understand and perhaps less intimidating. Also, the Chinese regard linguistic unity as one of the pillars of the country's modernisation. The father of the Chinese republican movement, Sun Yat-sen, proclaimed that the Chinese have a "common language, common religion and common customs".

The truth: Hundreds of millions of Chinese cannot speak to each other in a common tongue. China's education ministry reported in 2007 that only around half of the country's population could communicate effectively in standard Mandarin. The figure in cities was 66 per cent, while in rural areas it fell to just 45 per cent. Most Chinese use local dialects, and even different languages from Mandarin, for everyday communication.

List of ethnic minorities in China

English Name	Standard Romanization	CodeA	Pinyin	Simplified Chinese	2010 National Shares	2010PopulationB	2000PopulationB	1990PopulationB
Han1	Han	HA	Hàn Zú	汉族	91.6474%	1,220,844,520	1,139,773,008	1,042,482,187
Zhuang	Zhuang	ZH	Zhuàng Zú	壮族	1.2700%	16,926,381	16,187,163	15,489,630
Hui2	Hui	HU	Huí Zú	回族	0.7943%	10,586,087	9,828,126	8,602,978
Manchu	Man	MA	Mǎn Zú	满族	0.7794%	10,387,958	10,708,464	9,821,180
Uyghur	Uyghur	UG	Wéiwú'ěr Zú	维吾尔族	0.7555%	10,069,346	8,405,416	7,214,431
Miao3	Miao	MH	Miáo Zú	苗族	0.7072%	9,426,007	8,945,538	7,398,035
Yi	Yi	YI	Yí Zú	彝族	0.6538%	8,714,393	7,765,858	6,572,173
Tujia	Tujia	TJ	Tǔjiā Zú	土家族	0.6268%	8,353,912	8,037,014	5,704,223
Tibetan4	Zang	ZA	Zàng Zú	藏族	0.4713%	6,282,187	5,422,954	4,593,330
Mongol	Mongol	MG	Měnggǔ Zú	蒙古族	0.4488%	5,981,840	5,827,808	4,806,849
Dong	Dong	DO	Dòng Zú	侗族	0.2161%	2,879,974	2,962,911	2,514,014
Bouyei	Bouyei	BY	Bùyī Zú	布依族	0.2153%	2,870,034	2,973,217	2,545,059
Yao	Yao	YA	Yáo Zú	瑶族	0.2098%	2,796,003	2,638,878	2,134,013
Bai	Bai	BA	Bái Zú	白族	0.1451%	1,933,510	1,861,895	1,594,827
Korean	Chosen	CS	Cháoxiǎn Zú	朝鲜族	0.1374%	1,830,929	1,929,696	1,920,597
Hani5	Hani	HN	Hāní Zú	哈尼族	0.1246%	1,660,932	1,440,029	1,253,952
Li	Li	LI	Lí Zú	黎族	0.1098%	1,463,064	1,248,022	1,110,900
Kazakh	Kazak	KZ	Hāsàkè Zú	哈萨克族	0.1097%	1,462,588	1,251,023	1,111,718
Dai6	Dai	DA	Dǎi Zú	傣族	0.0946%	1,261,311	1,159,231	1,025,128
She	She	SH	Shē Zú	畲族	0.0532%	708,651	710,039	630,378
Lisu	Lisu	LS	Lìsù Zú	傈僳族	0.0527%	702,839	635,101	574,856
Dongxiang	Dongxiang	DX	Dōngxiāng Zú	东乡族	0.0466%	621,500	513,826	373,872
Gelao	Gelao	GL	Gēlǎo Zú	仡佬族	0.0413%	550,746	579,744	437,997
Lahu	Lahu	LH	Lāhù Zú	拉祜族	0.0365%	485,966	453,765	411,476
Va	Va	VA	Wǎ Zú	佤族	0.0322%	429,709	396,709	351,974
Sui	Sui	SU	Shuǐ Zú	水族	0.0309%	411,847	407,000	345,993
Nakhi7	Naxi	NX	Nàxī Zú	纳西族	0.0245%	326,295	309,477	278,009
Qiang	Qiang	QI	Qiāng Zú	羌族	0.0232%	309,576	306,476	198,252
Tu	Tu	TU	Tǔ Zú	土族	0.0217%	289,565	241,593	191,624
Mulao8	Mulao	ML	Mùlǎo Zú	仫佬族	0.0162%	216,257	207,464	159,328
Xibe	Xibe	XB	Xībó Zú	锡伯族	0.0143%	190,481	189,357	172,847
Kyrgyz	Kirgiz	KG	Kē'ěrkèzī Zú	柯尔克孜族	0.0140%	186,708	160,875	141,549
Jingpo9	Jingpo	JP	Jǐngpō Zú	景颇族	0.0111%	147,828	132,158	119,209
Daur	Daur	DU	Dáwò'ěr Zú	达斡尔族	0.0099%	131,992	132,747	121,357
Salar	Salar	SL	Sālā Zú	撒拉族	0.0098%	130,607	104,521	87,697
Blang	Blang	BL	Bùlǎng Zú	布朗族	0.0090%	119,639	91,891	82,280
Maonan10	Maonan	MN	Máonán Zú	毛南族	0.0076%	101,192	107,184	71,968
Tajik	Tajik	TA	Tǎjíkè Zú	塔吉克族	0.0038%	51,069	41,056	33,538
Pumi	Pumi	PM	Pǔmǐ Zú	普米族	0.0032%	42,861	33,628	29,657
Achang	Achang	AC	Āchāng Zú	阿昌族	0.0030%	39,555	33,954	27,708
Nu	Nu	NU	Nù Zú	怒族	0.0028%	37,523	28,770	27,123
Ewenki	Ewenki	EW	Èwēnkè Zú	鄂温克族	0.0023%	30,875	30,545	26,315
Gin11	Gin	GI	Jīng Zú	京族	0.0021%	28,199	22,584	18,915
Jino	Jino	JN	Jīnuò Zú	基诺族	0.0017%	23,143	20,899	18,021
De'ang	Deang	DE	Dé'áng Zú	德昂族	0.0015%	20,556	17,935	15,462
Bonan	Bonan	BO	Bǎo'ān Zú	保安族	0.0015%	20,074	16,505	12,212
Russian	Russ	RS	Éluósī Zú	俄罗斯族	0.0012%	15,393	15,631	13,504
Yugur	Yugur	YG	Yùgù Zú	裕固族	0.0011%	14,378	13,747	12,297
Uzbek	Uzbek	UZ	Wūzībiékè Zú	乌孜别克族	0.0008%	10,569	12,423	14,502
Monba	Monba	MB	Ménbā Zú	门巴族	0.0008%	10,561	8,928	7,475
Oroqen	Oroqen	OR	Èlúnchūn Zú	鄂伦春族	0.0006%	8,659	8,216	6,965
Derung	Derung	DR	Dúlóng Zú	独龙族	0.0005%	6,930	7,431	5,816
Hezhen12	Hezhen	HZ	Hèzhé Zú	赫哲族	0.0004%	5,354	4,664	4,245
Gaoshan13	Gaoshan	GS	Gāoshān Zú	高山族	0.0003%	4,009	4,488	2,909
Lhoba	Lhoba	LB	Luòbā Zú	珞巴族	0.0003%	3,682	2,970	2,312
Tatars	Tatar	TT	Tǎtǎ'ěr Zú	塔塔尔族	0.0003%	3,556	4,895	4,873
Undistinguished	Undistinguished	none	Wèi Shìbié Mínzú	未识别民族	0.0480%	640,101	734,438	749 341
Naturalized Citizen	—	none	Wàiguórén Jiārù Zhōngguójí	外国人加入中国籍	0.0001%	1,448	941	3,

Even though China recognizes them as minorities they fail to too recognize that they are not Han Chinese or that they not only come from different ethnic backgrounds but historical, social and cultural backgrounds as well.  They speak different languages have established religions but the government represses their right to practice their religious beliefs.

It's like the American government suddenly forcing its citizens to adhere to the cultural and social histories of Europe when a large portion of the populations ethnic background isn't of European origins.    

Myanmar's minorities: Crying for help

Myanmar wants to end its global political and economic isolation but international attention is also casting a spotlight on a bloody cycle of ethnic violence. 

"The government understands that this is a very important issue and that internationally it has attracted a lot of attention … but the Arakanese Buddhists are really on a rampage at the moment because they feel they are misunderstood and that the growth of the Rohingya ... [is] pushing them out of their own land." - Larry Jagan, South East Asia specialist

The latest unrest in western Myanmar has displaced tens of thousands of people and left more than 80 dead. And the victims are blaming the government for failing to prevent it.

The island state is one of the most diverse countries in South East Asia - a patchwork of more than a 100 different ethnicities - but its economy has suffered through decades of military rule and international sanctions.

Nevertheless, foreign investors are queuing up to get a foothold in the country, formerly known as Burma - which has vast resources of every sort and all ripe for investment.

It boasts substantial deposits of gas and oil, coal, gold, precious stones, timber and is home to rich marine life to support fisheries.

The government is also planning to revive the rice trade and double exports over the next five years after it was once known as the world’s top rice exporter.

"I think these are long term problems that are going to be part of the story of nation-building project for decades to come. It has been part of the issue since the birth of the nation that you have, in many ways, all the different communities competing for and arguing over what it is to be part of this nation or what it is to be part of a separate type of community." - Maitrii Aung-Thwin, modern Southeast Asiana historian

While standing at the crossroads as it embraces sweeping change, it does remain criticised for political repression and racism.