Travis, Psssst! China is a dictatorial communist country, they can do pretty much whatever the fuck they want to. Just in case you didn't know.
On Sep 9, 10:26 pm, Travis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The chicoms show some good sense. > > From: *Travis* > Date: Tue, Sep 9, 2008 > Subject: Ramadan Curbs Imposed in China > > http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/world/asia/09china.html?_r=1&hp&ore... > Ramadan > Curbs Imposed in China > > EDWARD WONG > > New York Times > > Published: September 8, 2008 > > BEIJING — Local governments in a Muslim desert region in western China have > imposed strict limits on religious practices during the traditional Muslim > fasting month of > Ramadan<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/r/ramada...>, > which began last week, according to the Web sites of four of those > governments. > > The rules include prohibiting women from wearing veils and men from growing > beards, as well as barring government officials from observing Ramadan. One > town, Yingmaili, requires that local officials check up on mosques at least > twice a week during Ramadan. > > The local governments administer areas in the western part of Xinjiang, a > vast autonomous region that is home to the > Uighurs<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/subjects/u/uighur...>, > a Muslim Turkic people who often chafe under rule by the ethnic Han Chinese. > In August, a wave of attacks swept through Xinjiang, the largest surge of > violence in the region in years. Some local officials blamed the instability > on separatist groups, and the central government dispatched security forces > to the area. > > The limits on religious practices put in place by local governments appear > to be part of the broader security crackdown. The areas affected by the new > rules are near Kuqa, a town struck by multiple bombings on Aug. 10. > > It was unclear whether the rules would be relaxed after Ramadan, a holiday > that some Islamic extremists have used elsewhere as a symbolic backdrop for > attacks on their perceived enemies. It was also unclear how the Chinese > authorities intended to enforce the rules, which appeared to run the risk of > antagonizing devout Muslims who present no obvious security threat. > > The Web site of the town of Yingmaili lists nine rules put in place to > "maintain stability during Ramadan." > > They include barring teachers and students from observing Ramadan, > prohibiting retired government officials from entering mosques and requiring > men to shave off beards and women to doff veils. Mosques cannot let people > from outside of town stay overnight and restaurants must maintain normal > hours of business. Many restaurants close in daytime hours during Ramadan > because of the sunrise-to-sunset fasting. > > In nearby Xinhe County, the government has decreed that Communist Party > members, civil servants and retired officials must not observe Ramadan, > enter mosques or take part in any religious activities during the month. > Worshippers cannot make pilgrimages to tombs, so as to "to avoid any group > event that might harm social stability," according to the Xinhe government's > Web site. > > In addition, children and students cannot be forced to attend religious > activities, and women cannot be forced to wear veils. > > County rules also stress the need to maintain a strict watch over migrant > workers and visitors from outside. Companies and families who have workers > or visitors from outside the county are required to register the outsiders > with the nearest police station and have the outsiders sign an agreement "on > maintaining social stability." > > Some of those rules are similar to ones implemented in Beijing right before > the Olympic Games began in early August. > > Shayar County, which includes the town of Yingmaili, said on its Web site > that migrants must register with the police, and that any missionary work by > outsiders is banned. Even outside Ramadan, China is wary of missionaries > doing any kind of work in the country. > > The city of Artux is also preventing its teachers and students from > observing Ramadan. As a result, schools have to keep serving food and water, > city authorities said. As with the other governments, the overall goal is > "to maintain social stability during Ramadan." > > In some parts of the world, militants see Ramadan as a good time to carry > out attacks because they believe achieving martyrdom during the holy fasting > month is an especially sacred act. > > In Iraq, religious extremists carried out waves of bombings during Ramadan > in recent years. But the Chinese government has not presented any evidence > showing that separatists in Xinjiang might do the same this year. > > ------------------------------ > Psssst...Have you heard the news? 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