By Amelia Alexander
I remember learning about the horrors of the Holocaust during elementary school. 

Everyone in my class seemed appalled that humans could do such vile things to each other. The systematic killing and torturing of the Jews and other minorities was nauseating to learn about. 

How could 11 million people be senselessly murdered in such a short period of time? Certainly, if we were alive during the Holocaust, we wouldn’t have let this happen for so long, right?  

Little did we know that concentration camps and genocide is not strictly reserved for the Holocaust. It happened prior to the Holocaust, and it’s still happening today.

The most basic human rights are being deprived today by the Chinese government. People are being murdered.

In China, there are concentration camps that are killing Uyghur Muslims.  A Government official in Xinjiang recently told Sidick (Senior Advisor to the World Uyghur Congress) that in his county, where there was once a population of 92,000 Uyghur people in 2016, there remain only 20,000 today.

More than 80% of the population has disappeared in four years (Werleman CJ).  Despite the Chinese government’s efforts to hide the camps, photographs circulated online confirming their existence. Presently, the Chinese government refers to them as “re-education centers.” 

The Uyghurs have been targeted because a handful of Uyghur militants claimed responsibility for a few attacks that happened in 2013 and 2014. The government has since claimed that all Uyghurs hold extremist views and are a threat to security. 

Many of them were interned without a trial, let alone charges against them. This is all happening outside of the legal system. In 2017, in Xinjiang, China, a law was passed that prohibited men from growing long beards and women from wearing veils.  

Personally, I feel like this story is all too familiar.

What is happening to Uyghur Muslims in China is absolutely unjust.  Writing about it makes me sick. Reading about this crisis can make you feel quite helpless. However, awareness is the first step to solving any problem.  

I urge you to have conversations with friends and family about this, or post things on social media to educate your followers about this horrible violation of human rights. 

Corrupt governments can get away with doing horrible things when nobody knows that they are doing horrible things. We must unite behind truth and educate each other about what is happening in the world.  

Click here for the website icovering the Uyghur Human Rights Project.  They are a great organization to donate to if you want to offer support to the Uyghur Muslims.

Amelia Alexander, an Ada HS student, is the Icon's newest columnist. Writing twice a month, this is her fourth column. Click here to read her most recent column. You will find all her future columns on our "Columnists" page.