China moves to close down Uyghur cultural, language organizations

March 01, 2022

Radio Free Asia Mihray Abdilim

The Civil Affairs Bureau of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) on Feb. 22 issued a “notice of revocation of registration certificates and seals of the legal representatives of social organizations,” according to Chinese media reports published and information on the websites of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps and the Urumqi (in Chinese, Wulumuqi) municipal government.

The list issued by the bureau includes 160 organizations devoted to researching traditional Uyghur culture and to the teaching of foreign languages, including the Uyghur Classical Literature and Muqam Research Association, Dolan Farmer Painters’ Association, Atlan Vocational Training School, Intil Language School and Miraj Vocational Training School.