Testimonial:
“The Whole Family Had to Attend, Even the Babies”

A recounts his experiences attending village meetings: Beginning in 2015, authorities forced villagers to attend meetings to receive “political education.” No one was exempt from attending the meetings, even if they had work elsewhere. The government sent officials to villages to offer “vocational” and “literacy” training, but eventually they began forcing villagers to perform songs and dances in ways that offended local cultural sensitivities.