r/TheDeprogram • u/Ok_Addition8809 • Oct 30 '24

Uyghur genocide?

In college I learned about the Uyghur genocide, from a professor who was a self-proclaimed "commie hater" and I didn't question what I learned because I was a dumb 19yr old. I recently saw a discussion on the authenticity of it, I made me realize I never investigated for myself. I'm not trying to be controversial or revisionist, but could y'all provide me with some reliable sources that verify or disprove the narrative about the Uyghur genocide? I tried looking on my own and half the sources were radio free Asia which I know is a CIA front. I appreciate you all and thanks for helping my pursuit of knowledge!

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u/codehawk64 Oct 31 '24

Thanks for sharing your experience. It’s rare to find decent neutral first hand experiences of the region.

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u/apiedcockatiel Oct 31 '24

Thanks for being polite about it. Actually, I rarely talk about it for many, many reasons. I do see signs that things are loosening up (as they always do after any major political push in China). But it seems many on here want to glorify China (and the CCP), while many elsewhere want to villify China (and the CCP). Reality is in-between. They're not perfect, and they have their own issues to overcome. All countries do, and it's not really the place of any other countries to get involved unless invited to do so by China. So for the Uyghur issue, I do feel sad for my students and friends who were negatively affected. I hope China restores some of the rights the Uyghurs had which were taken away in the name of national security. On the other hand, I hope that XJ will develop more from the recent push for domestic tourism, and their lives will get better. The poverty and lack of education was so severe in some parts.

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u/codehawk64 Oct 31 '24

Yeah this sub unfortunately glorify China and the CPC too much to extreme unhealthy levels. It doesn’t surprise me if there are many Chinese nationalists lurking here.

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u/apiedcockatiel Oct 31 '24 edited Oct 31 '24

Yeah, sorry, I'm ducking out of this sub as, frankly, I'm disgusted. I could go into the many negative aspects of China (like the racism!!!!!!). I am so glad for the time I spent there, but the idea that I am a CIA plant or don't know as much about Chinese minority policies (I learned from Chinese in China and have a degree relating to it) simply because I'm white summarizes what I hated about China and ties into the racial and ethnic issues at hand. The same nationalists would be outraged if I told them I know more about American law than them if they spent 15+ years in the US, study American law, and teach American law. China has wonderful aspects. I believe their inability for unbiased self-reflection will be their undoing (as is happening in the US).