China's genocide of Uighurs and news suppression

These guys were sponsored by the Soviets when they broke out from the ROC, right?

You can kind of tell from the style of the statue.

Guy

I’ll give Genghis and Alexander a free pass. Perhaps more props to Alexander, since he showed respect for his enemies.

Designed by two Mongolians

It was designed by sculptor D. Erdenebileg and architect J. Enkhjargal and erected in 2008.[2]

The sculpture was erected after the Soviet withdrawal and final collapse of the Mongolian People’s Republic in 2002
The Russians, even of the USSR, were very discouraging of any Mongol glorification of Genghis Khan or other Mongol leaders- they blamed the Mongols for conquering Russia and devastating the place, resulting in Russia’s backwardness compared to the rest of Europe.

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Wonder where those guys were trained…

Anyways, following up on that massive statue led me to a NY Times article, in which this appeared:

According to Christopher P. Atwood, a professor of Central Eurasian studies at Indiana University, Bloomington, Mongolians rediscovered Genghis Khan’s role as fighter during their quest for independence in the early 20th century and swiftly reclaimed him as a national icon. In 1949, however, the Soviet Union and its minions in Mongolia began a revisionist campaign to tarnish him as a “reactionary” figure who damaged the “productive forces” during his wars of expansion. Rituals honoring his legacy were banned, and stamps adorned with his face were destroyed.

“It was impossible to treat him an as uncomplicated national hero, which is what Mongolians wanted,” said Mr. Atwood, author of the “Encyclopedia of Mongolia and the Mongol Empire.”

With its unalloyed glorification of Genghis Khan, the theme park avoids any such nuance, although tourists may come away thinking Genghis is more Mickey Mouse than Mongol, based on the mugs, hats and T-shirts emblazoned with his image that are for sale. Ms. Ganbold, however, does not see any conflict between history and marketing.

“Mongolian tradition respects our grand ancestors’ names,” she said. “To really honor him, it’s much better to use his name on only premium merchandise.”

Other Mongolians skew a bit more toward realpolitik in their devotion to Genghis Khan, even if they are happy to drink to his memory.

“He was a cruel man but he led our country to greatness,” said Toguldur Munkochir, 25, a bank teller unwinding at the Chinggis Khaan bar later that night. “If you look at Lincoln, Hitler and Julius Caesar, it’s kind of the same thing.”

Source: Genghis Khan Rules Mongolia Again, in a P.R. Campaign - The New York Times

Guy

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Funny story, but I suspect the journalists just made those quotes up.

EDIT: On second thoughts, if they’d fished around long enough, they definitely would have found somebody who’d say stuff like that.

Do note that the last “money quote” in the NT Times article linked above was from some guy at “the Chinggis Khaan bar.”

Journalism at its finest! :upside_down_face:

Guy

Seems like a bit of a crappy bar. Don’t journalists usually head for the Hilton (or equivalent) for drinks after a hard day’s making stuff up?

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Freddy Lim (林昶佐) and other lawmakers in Taiwan step up:

Guy

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That’s a nice gesture but basically meaningless. Taiwan can’t even stand up to China itself. How can they help the Uyghurs?

The fact is that no one is gong to do shit, not even the most powerful nations.

I guess you did not read the article linked above. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

The “Taiwan Parliament Group for Uyghur” stands in solidarity with those suffering the oppression of the authoritarian government in China, said independent Legislator Freddy Lim (林昶佐) at an inaugural event.

The group will liaise with foreign parliamentary counterparts that also support the Uyghur community and promote fundamental values such as democracy and human rights, according to Lim, who is head of the group of 30 Taiwanese legislators.

As I hope you can now see, Lim’s initiative is an attempt to work on a multilateral basis. No guarantees, but better than licking the boots of the genocidal authorities next door.

Guy

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I read it. It’s just a bunch of worthless talk. Won’t help anything. If they won’t be organizing overwhelming economic sanctions or military action, their time is better spent elsewhere.

We both know the world isn’t going to treat China like North Korea or Iran.

Yup better to keep silent Chief. :roll_eyes:

That’s also worked out nicely in the past.

Guy

The House of Commons has declared for the first time that genocide is taking place against Uyghurs and others in north-west China.

The government opposed the motion arguing that deeming an event to be a genocide was a matter for “competent national and international courts after consideration of all the available evidence”.
Despite government opposition, the motion passed because ministers did not vote against it.

Of course, if the Cabinet does not vote for it it is not official policy. If a government recognizes an action as genocide it has to take action against it, as per the UN treaty. That’s why the US government refused to call what happened in Rwanda “genocide”, though privately referring to it as such, and why the Canadian Cabinet ministers all abstained on the resolution against China in the Canadian House of Commons.
No government officially acknowledges the treatment of the Uighurs as genocide, because then it would be legally required to take action.

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The world has agreed there is no genocide

The world has agreed even if there is, not to do anything.

Nothing more to do.

I just saw this. I won’t be buying shit from them. I’m all about capitalism, but using slave labor is grotesque.

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I was astonished by their active position in this matter. I would prefer if they hadn’t taken any position. At least that’s what I’d do if I had a huge company and didn’t want it to get hurt by these types of things.
I will be avoiding them too.

The “world” has “agreed” to no such thing! :face_with_symbols_over_mouth:

Guy

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What in the actual fuck?

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