Security of What?

Authorities in Khotan have been continuing their closures of unlicensed religious schools. However, with 12children hurt in a raid this is unlikely to reduce the demand for such schools. UHRP report that police are undergoing extensive searches of all neighbourhoods with the right to use force where they deem fit. As is often in the case in Xinjiang, security measures will probably likely lead to greater insecurity as locals feel targeted and discontent grows. On this front, the biggest story doing the rounds of the blogosphere at the moment is the case of the Hotan Prefecture Jinxing Trading Company, which banned the sale of clothing with “religious characteristics” from its property. This is allegedly under orders from the local government and will mean no leases for Uyghur businesswomen. It will also mean no entry to these markets if you wear clothes deemed to have “religious characteristics”. These restrictions apply to the veil as well as the jilbab, which leaves the face entirely open (pictured above). It is unlikely that Uyghurs will accept this has any “security” benefits as it continues to arbitrarily mark out Uyghurs and in this case Uyghur woman as “dangerous”.