Uyghur Children's Orphanage Schools Expand Amidst Cultural Genocide Concerns

Reports reveal that orphanage-style schools for Uyghur children in Xinjiang, meant for those whose parents are detained, remain operational and expanding. These institutions aim to indoctrinate children and sever ties with their cultural identity, despite Chinese authorities' claims of closing re-education camps.

Amidst escalating concerns of cultural genocide in Xinjiang, reports indicate that boarding schools resembling orphanages for Uyghur children are not only operational but expanding. According to Radio Free Asia, these institutions have been catering to children of detained Uyghur parents since the onset of mass detentions in 2017, despite Chinese governmental claims that such internment camps have ceased operations.

Currently, at least six such schools are functioning across regions like Yarkand, Kashgar, Aksu, and Hotan. A police officer from Yarkand details her role in transporting children to these schools, describing them as facilities where children are isolated from family connections. Official statements frame these as centers for vocational training, yet reports from human rights organizations highlight that they focus on eroding Uyghur children's cultural identities.

Referred to as "Little Angels" schools, these institutions are allegedly designed to safeguard the children of detained parents, but have come under scrutiny as centers for surveillance and indoctrination. Staff, including police officers, monitor the psychological state of each child meticulously, managing records to note any dissent against state narratives. Despite claims of adequate nourishment, the environments bear semblance to detention centers, with guarded perimeters and controlled access, contributing to chilling depictions of the state's grip over Uyghur youth.

(With inputs from agencies.)