Roundup: Afghan Ulema Council member affirms religious freedom of Muslims in Xinjiang

A member of Afghanistan Ulema Shura (Religious Scholars Council) on Thursday affirmed that Muslims in China' s northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have enjoyed religious freedom contrary to reports.

Enayatullah Baligh, a member of Afghan Ulema Council that visited Xinjiang late last month, told Xinhua that through their visit, they obtained a "deep and comprehensive understanding" of China's policy, particularly with regard to Xinjiang's ethnic Muslims.

"We have learned that Muslims in Xinjiang enjoy all religious freedom, they have mosques and perform their religious obligations freely, including offering prayers," Baligh said.

Baligh, a highly respected Muslim scholar here, said that after their tour of Urumqi and after talking with Muslims living in the area, he and his group learned that the Muslims living in Xinjiang were satisfied with the policies of the central government, as they are enjoying all religious freedom and social services.

He also described the council's recent tour to China as very fruitful, saying that the tour was an "excellent opportunity" for Afghan's religious scholars to gain deep understanding about their neighboring country and the millions of Muslims living there.

"Our trip to the northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was very important and constructive in terms of establishing contact between the people of both the countries and getting knowledge about the Chinese Muslims and their living conditions," Baligh said.

Xinjiang, he said, is a developed region and the living condition of people there is much better than in Afghanistan.

Baligh said that Urumqi is a modern city, adding that ethnic residents, including Muslims enjoy equality and perform their religious ritual freely in the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society.

"Our trip to Xinjiang could serve as the start of a process of bilateral exchanges and contacts between Muslims in China and Afghan people," Baligh said.

On behalf of the Ulema Council, Baligh thanked the Chinese government for the "kind invitation" and the members of Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences for accommodating them during their in Urumqi.

During the trip, Baligh said that they met with respected Muslim religious scholars and clerics in Xinjiang. "We exchanged views about the situation in Afghanistan and the Xinjiang Muslim scholars briefed us about the daily life of Muslims in China, including the Xinjiang's ethnic minorities such as the Hui, Uygur, Kazakh, Uzbek, Tajik and Kyrgyz."

"Everything was different from what we heard. Contrary to reports, we found out that the Chinese authorities did not impose restrictions on Muslims in Xinjiang. What I saw there was a free and relaxed atmosphere for Muslims. We actually witnessed many Muslims who were praying without fear in big mosques," Baligh said.

Baligh said that as a Muslim from outside China, he felt a great deal of peace and harmony with fellow Muslims in China during their trip to Xinjiang.

"I found a huge population of Muslims in Xinjiang. I saw great mosques and I met great religious clerics there and Chinese Muslim clerics who expressed their readiness to visit Afghanistan," he said.

Baligh said that trip by Afghan Ulema Council members to Xinjiang has contributed to the development of Afghanistan-China friendship. He called for more interactions between Afghan and Chinese Muslims.

"I think we should help Afghan people understand and respect the policies of China with regard to ethnic minority groups and their religions, as there are thoughts in Afghanistan that Muslims in China have no freedom to exercise their religion," Baligh said. Endi