In China’s western region of Xinjiang, where over 12 million people identify as an ethnic minority or Muslim, has been creating camps in an effort to neutralize the perceived threats of-of these different religions. Now, however, the world is starting to gain insight into what is truly happening in these camps and what their effect on individuals and their families is.

Tensions have existed between the different ethnic groups living there for years, but only now is the knowledge of their existence is widespread. Scott Busby, the deputy assistant secretary of State for democracy, human rights, and labor has explained it thoroughly in the quote, “The U.S. government assesses that since April 2017, Chinese authorities have indefinitely detained at least 800,000 and possibly more than 2 million Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, and other members of Muslim minorities in internment camps.”  The goal of the Chinese is to eliminate the connections these people have with any forms of religion and effectively brainwash them into supporting the Chinese Communist Party. Many times the people locked in these internment camps have no idea how long they may be in there for, and often their families’ are in the dark as to where they are.

This is just one part of a general trend in Chinese intolerance to different religions in their country. Recently, the government has been responsible for the closing and demolition of mosques and increased criticism towards those who run mosques and churches.