Gulbahar Haitiwaji: The Uyghur Woman Who Survived 3 Years in a Chinese Reeducation Camp.
Human rights groups have accused China of detaining 1-2 million Uyghurs and committing cultural genocide against them.
**Ahead of the Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF), I wanted to interview Uyghur activist, Gulbahar Haitiwaji, about her experience surviving China’s detention camps, the cultural genocide against the Uyghur people, and what we can look forward to in her upcoming talk at OFF taking place June 13-15 in Oslo, Norway. Get your tickets here.
In this piece, you’ll first get the background story of Gulbahar and then a Q&A interview at the end of this article, which I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you not skip. Also, you will see I refer to Xinjiang as the Uyghur Region. This is out of respect to Gulbahar and the Uyghur people.
Gulbahar Haitiwaji knew that being Uyghur had repercussions. But she never imagined she’d bare witness to the cultural genocide committed against her people by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
If this is your first time learning about Uyghurs, they are a Turkic ethnic group, mostly Muslim, living in the Uyghur Autonomous Region (marked in red below). They see themselves as culturally and ethnically closer to Central Asian countries and have experienced tensions with the Han Chinese majority over the last few decades.
In 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping issued an order stating all religions in China should be Chinese-based religions. Crackdowns on the Uyghur people accelerated with mass surveillance, oppression, and violence.
According to a growing body of evidence (here and here to name a few), the CCP continues to destroy Uyghurs’ national identity, language, religion, and culture. And they’re doing this by secretly sending Uyghurs to concentration camps, prisons, and forced labour facilities.
In fact, Uyghur concentration camps are the largest mass detention camps of an ethno-religious community since World War II – and yet it remains absent from mainstream media.
“The method of the camps is not to kill us in cold blood, but to make us slowly disappear. So slowly that no one would notice. We were ordered to deny who we were. To spit on our own traditions, our beliefs. To criticize our language. To insult our own people. I was made to believe that we, the Haitiwajis, were terrorists.” – Gulbahar (source)
Since January 2021, countries like the United States, Canada, Netherlands, France, and the United Kindgdom recognized China’s actions as genocide. Meanwhile, the United Nations is instead calling it “crimes against humanity.”
With all that said, here’s Gulbahar’s harrowing story of surviving a Chinese detention camp.
Lured Back into China.
Gulbahar was a petroleum engineer who immigrated to France with her husband and two daughters. When she was preparing to retire, she received a strange voice message on WeChat in November 2016. The man said he worked for the engineering company she used to work at. She found it weird to receive a message now when she hadn’t worked there for over a decade.
“You must come back to Qaramay to sign documents concerning your forthcoming retirement, Madame Gulbahar.” – The man
“In that case, I’d like to grant power of attorney. A friend of mine in Qaramay takes care of my administrative affairs. Why should I come back for some paperwork? Why go all that way for such a trifle? Why now?” – Gulbahar.
“Granting power of attorney will not be possible, Madame Gulbahar. You must come to Qaramay in person.” – The man.
“Fine. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” – Gulbahar.
Trapped in China.
Gulbahar made her trip to Qaramay to sign the documents regarding her upcoming retirement. From the office at the oil company, she was driven 10 minutes to the Kunlun police station. She was interrogated about a photo of her daughter, Gulhumar, protesting for the rights of the Uyghur people in Paris. “Your daughter’s a terrorist!”
“I don’t know, I don’t know what she was doing there, she wasn’t doing anything wrong, I swear! My daughter is not a terrorist! Neither is my husband!” – Gulbahar
After five months of interrogations, she was transferred to a “school” in Baijiantan. But this was no ordinary school. It was a reeducation camp outside of Qaramay. She attended 11-hour classes where she learned the history of China, the great achievements of the communist party, recited her allegiance to China, and learned how to be Chinese.
“This was no school. It was a re-education camp, with military rules, and a clear desire to break us.”– Gulbahar
…
“In this way, our short-term memory became both our greatest ally and our worst enemy. It enabled us to absorb and regurgitate volumes of history and declarations of loyal citizenship, so we could avoid the public humiliation dished out by the teacher. But at the same time, it weakened our critical abilities. It took away the memories and thoughts that bind us to life. After a while I could no longer picture clearly the faces of Kerim [her husband] and my daughters. We were worked until we were nothing more than dumb animals. No one told us how long this would go on.” – Gulbahar
On top of the Chinese government’s attempt to destroy her cultural memory, Gulbahar endured acts of violence. Like being chained to her bed for 20 days, exhaustively marching up and down a room in the name of “physical training,” and being sterilized. When the guards yelled “at ease” from all the walking, she had to freeze, staying still for an hour, or as long as the officers wanted.
“We were panting like cattle. Sometimes, one or another of us would faint. If she didn’t come round, a guard would yank her to her feet and slap her awake. If she collapsed again, he would drag her out of the room, and we’d never see her again. Ever. At first, this shocked me, but now I was used to it. You can get used to anything, even horror.” – Gulbahar
Although we can get used to anything, even horror, it doesn’t take away from trauma quietly braiding itself into our DNA. Our bodies can only hold so much trauma until it needs to be released.
“When a hand viciously pushed clippers across my skull, and other hands snatched away the tufts of hair that fell on my shoulders, I shut my eyes, blurred with tears, thinking my end was near, that I was being readied for the scaffold, the electric chair, drowning. Death lurked in every corner. When the nurses grabbed my arm to “vaccinate” me, I thought they were poisoning me. In reality, they were sterilising us. That was when I understood the method of the camps, the strategy being implemented: not to kill us in cold blood, but to make us slowly disappear. So slowly that no one would notice.”
This begs the question: how many more camps is China secretly propping up? How many more Uyghurs are being taken into detention camps, forced labour, or prisons? How far is China reaching beyond its borders to surveil, punish, and wage a cultural genocide against the Uyghurs? How is surveillance evolving as a weapon of destruction? And what is the cost of all of us staying silent on the matter?
Freedom Comes at a Cost.
On August 2, 2019, after a short trial, a judge from Qaramay pronounced Gulbahar innocent – after years of reeducation, torturing of her body and nearly pushing her mind to the edge of madness.
A huge part of being freed was thanks to her daughter, Gulhumar. She raised awareness about Gulbahar’s fate in France, openly condemning the camps on television, and requesting the French government get involved in liberating Gulbahar.
Since gaining her freedom, Gulbahar has dedicated her life to relentless activism. To speaking out about the genocide against the Uyghur people and advocating for their freedom – at the cost of never being able to return to her homeland and seeing her family ever again. It’s a sacrifice she’s made to help liberate the Uyghur women who weren’t lucky enough, like her, to escape China’s detention camps in the Uyghur Region.
Gulbahar will be speaking at the upcoming Oslo Freedom Forum (OFF) taking place June 13-15, in Oslo. I had the chance to ask her a few questions regarding her experience living in detention camps, the genocide against the Uyghur people, and her upcoming talk at OFF, which you can find below. Please take a moment to read as it’s filled with uncomfortable truths we must all pay attention to.
Full Transcript of Q&A with Gulbahar Haitiwaji.
Can you please tell us more about the genocide against the Uyghur people in the Uygur Autonomous Region?
Gulbahar: CCP is carrying out a sophisticated genocidal campaign under the name of ‘countering religious extremism’ and ‘reeducating’ the individuals so they don't become the victims of terrorism.
Innocent Uyghurs are being unjustly imprisoned in concentration camps, forcibly separated from their families, with wives separated from husbands and children from parents. They are being subjected to forced sterilisation, forced labor and pervasive surveillance control. Young Uyghurs in our homeland are being transferred to mainland China, and Han Chinese are migrating to our homeland occupying a wide range of jobs that support the extractive economy.
CCP is pushing for its ever evolving assimilation policies in our homeland, eradicating our culture, religion, language and art, to replace our identity with the narrative of unified great ZhongHua nation. Even those who are not being detained, they’re still living in an ‘open prison’, being subjected to heavy surveillance and control with no freedom.
Why is this genocide taking place? And what tools is the Chinese Communist Party using to enforce this genocide?
Gulbahar: China's primary objective in this genocide is to eradicate the existence of the Uyghur population – either by making them disappear demographically or by assimilating the rest into Chinese culture.
Firstly, they have abolished Uyghur language education from kindergarten to university, effectively eliminating any educational opportunities for Uyghur language instruction.
Secondly, under the pretext of "reeducation" or "vocational skill training," they are detaining individuals who do not require such programs. In reality, among those imprisoned alongside me, [were] doctors, teachers, school principals, bank employees, retired individuals, and others who had stable incomes and decent lives. They do not require any form of reeducation.
Thirdly, they are deliberately reducing the population density in our homeland, for example, by forcibly relocating rural populations to Chinese cities in the name of poverty alleviation.
In 2016, you received a call from your previous employer. We know this was a trap. Can you give us a little more detail into your experience at the detention camp? Can you share what everyday life was like there?
Gulbahar: When I was signing some documents in the oil company, three policemen came in and took me to the police station for questioning. They had a picture of my daughter in a protest, covering herself with East Turkistan’s flag. Consequently, they confiscated my passport.
On January 29, I was summoned to the police station to retrieve my passport. I went. They took my fingerprints, took my blood samples, scanned my eyes and face, recorded my voice sample and took me to hospital. I went through a comprehensive physical examination, including blood and urine tests, ultrasound scans, and a cardiac evaluation.
Then I was taken to the Qaramay detention center, where I was coerced into signing a confession form alleging that I had "organized a community to create social disorder.” They put me in inmate attire, took a side-profile picture of me, recorded my weight and height, chained my feet, and confined me to a cell. It was a cell meant for 9 people, but was crammed with approximately 30-40 women, all of us shackled.
Our daily meals consisted of a bun and vegetable soup or rice soup. We were required to learn the policies of the detention center and sing "red songs" every morning and evening. Frequent interrogations took place with our hands chained and black hoods placed over our heads. We had to stay outside in the -20 celsius winter. Lights were on 24 hours, we had night shifts, even though there were two surveillance cameras in the corner of the cell.
On April 1, 2017, all the women were forcibly restrained to their beds, and I endured this confinement for 20 days. On the 5th of June 2017, I started my so-called ‘reeducation’ in the camp. Over 700 innocent women ranging from 17 to 70 years old were detained alongside me.
In the camp, it was strictly forbidden to speak the Uyghur language or practice religion. Even washing our faces with both hands together was deemed a form of prayer and subjected to punishment. We were only allowed to use the bathroom four to five times during designated times.
Each day, we had 11 hours of classes covering Chinese history, law, policies, language, and "red songs." Every Friday, exams were administered, so we had to memorise everything by heart. We had to start our day by praying for CCP, and before calling it a day we were expected to reflect on what we had learned from the national news. We were compelled to express positive sentiments, praising China's exceptional strength, expressing pride in being Chinese citizens, and demonstrating gratitude towards the party.
What kept you going on and pushing through these traumatic times?
Gulbahar: What kept me going, is, first of all, I believed myself that I did nothing wrong. It’s mostly me giving myself therapy. I kept reminding myself that I have to, I need to leave this place safe and sound, that I have to be healthy to not burden my family and still able to continue to dedicate and positively contribute to their life.
I tried to think of it from the good side. When we had to stay or sit in painful positions, I told myself that I’m doing yoga, whenever subjected to derogatory remarks, I told myself that they’re not talking to me because I did nothing wrong. I kept thinking about my life in France, to distract myself with the happy memories, good foods, and good days.
In an interview with the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), you said: “The conditions were terrible inside the camps. There were cameras everywhere. Every single move was watched by the police.” Is surveillance a tool of oppression?
Gulbahar: For sure. You know how serious the self-censorship is in China. For us [Uyghurs] it's the next level that you cannot imagine. Already more than a decade ago, we used to unplug the wifi cable, turn off our phone, computer and even the television when we are about to talk about anything that might be deemed sensitive like religion, politics, or history, to ensure the privacy of this conversation.
The surveillance system today definitely is a tool of oppression. It’s the Panopticon theory in real life. Everyone is aware that they are being watched and listened to, even those outside of China. They know they are under constant surveillance anytime, anywhere, they know what they should do and should not do, they know there will be punishment if they don’t comply with the rules. They reached the next level of social control and repression with the surveillance.
Is privacy necessary to retain our freedom?
Gulbahar: It is necessary. Freedom without protection over privacy is not a real freedom.
So, we should all be concerned about the rapid growth of surveillance we’re seeing worldwide (from Big Tech and governments)?
Gulbahar: It comes with pros and cons of course. I really do deeply worry about the surveillance system that violates people’s right to privacy. Personally, I’m against this. However, it is important to acknowledge that the system can also serve for beneficial purposes, such as preventing and protecting against criminal activities... etc.
On 2 August 2019, after a short trial, a judge from Qaramay pronounced you innocent (for crimes you never committed). What did that moment feel like?
Gulbahar: Honestly, I didn’t have any emotions. I’m so familiar with how CCP works that nothing really surprises me anymore. I was fully aware that this trial is merely a formality, regardless of the outcome. And I also know I didn’t do anything wrong.
What did it take for you to be free?
Gulbahar: The three years of being deprived of my freedom had a profound impact on my mental and physical well-being, leaving me traumatized. Throughout this ordeal, my daughter and husband tirelessly worked to rescue me from that hell.
Although I hold a Chinese passport, the French government treated me like a citizen and provided invaluable support, which I will always be grateful for. Also, throughout this diplomatic process, I also complied by China’s rule, complying with their demands. I did whatever they asked me to do, I said what they asked me to say.
Despite the danger it may pose for you and your family, why did you decide to speak out against the atrocities being inflicted on the Ugyhur people by the Chinese government (even going as far as writing a book)?
Gulbahar: I believe that one of the most profound sources of strength emanates from my fellow cellmates. Having endured a lifetime of oppression, they have been stripped of any agency to protect themselves or their families. Their basic freedoms, including the right to express their thoughts or voice discontent, have been entirely denied, let alone publicly go against them (CCP).
However, I have been fortunate enough to possess this most basic freedom, of being able to speak out. I feel obligated to be their voice since I’m the one who got out, to make sure their pain is being seen by the world. This means I have to gamble as I must put my own family in jeopardy to fulfill this role. Nevertheless, it is essential that the voices of these vulnerable women are heard and their stories reach a wider audience.
I know you’ll be speaking at the Oslo Freedom Forum taking place June 13-15 in Oslo Norway. What can we look forward to hearing from your talk?
Gulbhar: I know OFF is a big deal, and I’m extremely grateful for this opportunity to raise awareness of the tragedy that millions of Uyghurs are facing right now. Our people are still suffering in the camps. I have witnessed that, and we are not even able to call our family in this digital world. I am experiencing that. So I will continue to play my part of being the voice of those who are trapped in the hidden reality.
Instead of focusing on what to expect from me, I humbly implore everyone to carefully listen to what’s happening and actively disseminate this crucial information. We need solidarity, we need humanity.
How do we – the international community – help Uyghur people leave camps?
Gulbahar: For individuals, every small move matters. Spread the information, talk about it, read into it, boycott made-in-China products particularly those associated with forced labor, donate to Uyghur organizations such as World Uyghur Congress, UHRP (Uyghur Human Rights Project), write to government, contact your members of congress and political representatives to urge the to support Uyghurs, send postcards to prisons, participate in our protests.
For governments and policy makers, we need international pressure against China, we need forced labor to be stopped, illegal detention to be stopped, genocide to be stopped, we need ‘the universality’ of the universal human rights, we need to be represented, to be actively included in the international stage.
Get your tickets for the Oslo Freedom Forum here to watch Gulbahar speak.