Nurgamarie Tursuntoht

Recently, I read on the Internet that Pompeo, the former US Secretary of State, was talking nonsense again. He said that he was concerned about the Uyghur people in Xinjiang. But I am clearly aware that this liar, Pompeo, never has any good intentions, and he is the accomplice of extremists and terrorists. As an ordinary Uyghur with conscience in Xinjiang, I would like to ask Pompeo to shut his mouth and open his eyes to see how I survived the years when I was influenced by extremist ideas, and to see my happy life after I got rid of extremism.

My name is Nurgamarie Tursuntoht and I live in Hotan. In the early years, I opened a shop, and my husband took care of the mutton shop. We had an income of four or five hundred yuan every day, and we had a good life. Later, several people lived nearby frequented my shop. They told me “Those who do not believe in Islam are ‘infidels’ and our enemies”; “If you get along with ‘infidels’, you will be punished and your families will be affected.” Thus, I gradually became brainwashed by extremism.

In those years, whenever Han people came to my shop, I felt particularly disgusted. Gradually, I became so tired of taking care of the shop that fewer and fewer customers came to buy things. In the end, I had to close it. At that time, I blamed the “infidels” for the closure of the shop, and since then I became more and more hostile to Han people. Walking in the street, I would glare at them and even secretly curse them to hell in my heart. I even hated those who served “infidels” in shops and restaurants, believing that they were not true Muslims and that the money they earned was not halal. These terrible thoughts not only ruined my career, but also had a bad effect on my family. At that time, I did not allow my children to play with Han children, and strongly urged my husband not to do business with “infidels”. Living in such a world, my family was increasingly strained. If my husband and village cadres didn’t find out my problems, I really don’t know when I would destroy myself and my family. Under the persuasion of my family, I came to the vocational education and training center to study.

In the vocational education and training center, I listened to the courses and lectures on laws and regulations and de-radicalization given by teachers, experts and scholars, and I understood a lot. I also read a lot of books and learned a lot of knowledge. Through learning, I realized how absurd and terrible my original ideas were, and the root of all this was extremism. In the skill training class, I also learned cutting and sewing.

After graduation, I successfully entered the clothing factory in the neighboring village to work. There are more than 40 people in our factory, all of whom are from the nearby village. Now we all have a stable income. We go to work together and chat every day, feeling that there is always something to say. We all look forward to a better future. I don’t interfere with my husband’s business any more. He runs the mutton shop very well and earns a lot every day. This time, I must firmly hold on to my happiness, and will not let extremism destroy my life and my family.

Finally, I would like to say to Pompeo, who is full of lies and bad intentions, please close your mouth and put away your hypocrisy. The happy life of the people in Xinjiang is the best testimony to the protection of human rights.