Abulikemu Maimaiti, Imam of Bayikuoqia Mosque, Yili River Street, Yining City, Yili, Xinjiang

My name is Abulikemu Maimaiti and I am the Imam of Bayikuoqia Morsque, Yili River Street, Yining City, Yili, Xinjiang. Recently, I read from the news that the former US Secretary of State Pompeo made false remarks that “Xinjiang government is persecuting Muslims and restricting freedom of belief in religion”. This is sheer lie and absolute nonsense. I want to step forward and lay bare his lie.

In Xinjiang, government fully respects and protects freedom of belief in religion. Muslims of different ethnic groups have their regular services and hold various activities in religious festivals, which can be carried out in mosques or at home according to religious rituals. These are all of people’s own accord and of their own choice, without any intervention from any organization or any individual at all! The mosque I am in has believers from Uygur, Kazakh, Hui and other ethnic groups in doing service. There is no such thing as estrangement among different ethnic groups at all and we have a harmonious relationship. As an officer in religious affairs, I feel deeply the care and attention that government gives to Muslims here. During the outbreak of the COVID-19, the government arranged medical staff to provide medical care in mosque, provided facial masks for free, tested temperatures regularly, assigned professionals to do the disinfection and sterilization according to schedule, gave lectures on how to scientifically protect and prevent, all of which ensured the normal carrying out of religious activities. The conditions in the mosque have been improved to a tremendous extent, with such convenient equipment as heating, air conditioning, shower room, flushing toilet and so on, which greatly facilitated Muslims in service. We all are so happy and proud!

Pompeo, you are just a liar! You not only smeared and vilified Xinjiang government’s policy of religious freedom, but also insulted us Muslims in Xinjiang. Your conspiracy to instigate contradiction between Muslims and non-Muslims is doomed to fail!