Expat Eyes | Truth & Recognition: My Xinjiang Odyssey

Wherever Xinjiang is mentioned, especially to a Muslim community or anyone up to date with current geopolitics, it is always a critical and delicate issue.

I vividly remember the sunny afternoon sometime in May 2021, on my work-free day, when a senior colleague of mine, called me on the phone and said, “Our center has organized a trip to Xinjiang, and we think you should go, are you interested?” All I could utter under my breath was, “Wow!” I was not expecting the invitation, even though, deep down, I had always longed for such an opportunity. “Yes, Yes, I am interested.”  I replied.

Right from then, I started counting the days, looking forward to a journey I have mixed feelings towards. I was somewhat skeptical about Xinjiang, mainly because of the negative stories I had heard about it. Nevertheless, the desire to satisfy my curiosity and evaluate the whole situation personally was overwhelming. Since the stories one hears or reads about Xinjiang are confusing and ambiguous, I couldn’t pass up this chance to verify these tales in person. I believe one person is capable of starting or making a change.

Finally, the day came! It was on Saturday, the 19th of June, 2021. We set out for the airport at dawn, since we had an early flight to catch. After a slightly more than four-hour flight, we finally landed in Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang!

Honestly, stepping out of the plane into the airport, felt like a literal burden was lifted off my heart, and it was absolutely Love at first sight! Till today, I say, I fell in love with Xinjiang the very first moment I set foot in the airport.

Perhaps it was the bright atmosphere; maybe it was psychological; I still do not know the reason, but I was mesmerized, completely caught off guard, and lost in wonderment! There is this feeling of belonging that Xinjiang will hold in my heart for a very long time, a sense of returning home. An unforgettable feeling.

It turned out, this was just the tip of the iceberg. As we traversed across beautifully well-constructed bridges and highways, tall and imposing buildings flashed past as we drove into Urumqi city, on our way to the hotel. I had to ask myself, “Is this really part of ‘The Xinjiang’ I read and hear stories about?” “Could I be dreaming?” I thought to myself, this urban landscape is indistinguishable from Beijing, the capital city, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and all the other large metropolis that come to mind when modern China is mentioned. If anything, Xinjiang is easily the most beautiful place I have visited in China in my five years here.

I was still processing what I had seen on my way to the hotel when I was called over to start our tour, we would be visiting the Xinjiang Islamic Institute. I eagerly rushed out to see more. In my mind’s eye, the institute was a regular college, like the ones I see every day. What I first saw as soon as we alighted was a big, beautiful Mosque! I could not believe my eyes, a mosque, this big in a college? In Xinjiang of all places? “No way,” I said. Perhaps it is a building that looks like a mosque. But I was wrong, there I was, standing in a very beautiful Mosque; a Juma’a Prayer standard mosque, spacious enough to accommodate a thousand people, tastefully decorated and well-equipped.

The question that kept ringing in my head was, how could there be a mosque this big in such a college? In a place where we are constantly told by the foreign media that people are not allowed to practice their religion? What I saw underscored the need for one to always probe and seek proof of news reports. With my curiosity piqued, I wandered around the college. The dormitory was spacious, well furnished with full beddings, and reading desks. The Canteen, clean and well organized, with televisions, water dispensers, and other amenities. Actually, the canteen could have easily passed for a tech company’s or a large government organization’s; it was that good. I also checked their washrooms and classrooms, everything was spot on.

So I asked myself, why is a government that is said to be against religion, putting all these efforts into such a college? It just did not add up. I also investigated if the students were enrolled against their will, but all the ones I questioned, answered in the negative; they mostly submitted that it was either their lifelong dream or a desire to follow in their parents’ footsteps.

I’m convinced that an institute like this, will go a long way in changing our mindsets, shaping the community, and fighting against extremism.

Racism and communal clashes are security challenges that plague the world today, yet Xinjiang is blessed with diverse people of different cultures and religions, living in harmony. A bright spot in a world torn apart and blighted by intolerance. The richness of Xinjiang culture and the harmonious coexistence of its people gives me hope that the world could be a better place. I hope that one day, people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds will live together in peace like the Xinjiang people. Considering the news I had heard and read, I could not imagine being a witness to such a heterogeneous and peaceful society. An enchanting landscape filled with vibrant, joyful people. I still wonder what motivates the unrelenting efforts to present Xinjiang as a chaotic, Orwellian enclave by a host of foreign media.

I hail from the Northeastern part of Nigeria, Borno State, to be precise, and know first-hand the ill effects of terrorism and the far-fetching consequences of underestimating any little act of it. Yet at a time when the world is calling for collective action against terrorism and extremism, why is China’s effort a bone of contention? Why is this so? I believe that rather than vilify China, what needs to be done is to adopt its policies in combating terrorism. They have proven to be effective because the country has witnessed tremendous and positive results.

In a nutshell, from my experience, Xinjiang is a veritably lovable place. The reality before my eyes couldn’t have been more different from the media stories. Even my ever-vigilant body, which struggles to adapt to new locations, succumbed; even though I did not stay in any place for more than two nights, I was able to sleep soundly throughout my visit.

Faiza Muhammad Mustapha is from Nigeria and is currently a foreign expert journalist of CGTN.