A Xinjiang story involving a pregnant Uyghur woman has made its rounds through the international news community recently. The reason it garnered such attention was because Arzigul Tursun, 6 months pregnant with her third child, had been detained by police and was being forced against her will to undergo a late-term abortion. Due to all the international pressure she has now been released along with the face-saving statement by local police, "She wasn't in good enough health to have an abortion". Nice try guys, but I don't buy it.
The One-Child Policy for Minorities
Although this effort has saved the life of this one child, it has been more successful in reopening the discussion about the one-child policy in China, a policy that is much more complicated than it may first appear, especially here in Xinjiang. The many rules and exceptions that accompany this policy are enough to make your head spin. For example:
- Han Chinese may have two children if both parents are single children themselves.
- Han Chinese may have a second child if their first child has severe mental or physical disorders(decided on by the doctor).
- Ethnic minorities, including Uyghurs (which make up almost half of Xinjiang's population), may have two children.
- Ethnic minorities and even some Han Chinese residing in extremely rural areas (again, a large part of Xinjiang) may even be allowed 3 children.
- People who are willing to pay exorbitant fines can do pretty much whatever they please at the cost of possible public scorn - which is practically nobody here in Xinjiang. This woman would have had to pay a 45,000 RMB fine ($6,590 US), which is probably a few years' wages for her entire family.
- Some areas in Xinjiang which are populated mostly by Uyghurs offer financial incentives to minorities who stick with only one child. Uyghur women in Kashgar over the age of 49 with only 1 child will receive a one-time payment of 3,000 yuan ($440) and 600 yuan yearly afterward. China Xinjiang Web (in Chinese) reports that this year the government projects that it will spend 25.6 million yuan ($3.7 million) in population-control financial incentives!
This particular Uyghur woman was interesting because her case fell through the cracks. She was a city-born Uyghur who is by law allowed two children whereas her husband was from rural country where three children is permitted. Regardless of this grey-area, though, it seems ridiculous that someone would be forced to go through such a late-term abortion. Thankfully (at least this time), this disaster was avoided through international intervention, but it makes you wonder how often this happens.
The Debate
Sadly, abortions are a daily occurence here in China - we've known quite a few just in the last year here in Karamay. Since this one-child policy has been in effect for quite some time, though, it usually never becomes a "forced" abortion. Everybody knows the rules and for the most part follows them, but sometimes you just can't help accidentally getting pregnant.
So here's the debate, and I would love some comments to see what you think. The one-child policy, whether you like it or not, has been very successful here in China. To do away with the law would be detrimental to China's future economy. But if you - like me - hate to see a woman have to go through an abortion because she already has one child, what's a proper solution? How can this solution be applied to minorities who want their heritage not just to "survive" the generations, but also to grow?
And here's the kicker question that always seems to divide the Chinese and the West: since it's not our law, is it even our right to intervene with solutions?
3 Comments:
Hi I am Bill living in Kunming. My wife is Han but was born in Xinjiang, her parents having been relocated during the cultural revolution from Jiangsu Province.
Very interesting site and one I will keep up with. Very well writing, professional quality. I have long wanted to travel out to Xinjiang. Your essay here is unnerving of course and is sobering. So much of the world is obsessed with Tibet and know nothing of the Uyghur's plight.
China has a long road to reach "harmony".
In my option, China should continue its population policy. Because even today, all the world's oil can not fulfill the require of China if all Chinese reached american living level. Could you imagine what will happen in 50 years?
But, due to the lack of the social security system and the elderly support system, the people like to have more children. However, if the parents have more children, and they can not feed and provide enough education to their children, they will live in poor again. This will be endless loop.
So, I think its very important to found the healthy social security system and elderly support system, but, China has no enough money to cover all the country. It is still a long way for China to go. Step by step!
But I want to say, the bad things should not alway be classified as ethnic issues, actually most of them are happening in the whole country.
Sometime I am very sad to the bad things happened and still happening in China. But I am Chinese, I must be confident to my country and actually I am. If China continue to improve the education level of the people and improve the level of servants/officers, I will be happy what China will be in 2050.
Interesting topic. There are no easy answers. No, it is not our law. Yes, there is good reason for it. Enforcement is difficult. Like every policy, everywhere in the world, enforcement if problematic.
You can argue, and people do, that reproduction is a human right. I think this all must be weighed against the "greater good".
I worked with welfare mothers in North America that had child and child after child. That was disastrous for the children, the family, and the community, and did nothing but perpetuate the cycle of social assistance. The courts would remove the children and the mothers would have more. Perhaps a one child policy would be beneficial there as well.
China still has a very long road to travel. Trying to control the population is a commendable step. How this is enforced, and the enforcement being even-handed, I feel, is important.
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