China accused of forcing Muslims eat pork, drink alcohol during Lunar NY fest

Beijing, Feb 8: China's handling of its minority Uyghurs has always been controversial and if the latest reports are to go by, the authorities in the country's northwestern Xinjiang region have made some Muslims to drink alcohol and eat pork during the Lunar New Year celebrations.

As per a report in Radio Free Asia, residents of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture in the Xingjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) alleged that the officials had invited them to celebratory dinners on the occasion of Lunar New Year where pork was served.

They were also allegedly threatened to be sent to "re-education" camp if they refused to take part in the dinner event.

Pork and alcohol are forbidden in Islam.

Pictures that reached RFA also showed an official from the city of Yining in the prefecture distributing raw pork among the Muslim households on the eve of the Year of the Pig in the name of helping the poor.

RFA was also told that the practice of making the Muslims eat pork has started last year.

The Muslims are not known to take part in the Spring Festival and observe occasions like Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

The Spring Festival is seen as one observed by the Han Chinese, the majority Chinese population who practises Buddhism.