What Kind of ‘Education’?

U – Unas

Z – Zaid

B – Both

U – The People’s Republic of China was ranked number 10 for the Program of International Student Assessment.

Z – China tends to score similarly well in other education-assessing rankings, making it possibly one of the best countries to grow up and go to school in.

Z – My apologies, but we’re not here to talk about

B – That kind of education

U – What kind of education?

Z – Schools lined with barbed wire and surveillance cameras

U – Teachers carrying spiked clubs and armed with tear gas

Z – Diligent pupils praising the Communist party and renouncing their faith

B – That kind of education

Z – They call it education.

U – For you see, this education didn’t happen overnight.

Z – Because it wasn’t just over one night that the Uyghur Muslims found themselves being outnumbered by the dominant Han Chinese on their own streets.

U – Nothing wrong with that.

Z – One night, the Uyghur Muslims found their sons and daughters marrying the Han Chinese.

U – Nothing wrong with that….

Z – One night, the Uyghur Muslims found themselves awoken by the sounds of sirens and violent knocking on the doors. But the Han slept soundly.

B – Nothing wrong with that…??

Z – That’s not all;

U – Nearly a million in those camps

Z – How many?

U – Some say up to three million

Z – How many?

U – Rounded up like cattle; subject to beatings and basic right violations.

Z – Who is watching?

U – Everyone

Z – Who is talking?

Z – The American congress urged Trump administration to place sanctions on businesses affiliated with the ongoing crisis in China

U – Urged

Z –  22 UN nations signed a letter calling on China to stop the internment and assimilation.

U – AND more than 30 signed a letter defending China’s actions.

Z – Why do they beat them down in every way possible?

U – Why do they drag mother from daughter; brother from sister?

Z – Why do they make them swear loyalty to the National Party?

U – Why do they watch with such a careful eye the lives of such innocent people?

Z – Why are they re-educating the Muslims?

U – Why do they want to know where every Uyghur lives?

B – You know why?……. Money

U – Why didn’t you say so? (Money)

Z – That justifies it, (Money)

U – The beating and torturing, (Money)

Z – Brainwashing and renouncement, (Money)

U – Forced marriage to the majority cultures, (Money)

Z – All in the name 

B – Of a fatter wallet.

U – Claims over a key transport route,

Z – We can’t let someone else have that!

U – Oil and gas reservoirs,

U – God forbid we allow the natural residents of the land to reap the benefit from it.

Z – The government has the right to the region and the money from it.

U – Oil, gas, coal: all money to be mined out of the ground.

Z – All money to furnish their mansions,

U – To add another car to the garage

Z – To fill their insatiable desire for wealth.

U – That is the motive of this…education.

Z – But the high-up men with their belts wound up tight and their ties framing their greedy jaws have words:

U – They’re terrorists.

Z – We’re doing it for them.

U – We are teaching them valuable skills.

B – That is the nature of this education.

U – But the worst part of it is:

Z -They’re everywhere.

U – Beijing is not some sort of safe haven for greedy men to add another million onto their already overflowing bank accounts

Z – For there are men and women from every corner of this world

U – With every accent of voice and colour of skin.

B – Who will slay their fellow man and smile 

Z – Who will sacrifice thousands of men

B – For thousands of pieces of paper.

Z – But educating yourself is only the first part.

U – Just being aware does not free the prisoners

Z – Or punish the oppressors.

U – It’s good to be aware.

Z – But it’s better if they know we’re aware.

U – Ask tough questions to the people in power.

Z – Make them sweat.

U – Make them loosen their ties.

Z – Make their brows wrinkle,

U – And make their excuses disappear.

Z – If no one else is holding them accountable,

Z – Then we will.

U – If no one else is sending letters to the Prime Minister,

Z – Then we will.

U – If no one else is breaking the prison gates,

B – Then we must.

Z – To stop this education,

U – We must use our education.