Comments on: Uighur: Olympic Protests, Tibet-Uighur Connection? http://centralasia.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/07/uighur-olympic-protests-tibet-uighur-connection/ American Foreign Policy Analysis in Central Asia Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:35:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 by: Wil Robinson http://centralasia.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/07/uighur-olympic-protests-tibet-uighur-connection/#comment-2477 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:54:59 +0000 http://centralasia.foreignpolicyblogs.com/2008/04/07/uighur-olympic-protests-tibet-uighur-connection/#comment-2477 The Uighurs have been ignored for a long time. I think Tibet gets the media attention for one reason: they are not Muslim. Westerns are infatuated with Buddhism, even if they are Christian. There is a stereotype of the peaceful, non-violent Buddhist in the Western mind, and so we rally behind Tibet. (and we ignore the violent Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, etc.) But the Uighurs religion makes it difficult for the Westerner to feel any sympathy or provide any publicity. Since the so-called "war on terror," it is hard for any Muslim to be seen in a positive light in the Western media. It's unfortunate, but a reality. The Uighurs have been ignored for a long time. I think Tibet gets the media attention for one reason: they are not Muslim.

Westerns are infatuated with Buddhism, even if they are Christian. There is a stereotype of the peaceful, non-violent Buddhist in the Western mind, and so we rally behind Tibet. (and we ignore the violent Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Myanmar, etc.)

But the Uighurs religion makes it difficult for the Westerner to feel any sympathy or provide any publicity. Since the so-called “war on terror,” it is hard for any Muslim to be seen in a positive light in the Western media.

It’s unfortunate, but a reality.

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