The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement
National

This was published 7 years ago

Alex Ellinghausen photo essay: Inside Australia's Uighur community

Gallery icon32 Images

For the members of Australia’s Uighur community, stories of intimidation, harassment and surveillance are not unusual. Feeling increasingly helpless and desperate, they have gone public with their stories and identities despite the risks.

Horigul Yusuf now lives in Adelaide but she cries as she speaks about her brother, Abdulahad Yusuf, who is in an internment camp in China. “We live in this country freely and without difficulty," she says. "But at the moment, it’s so hard for us ... I don’t want to socialise with anyone, I just want to be at home and think about my family,” she says.

1/32

Horigul Yusuf now lives in Adelaide but she cries as she speaks about her brother, Abdulahad Yusuf, who is in an internment camp in China. “We live in this country freely and without difficulty," she says. "But at the moment, it’s so hard for us ... I don’t want to socialise with anyone, I just want to be at home and think about my family,” she says.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

All of Horigul Yusuf’s brothers have been detained in internment camps or sentenced to prison. The 52-year-old last spoke to her elderly parents on October 22, 2017. “It was a short and sharp conversation,” she says. Her parents warned her to cease contact for fear of being sent to prison.

2/32

All of Horigul Yusuf’s brothers have been detained in internment camps or sentenced to prison. The 52-year-old last spoke to her elderly parents on October 22, 2017. “It was a short and sharp conversation,” she says. Her parents warned her to cease contact for fear of being sent to prison. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Horigul Yusuf is comforted by her son Hamza Shamseden as she speaks about her brother who remains in China.

3/32

Horigul Yusuf is comforted by her son Hamza Shamseden as she speaks about her brother who remains in China.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Many of the Uighurs spoken to by Fairfax Media say they struggle to enjoy their freedom in Australia knowing the difficulties faced by their relatives in China.

4/32

Many of the Uighurs spoken to by Fairfax Media say they struggle to enjoy their freedom in Australia knowing the difficulties faced by their relatives in China.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Advertisement
Kurvangul Tursun cooks lamb pilaf in the backyard of her home in Adelaide.

5/32

Kurvangul Tursun cooks lamb pilaf in the backyard of her home in Adelaide.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

A traditional meal is cooked to share with family and friends.

6/32

A traditional meal is cooked to share with family and friends.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Abdullah Mu and Hamdulah Muhammad having lunch at home in Adelaide, home to about half of Australia's 3000-strong Uighur community.

7/32

Abdullah Mu and Hamdulah Muhammad having lunch at home in Adelaide, home to about half of Australia's 3000-strong Uighur community.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Arafat Tursun and Yusuf Muhammad playing at their home in Adelaide.

8/32

Arafat Tursun and Yusuf Muhammad playing at their home in Adelaide.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Abdullah Mu, Yusuf Muhammad, Yunus Mu and Hamdulah Muhammad playing soccer in the backyard at their home in Adelaide.

9/32

Abdullah Mu, Yusuf Muhammad, Yunus Mu and Hamdulah Muhammad playing soccer in the backyard at their home in Adelaide.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Shir Yarmuhammad and Renagul Tursun with daughter Khadija Yarmuhammad at their home in Adelaide. Tursun has not been in contact with relatives since December 2017 but understands her younger brother and two cousins have been detained.

10/32

Shir Yarmuhammad and Renagul Tursun with daughter Khadija Yarmuhammad at their home in Adelaide. Tursun has not been in contact with relatives since December 2017 but understands her younger brother and two cousins have been detained.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Shir Yarmuhammad and Renagul Tursun with their daughter Khadija Yarmuhammad. “Even after coming to Australia, although we live in a safe country, day and night we live in fear and trauma because so much of our family are living such a stressful life over there and just waiting to be knocked down by the government,” Tursun says.

11/32

Shir Yarmuhammad and Renagul Tursun with their daughter Khadija Yarmuhammad. “Even after coming to Australia, although we live in a safe country, day and night we live in fear and trauma because so much of our family are living such a stressful life over there and just waiting to be knocked down by the government,” Tursun says. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Mahbuba Alim in Adelaide. Since first coming under Chinese rule in the 18th century, the region now called Xinjiang has experienced occasional independence and autonomy. The region was incorporated into the newly established People’s Republic of China. In the decades since, the CCP has faced ongoing resistance.

12/32

Mahbuba Alim in Adelaide. Since first coming under Chinese rule in the 18th century, the region now called Xinjiang has experienced occasional independence and autonomy. The region was incorporated into the newly established People’s Republic of China. In the decades since, the CCP has faced ongoing resistance.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Men from the Uighur community greet each other after Friday prayers at a mosque in Adelaide. China’s crackdown against Muslim minorities is aimed to socially engineer their identity to make them more loyal to the CCP, says Maya Wang, senior China researcher for Human Rights Watch.

13/32

Men from the Uighur community greet each other after Friday prayers at a mosque in Adelaide. China’s crackdown against Muslim minorities is aimed to socially engineer their identity to make them more loyal to the CCP, says Maya Wang, senior China researcher for Human Rights Watch.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Friday prayers at a mosque attended by members of the Uighur community in Adelaide.

14/32

Friday prayers at a mosque attended by members of the Uighur community in Adelaide.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Advertisement
Uighur men during evening prayers in the prayer room of a Uighur restaurant - that used to be a church - in Adelaide.

15/32

Uighur men during evening prayers in the prayer room of a Uighur restaurant - that used to be a church - in Adelaide.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Polat Abdulla recites the Koran in his Adelaide home.

16/32

Polat Abdulla recites the Koran in his Adelaide home.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

A mural of the Tenri Tagh mountains on the wall of Tarim restaurant's owner Akil Ruzeaji.

17/32

A mural of the Tenri Tagh mountains on the wall of Tarim restaurant's owner Akil Ruzeaji.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Rashida Ruzihaji prepares traditional handpulled noodles at the Tarim restaurant in Adelaide.

18/32

Rashida Ruzihaji prepares traditional handpulled noodles at the Tarim restaurant in Adelaide.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Bilal Oguz, 5, views photos of relatives who have gone missing or are in internment camps.

19/32

Bilal Oguz, 5, views photos of relatives who have gone missing or are in internment camps.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Meyassar Adham in Adelaide. Fairfax Media has conducted extensive interviews with more than a dozen Uighurs in Adelaide; all have relatives in detention and are struggling with the burden of knowing - or not knowing - the fate of parents, siblings, partners, grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunties and friends swept up in the unprecedented crackdown against Muslim minorities in China.

20/32

Meyassar Adham in Adelaide. Fairfax Media has conducted extensive interviews with more than a dozen Uighurs in Adelaide; all have relatives in detention and are struggling with the burden of knowing - or not knowing - the fate of parents, siblings, partners, grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunties and friends swept up in the unprecedented crackdown against Muslim minorities in China.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen