CHINA MOSQUES TOLD TO RAISE FLAG, PROMOTE PATRIOTISM

BEIJING : Mosques in China must raise the national flag to promote the spirit of patriotism, the country’s top regulatory body for Islam announced over the weekend.

The government-affiliated China Islamic Association issued a statement directing Muslim clerics to display the five-starred red flag at prominent positions in mosques. It also proposed the “four advances” campaign specifically in five regions – Ningxia, Beijing, Gansu, Qinghai and Xinjiang. This step is part of the latest efforts by the Communist Party of China (CPC) to control and “sinicise” religion in the country.

Muslims in China, like in other parts of the world, began observing the month of Ramzan last week.

According to the association’s statement, displaying the national flag in mosques “further strengthens the understanding of national and civic ideals, and promotes the spirit of patriotism among Muslims of all ethnic groups”.

Mosques should also publicly display i nformation on the party’s “core socialist values” and explain them to devotees through Islamic scriptures so they will be “deeply rooted in people’s hearts”, the AFP news agency quoted the statement as saying. China recently released a “white paper” on religion, directing the faithful to support the CPC’S leadership and remain subordinate to the interests of the nation and its people. It said China’s 200 million believers should “actively guide religions in adapting to socialist society.”