China has approved a sweeping new law which claims to help promote “ethnic unity” - but critics say it will further erode the rights of minority groups.

On paper, it aims to promote integration among the 56 officially recognised ethnic groups, dominated by the Han Chinese, through education and housing. But critics say it cuts people off from their language and culture.

It mandates that all children should be taught Mandarin before kindergarten and up until the end of high school. Previously students could study most of the curriculum in their native language such as Tibetan, Uyghur or Mongolian.

    • UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world
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      11 hours ago

      This is very similar to the Native American genocide.

      The one where Colonial European settlers were literally marching into Indian communities and massacring them?

      • Doomsider@lemmy.world
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        10 hours ago

        Umm for the most part that was just the colonialists and later on the US when it was created. The actual Europeans were not always that horrible (except the Spanish ofc)

        That China is following these same genocidal blueprints is no surprise considering their embrace of fascism.

    • plyth@feddit.org
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      6 hours ago

      This is very similar to the Native American genocide.

      In China it was the Communists who walked the death march.

      In North America, unlike South America and Tibet or Xinjiang, the people don’t look native. It’s not very similar.

      • falcunculus@jlai.lu
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        1 hour ago

        In China it was the Communists who walked the death march.

        I was unaware communists were an ethnic group. But I guess if their predecessors had a hard time in a civil war 80 years ago it means they can’t be racists now.

        In North America, unlike South America and Tibet or Xinjiang, the people don’t look native. It’s not very similar.

        Ah yes, let’s set state policy based on what people look like.

        • plyth@feddit.org
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          31 minutes ago

          it means they can’t be racists now.

          It means they didn’t do death marches to genocide their population. It’s just a historic curiosity that they did one to themselves.

          There were famines which could be used for genocides. Maybe you find something there.

          set state policy based on what people look like.

          The logic works in the other direction. The look shows past policies. But looking at prison numbers, race still seems to be an issue.

    • cecinestpasunbot@lemmy.ml
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      16 hours ago

      For fucks sake why do you trust the BBC to accurately report on this law? It literally guarantees the right to learn and use minority languages and it even has provisions to help archive and standardize them. It also outlaws forms of description and ethnic suppression. But sure, it’s the same thing as violent cultural erasure 🤦‍♂️

      • kittenzrulz123@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        9 hours ago

        Well if the west is doing something clearly the east must be doing the same thing but significantly worse, this is because people from the global south are inferior beings to my high IQ shitlib intellect.

      • Soggy@lemmy.world
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        15 hours ago

        It’s non-violent cultural erasure, the more popular kind in the 21st century.

          • Soggy@lemmy.world
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            14 hours ago

            A single unified culture, the stated intent of this law, means erasing the minority cultures. It’s no secret that Beijing does not let Tibet do what Tibet wants, just ask the 14th Dalai Lama.

            • cecinestpasunbot@lemmy.ml
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              13 hours ago

              Nowhere does the law imply the creation of a single unified culture. You’re just making that up. Only fascists think that national unity and multiculturalism are in conflict. What’s actually in this law suggest that China thinks the exact opposite, that national unity requires the protection of minority cultures.

              Also why do you take this self proclaimed theocratic in exile to be the representative of the people of Tibet? It genuinely makes no sense.