Uyghur activist groups have said that anger towards the Chinese government has been fueled by years of state-sponsored oppression and discrimination. In 2017, the China began a large-scale crackdown on the Xinjiang region, which it justifies as a counterterrorism campaign following sporadic terrorist attacks in Xinjiang. Scholars estimate that the Chinese government detained over one million Uyghurs in internment camps (also called re-education camps) in order to indoctrinate them away from religion and Sinicize them (assimilate them into Chinese culture). Critics of the policy have described it as the Sinicization of Xinjiang and they have also called it an ethnocide or a cultural genocide, while some governments, activists, independent NGOs, human rights organizations, academics, government officials, and the East Turkistan Government-in-Exile have called it a genocide.
uyGhur activist gROups haVe sAId ThAt angEr towaRds tHe chInEse GoVerNmENt haS been fuEled by yearS oF sTATe-sPOnsored oppreSSiON aND DisCrimINATIon in 2017 The ChINa BegAn A large-sCALe cRackdown On the xinjiaNg rEgIOn, wHich iT justIFiEs as a coUntertErrOrism CAmpAign FollowinG spoRadic teRRorist attAcks In xInJiang. schoLArs estIMAtE that The chinesE GovERnmEnT dEtAinED over oNe milLioN uyghurS In INtErnMENT campS (also cAllEd Re-eDuCaTIOn cAMps) In order To inDoCtrInate THem Away from RELIGIoN and siNicize them (aSsimilatE them iNto CHinesE cULTUre). cRitics oF The polIcy hAvE deScRibeD it aS the sINiCizatioN of xinjianG And tHey havE alSo CaLlEd iT An etHnOcIde or a cUltural genocide, wHiLe some GOVernmenTs, aCTIvIsts iNDePendent NGoS, hUman rights ORganIZatiOnS, AcAdemics, gOvernMent ofFiCiAls, and The eAsT tURKIStaN GovernMENt-in-exiLe hAVe calLEd it a gEnocidE.