Laogai Museum

The modern day equivalent of the Maoist “Re-Education Through Labor” camp system is flourishing in the far reaches of Western China. In an effort to further modernize Xinjiang province, the Chinese government has forced an ethnic minority, the Uyghur people, to clear land and perform similar public works projects. Unlike the Uyghurs, Han Chinese, the major ethnic group in China, are compensated fully for their services. In a completely illogical justification statement, the Chinese government, which is viewed by most as a Han institution, states that the Uyghur forced labor is meant to create “national unity”. Please read the entire article: https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/work-02082013180615.html

The history of the Chinese Communist Party is full of religious persecution directed towards the Uyghur people of Xinjiang province. The ancient Uyghur people are characterized by their docile nature and Islamic faith. The Chinese government’s treatment of the Uyghur people is nothing short of terrorism. Please read this shocking article concerning midnight raids directed towards Uyghurs in Xinjiang province for the purpose of quelling “religious extremism”:

https://www.eurasiareview.com/10032013-xinjiang-raids-point-to-religious-controls/

The Chinese Communist Party has traditionally been repressive to most religious groups, especially Catholics. This repression will more than likely carry over into another era…the era of the next pope. At any rate, please read this article explaining the issues surrounding Chinese hostilities toward the Vatican:

https://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/3492228e-7b01-11e2-9c88-00144feabdc0.html

The Laogai museum was proud to host the School for Ethics and Global Leadership today. The School for Ethics and Global Leadership brought about a dozen highly motivated high school students to speak with Harry Wu about the state of the Laogai in China today. Mr. Wu spoke about his time in the Laogai, his opinion on how democratic change will come to China, and the psychology of surviving the desolate reality of the Laogai.

Thanks to western literature, pressure from human rights organizations, and even an eventual condemnation by the USSR itself; the Soviet gulag system was exposed and ridiculed by the world as being barbaric and a testament of repression. However, the nightmares of the gulag were not confined to the Soviet Union. During the 1950s, the Soviet Union provided assistance and resources to China in order to help China creates its own gulag system which has become known as “Laogai.” Unlike the Soviet Gulag, the Laogai system still flourishes today. On top of that, Google satellite images have recently confirmed the long-standing suspicion of human rights organizations everywhere: North Korea has its own version of the Laogai. Please read this very interesting article concerning these repressive and brutal camps in North Korea.