Underpass in Urumqci. A governmental panel promote tourism and development in Xinjiang
THE INVISIBLE WALL
Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
December 2014
Located in the historical Silk Road, in the last decades Urumqi became the hub of the new Silk Road Economic Belt. Chinese’s raising influence and interest in Central Asia makes the capital of Xinjiang extremely strategic. Massive infrastructure and transportation projects have developed, shopping malls have mushroomed to appeal local costumers and the city traffic have doubled in the last two years. Flocks of Han (ethnic chinese) – both migrants from the poorest regions of China and specialized professionals – have moved to Urumqi to work on well-paid government jobs. As a result to this impressive migration, which appears as a de facto colonization, the Uyghur people became a minority, and were slowly relegated to the role of second-class citizens. The North of the city have rapidly developed, while the Uyghur started to move south, into the mainly Uyghur-inhabited district of Erdiaqiao, where the most of the Han are even afraid to set a foot in. Two different Urumqi emerged. An invisible wall was erected amongst the two.
After the recent violences Chinese government imposed ever strictier rules on the Uyghurs. All around Urumqi, and mainly in Erdiaoqiao, new warning with rules apperad. Women are forbidden to wear burqas. Men cannot wear a beard if they are younger than 40
An old man playing with his nephews in Erdiaqiao. According to the new rules imposed by Beijing, men cannot wear a beard if they are younger than 40
Man eating noodles in a Han-populated neighboorhood in the North of Urumqi.
Uyghur women waiting for a bus in front of movie advertisiing
