China using spies called 'ears' to ensure Uyghurs are abiding by ban on Ramadan fasting

China has resorted to espionage tactics to make sure that its minority Uyghur Muslim community does not fast during the holy month of Ramadan. According to a report by Radio Free Asia, Chinese police are working in collaboration with spies referred to as "ears," who are responsible for making sure that a Ramadan fasting ban remains in place within the ethnic group. 

The "ears" have been extracted from the general population, such as people from the police and neighborhood committees. “We have many secret agents," said a police officer from a region that lies near Turpan, which is situated in the eastern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

“Our ‘ears’ came from three fields — the ordinary residents, the police and the neighborhood committees. Because of the language barrier, we recruited Uyghurs to surveil other Uyghurs. In my workplace, there are 70-80 Uyghur policemen who either directly work as ‘ears’ or lead other civilian ‘ears,'" she said. 

China's crackdown on Uyghurs

China imposed a ban on fasting during Ramadan in 2017, targetting Muslims living in the Xinjiang region. This was during the time that its authorities launched a crackdown on the community and detained Uyghurs in “re-education” camps to quell their cultural identity, language, and religion.

However, the measures were relaxed temporarily in 2021 and 2022, permitting those above the age of 65 to fast and reducing street patrolling and home searches by authorities. But this year, the Xi Jinping government yet again placed the ban in full force, prohibiting everyone from fasting during the holy month. “No one is allowed to fast in this Ramadan,” said a political official at Turpan City Police Station.

One staffer at the Turpan Prefecture Police Bureau revealed that spies were operating within the forces to keep a close eye on  Uyghur officers and whether they were fasting. “We have our upper-level officers and internal agents watching the behavior of Uyghur policemen,” she said, adding that the officers were tested by being offered fruit and other food items.