An article in the "Daily Beast" magazine dealt with the protests organized by students, teachers, parents and others in Inner Mongolia, a semi-autonomous region in (northern China), by blocking police stations and gathering outside schools where thousands gathered in rare defiance of government orders .
The author of the article, Brendon Hong, noted that these demonstrations were sparked by directives issued by the Chinese government in the summer.
To expand the impact of Mandarin in books and study materials within the region, leading to the marginalization of the Mongolian language in academic settings and daily use.
According to the article, as of September 1, the authorities will convert the language of instruction in public primary and middle schools to Chinese, specifically 3 subjects, namely language, literature and history, as well as ethics and law (which includes political and ideological indoctrination).
This change will be implemented in stages, with the mathematics and arts lessons being preserved in the region's native language.
Commenting on this, an unnamed parent said that teaching everything in a second language would make it difficult for children to learn in school, “As Mongolians, I and the other parents do not want to see our mother tongue gradually replaced by another language. Certainly we are studying the language. The Chinese are from a young age, so this is not a problem. "
The American magazine stated that the people of Mongolia are preparing this as a step to erase an important part of their culture, and some see it as a forced homogeneity directed at their young, just as what happens in Tibet and Xinjiang, where the Chinese government has strict rules that limit public displays and practices related to the cultural identity of each region.
Policy in Inner Mongolia, on paper, aims to promote stronger economic integration in a poor region within China;
But the truth is that locals see its implementation as a continuation of the Chinese incursion into their culture
Since the July announcement that schools in Inner Mongolia will gradually stop teaching the Mongolian language, Mongolians have filed nearly 4,200 petitions against the policy, the magazine noted.
Despite the statement issued by the Inner Mongolia Regional Education Office last Monday to allay parents and students' fears that "the current bilingual education system has not changed," people in the region indicate that television, radio and other media are already broadcasting in Mandarin, and that their language is Own is largely absent in the widespread media.
According to new government rules, language schools in 5 other provinces are also working to reduce their use of local languages and dialects, and to replace curricula with teaching Mandarin Chinese.
Children next to a robot performing a security mission inside a housing complex in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia (Reuters)
The Daily Beast stated that online publications about reactions to this policy, especially protests and petitions, are subject to censorship, as videos of demonstrations in Inner Mongolia have been removed from Weibo, a local platform similar to Twitter, in addition to social media sites. Other.
In late August, the Chinese government shut down the only Mongolian-speaking social network, Bainu.
The author of the article commented that China is spreading the myth of social harmony, as the majority of Han Chinese (more than 91% of the population) live side by side with 55 minorities.
The magazine concluded that the policy in Inner Mongolia, on paper, aims to promote stronger economic integration in a poor region within China;
But the truth is that locals see its implementation as a continuation of the Chinese incursion into their culture.
Many feel their traditions are being broken down under the pretext of reducing poverty. Few Mongolians have taken advantage of the mining boom in an area roughly twice the size of Texas. Instead, state-run companies have reaped the most profits. Now residents of Inner Mongolia are wondering if it is their own language. It may also fade away.