U.N. Official Calls China's Crackdown on Uighurs 'disturbing'

A U.N. human rights investigator on Wednesday criticized China's crackdown on the Muslim Uighurs in the far western region of Xinjiang, citing "disturbing stories" of harassment and intimidation against the ethnic minority. Xinjiang has been roiled by ethnic tensions between the Uighurs and majority Han Chinese. Uighur groups and human rights activists say the government's repressive policies in Xinjiang, including controls on Islam, have provoked unrest. "I heard, also, very disturbing stories about harassment, for instance, intimidation during Ramadan -- children in schools were expected to break their fasting on Ramadan," he said, referring to the month-long religious holiday when observant Muslims do not eat during the day.