There're quite a lot parts in Xinjiang has converted to Islam in last few decades. Also, there is an effective executive order making laws easier for minority[1]. For those who don't know, eastern Turkestan is always trying to take the land. It looks more like a wartime regulation than regular censorship in peace time to me.
Uyghurs have always been Muslim. Infact their genetic makeup is Turkic as opposed to Han/Hui Chinese.
I'm aware of the PRC's attempts to remove any sign of self-identity by force-feeding them during the Islamic month of Ramadan, and banning beards, etc.
First : can we stop conflating ethnic makeup and religion ? It is an ugly, racist ideology that muslims keep pushing. Race and religion have nothing to do with eachother.
Obviously Uighurs have not "always been muslim" (aside from the obvious: the ethnic group is far, far older than mohammedanism). They "converted" when they were conquered by a foreign state, who called themselves "the black Khans", supported by other foreign states. In practice, few doubt that it was the muslim way : convert, slavery or die.
Since muslims force people to convert, and have the death penalty for conversion out of islam, it seems extremely hypocritical to criticize the imposition of foreign culture. What is your argument against it ? It's not nice when others do it ?
[1] https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/兩少一寬