I’m angry. No—scratch that—I’m infuriated.

For some reason, our society today has become so numb to the utter violence and tragedy occurring throughout the world that many are unable to offer a single ounce of genuine empathy to countless individuals who face the risk of death every day.

To elaborate,more than a million Muslims in China have been arbitrarily detained in China’s Xinjiang Province and have been forced into “re-education” camps. According to Chinese officials, China has done this in order to eliminate the threat towards China’s government, population and territorial integrity, viewing Muslims, more specifically Uighurs (who make up the majority of those detained), as extremists that spread separatist views.Although there is little information about what goes on inside the camps, detainees who have fled from China have described harsh and prison-like conditions, according to reports from the Council on Foreign Relations. Within the camps, cameras and microphones monitor their every move and word they say. Many have stated they contemplate suicide or have witnessed another detainee kill themselves. Several women have recounted countless cases of sexual assault during their time as detainees; women have been subjected to contraceptive implants or abortion—both against their will. Others have described what they are forced to endure, including literal torture and sleep deprivation during investigations. Further contributing to the devastation, it’s been noted that millions of families are being separated in the process.

People know about this. I know they do. All throughout social media, posts are constantly being spread to increase awareness of the suffering currently occurring in China. Some of the most prominent social media platforms—such as Twitter, Instagram, and Tik Tok—have all circulated these posts, so I have a hard time believing that nobody knows about this.

However, many have simply dismissed this terrifying tragedy. Prominent media outlets refuse to cover the true horror occurring in these “re-education” camps. People refuse to acknowledge the severity of Chinese Muslims’ situation. Whether it’s the result of prejudice or apathy, this silence further contributes to the harm the Muslim community currently experiences, restrictng their opportunity to lead lives without the constant worry of violence and death.

The reason this leaves such a bad taste in my mouth is because it’s so reminiscent of history’s past mistakes. Whilst 6 million people died in WWII concentration camps as a result of the utter prejudice against their beliefs, much of the world sat in frightened silence for years until these people’s liberation. Whether their silence was rooted in prejudice or apathy, I don’t know. However, I do know that, without even naming this awful part of history, others will understand what I’m referencing.

All of this is hauntingly familiar, which is exactly why we must talk about it and continue to talk about it.

Please, do not turn your back on these people. Do not repeat such a devastating part of our history. Apathy is as dangerous as violence, so don’t stand idly by. Educate those around you. Advocate for those who don’t have a voice themselves.