Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

The Strategic Issues & International Relations Forum is a venue to discuss issues pertaining to India's security environment, her strategic outlook on global affairs and as well as the effect of international relations in the Indian Subcontinent. We request members to kindly stay within the mandate of this forum and keep their exchanges of views, on a civilised level, however vehemently any disagreement may be felt. All feedback regarding forum usage may be sent to the moderators using the Feedback Form or by clicking the Report Post Icon in any objectionable post for proper action. Please note that the views expressed by the Members and Moderators on these discussion boards are that of the individuals only and do not reflect the official policy or view of the Bharat-Rakshak.com Website. Copyright Violation is strictly prohibited and may result in revocation of your posting rights - please read the FAQ for full details. Users must also abide by the Forum Guidelines at all times.
hnair
Forum Moderator
Posts: 4635
Joined: 03 May 2006 01:31
Location: Trivandrum

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by hnair »

China says Urumqi rioters have al-Qaida links
BEIJING: China said Thursday that those involved in Sunday’s killing and mayhem in the northwestern city of Urumqi were members of terrorists
groups with links with al-Qaida. It was seeking the cooperation of foreign governments to track down links and people involved in supporting the rioters from overseas locations.

Finally it is time to blame the bad AlQees. In India this statement means "It is ok, we can all relax. America is on it". In China this means a request to "shut off Dalai Lama's water connection". super non-serious powers 8)
ramana
Forum Moderator
Posts: 59773
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by ramana »

So the BRF consensus is that PRC should be supported while they suppress the Uighers? The PRC wont return any such favors. So whats the story?

Looking at the map rsingh put up ET and Tibet are the largest territory of PRC. once they express their self determination than PRC wont be any one's problem.

That mohterma should have been in India not in DC. She had guts to defy the PRC machinery.
svinayak
BRF Oldie
Posts: 14223
Joined: 09 Feb 1999 12:31

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by svinayak »

narayanan wrote:
Maybe the best thing that the GOI can do today is to shut up about Xinjiang (as opposed to Tibet) and point out that it is an Internal Matter of PRC.
For India it is geo-political matter. PRC size has to be reduced. They are unable to sustain and govern the large country of 1.3 billion with only one single party
brihaspati
BRF Oldie
Posts: 12410
Joined: 19 Nov 2008 03:25

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by brihaspati »

If there is any consensus on allowing PRC to repress Uighurs, then at least I am not part of it. I have all along maintained that the Uighurs should be encouraged so that the NE of China opens up as a sink of resources for PLA. But at the same time, Uighur self determination leading up to complete independence should carefully considered. At the moment this means extension of Islamic state power in the neighbourhood of India. It can only be allowed once Tibetan independence is achieved simultaneously or before, and the Talebs are pushed into the Uighur territory. That will then be a landlocked nation of Jihadis, to be starved to death if they go out of line. But then a remnant dismembered China may still decide to suddenly become friends with that Islamic republic.

For the moment both Uighurs and Tibetans should be encouraged to engage the PLA with required covert support. Tibetan independence however should take priority and come before any thoughts of Uighur independence.
enqyoob
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2658
Joined: 06 Jul 2008 20:25

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by enqyoob »

I think Xinjiang and Tibet are actually more useful to PRC as buffer zones (like Mongolia) than as part of the People's Republic. They are having to invest huge amounts in putting infrastructure into these places, and in guarding the borders - and now in guarding the Han Settlers. So from the pov of sheer national effectiveness and manageability, China would be well rid of both these pains. Most of Xinjiang and Tibet are moonscape desert, much of the rest is impassable mountains ideal for guerrilla warfare.

If Obama co-opts the Arab rulers to the pro-American camp (yes, it's possible... :roll: ) and US-Russia put the choke-hold on the Pakiban in Fak-Ap, then PRC has a huge problem. There will be explicit calls for the End to Repression Against Muslims in China, along with calls for freedom for Tibet.

There is no modern example of a major, powerful nation just deciding to downsize itself and divest half its territory. It only happens if China HAS to downsize due to extreme survival pressures. I don't see how this can happen - in fact a Chinese move along the Siberian coastline, or a sweep north of Mongolia into Russia, are far more likely, and this is the main reason why Russia maintains a huge inventory of tactical nukes.

Apart from all these, I detest the practice of "generating Worldwide Support" for enslaved people, goading them to rise in rebellion against immovable oppressors. Look at the experience of Hungary 1950s, Tibet 1958, TianMen Square, 1989, Iran 2009, and Tibet 2008. It is contemptible to send these
We Are (Far and Safely) Behind You! Stand Up And Fight Oppression!
messages. A lot of people die horrible deaths, tens of thousands more spend the rest of their lives in chains and torture cells, and many more come out brutalized and crippled. All so that we on the outside can pat our own musharrafs in pride that we "spoke out for the cause of freedom".

The Uighurs are far better off getting an education, and learning to compete against the Han brats. At least, they have the advantage that they know what it is like to have brothers and sisters (dozens, apparently), and should be able to whip the musharrafs of the spoilt Han brats in the long term.

One example of what is is like in Xinjiang: A Chinese Travel site says: If you travel to Xinjiang, pay careful attention to what Time Zone is being used by the people who give you info. The Official Time Zone is that of Beijing, but according to this, you have to get up in the middle of the night, etc. The local time is about 3 hours later, and the locals do not recognize the Chinese Official Time.... :eek:

BTW, ramana, what's happening in Xinjiang appears to be a Nandigram, multiplied a thousand times. Standard Commie practice, it would appear. Wonder what Angana and Arundhoti have to say about this. Hope they are slapping each other on the FOIL e-list as happened in the Nandigram days.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by RajeshA »

ramana wrote:Re-posted from page 2 to remind what should be Indian interest.
--------------
RajeshA, To affirm your point of view about the need to roll back Han to core China x-post.....
Suraj wrote:As an example of the historical attitudes to China, from nearby Vietnam - at the end of WW2, when the Japanese left Vietnam, essentially leaving Chaing Kai-Shek's Kuomintang in charge, the Vietminh under Ho Chi Minh instead negotiated for a return of the French (who had been defeated earlier by the Japanese) to Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh's explanation to his Vietminh, castigating them for the initial welcoming treatment to the KMT forces, and his preference for French rule was:

"Ho Chi Minh": Don't you realize what it means if the Chinese stay ? Don't you remember your history ? The last time the Chinese came, they stayed one thousand years. The French are foreigners. They are weak. Colonialism is dying out. Nothing will be able to withstand world pressure for independence. They may stay for a while, but they will have to go, because the white man is finished in Asia. But if the Chinese stay now, they will never leave. As for me, I prefer to smell French shit for five years, rather than Chinese shit for the rest of my life.

The French returned to Vietnam in 1945-46, hoping to quickly defeat the Vietminh nationalists. However, after years of internecine conflict, they were comprehensively defeated by Vo Nguyen Giap's forces at Dien Bien Phu in 1954, and withdrew from Vietnam.

Quote source:
Google books: War and Revolution in Vietnam: 1930-75
What we are seeing is roll back of colonialism and Western presence in Central Asia. The Chinese rolled into East Turkestan to preclude Tsarist Russian advance in the 18th century. We dont know if there was English hand in that.
------------------------
In which case, the Central Asian Republics can consider themselves lucky that they got invited into Tsarist Russia and then were allowed to remain part of the Soviet Union for x-number of years. At least they were able to avert a permanent occupation by the Chinese. The Uyghurs, Tibetans and the Mongols were less lucky.

The Tibetans and the Uyghurs are however few in number and they had vast lands under their rule. It is difficult to imagine how they will be able to gain their freedom again the conventional way.

Nehru was one of the founders of our nation, and for all that I still love him, but it would not have been bad if the things had gone on a bit differently! :(

Basically Central Asia is still susceptible to the Chinese imperialistic juggernaut. If not formal, the CARs would become informally occupied, where the leaders there would not dare to anger China. Siberia, in fact the whole of Eastern Russia, can fall one day to China, considering the dwindling Russian population and the continuing infiltration and immigration of Chinese into the region.

I wonder if Russia and the other Western powers have given it some thought, or have they lost all sense of balance of power.

I think, in the future we should stop talking about imperialism only in the Western context. China is also an imperialist power, and one should encourage the world media to use the words Chinese Imperialism. However the Western countries still have guilty consciences about their own imperialism era, to try to use the word for a once (even if partly) colonized country. And others are too scared to speak out.
Virupaksha
BR Mainsite Crew
Posts: 3110
Joined: 28 Jun 2007 06:36

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by Virupaksha »

narayanan wrote:
We Are (Far and Safely) Behind You! Stand Up And Fight Oppression!
narayanan,
but this is how powers fight, when the time for direct confrontation is not ripe, otherwise known as war by proxy.

Besides a person who does not fight for himself does not deserve any sympathy.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by RajeshA »

Something we have all been waiting for: A reaction from Ankara

Little chance of UN focusing on Uighurs: Hurriyet
ISTANBUL - The likelihood of bringing the ethnic and civil unrest in China’s Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region before the U.N. Security Council's is very dim, Turkey’s permanent representation in New York has warned.

Little chance of UN focusing on Uighurs Then, on Thursday, China rejected the call from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to discuss the issue among the council.

Turkey started to serve on the Security Council as a non-permanent member at the beginning of this year.

The Turkish mission to the United Nations has told the Foreign Ministry that there seems to be no willingness among the members of the council to discuss the issue, the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic

Review has learned from sources that asked to remain anonymous.

The mission’s views came after Prime Minister Erdoğan’s call Wednesday that Turkey will bring the tragedy unfolding in China’s northwest region onto the agenda of the council. The government’s course of action following the ethnic tension that has left more than 150 dead has shown once again how the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, poorly conducts diplomacy, experts said. "The prime minister went ahead with his statement without consulting the Foreign Ministry," said one source familiar with the issue.

After its initial silence, the government decided to act only after it came under fire for its stance on the violence that has seen Muslim Uighurs, an ethnic Turkic minority who have long chafed under Chinese rule, take to the streets in Xinjiang region’s capital Urumqi over the weekend. The violence, reportedly the worst ethnic trouble in China in decades, left 1,000 injured and more than 1,400 detained.

"It is not possible for Turkey to accept the pictures that have appeared in Turkish and world papers," Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu told reporters, adding that Turkey’s diplomatic contacts are continuing to seek an end to the tension. His statement was followed by the prime minister, who said Turkey will bring the issue before the U.N. Security Council.

But there is an unwritten rule among the permanent members of the Security Council, known as the P5. The U.S., China, Russia, France and UK do not discuss what is considered their "internal affairs" with the Security Council. In fact, China rejected the prime minister’s suggestion saying the incident was an internal affair, according to an Agence France-Presse report. "The Chinese government has taken decisive measures according to law," foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters. "This is completely China's internal affair, there is no reason to seek a Security Council discussion."
1. The Turkish Govt. came under fire for its silence. So somebody in Turkey cares for their cousins on the other end of Türkic historical expanse.

2. The Turkish Govt. protested. Hardly any other Govt. has protested at all. No peep from the Ummmmahh!

3. The Turks cannot do much as their hands are tied. However at an unofficial level there may be some interest there to see some changes and may be do something.

Current UNSC members:
Permanent:
United States of America
Russian Federation
People's Republic of China
France
United Kingdom

Non-Permanent:
Austria (2010)
Japan (2010)
Uganda (2010)
Burkina Faso (2009)
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (2009)
Viet Nam (2009)
Costa Rica (2009)
Mexico (2010)
Croatia (2009)
Turkey (2010)

Only two Ummah members. And what says the Colonel?
vsudhir
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2173
Joined: 19 Jan 2006 03:44
Location: Dark side of the moon

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by vsudhir »

The Turks have of course the moral high ground in raising their voice at PRC's disgraceful handling of its alleged internal affair..... Turkish handling of the Armenian uprising remains to this day a textbook example of grace, finesse, compassion and humanity. It is only fitting they raise their voices even further since they are on a moral 'high' ground...../snark off.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by RajeshA »

Turkish PM Erdogan: Exiled Uighur Leader Promised Turkey Visa: AFP
ANKARA (AFP)--Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised Thursday to grant a visa to exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer, a day after she said she had twice been denied entry to his country.

His remarks came a day after Kadeer - president of the World Uighur Congress - told Turkey's NTV news channel that her application for a Turkish visa were denied in 2006 and 2007.

The 62-year-old Kadeer, who has been living in the U.S. since March 2005 after being deported by China, is blamed by Chinese officials for instigating the unrest in Xinjiang where at least 156 people have died.

Erdogan Wednesday condemned the violence as an "atrocity" and said his country would put the matter on the agenda of the U.N. Security Council - a call rejected by China.

Xinjiang's Turkic-speaking and Muslim Uighurs number about 8 million and make up nearly half the population of the region, a vast area of deserts and mountains rich in natural resources that borders ex-Soviet Central Asia.

Many Uighurs have sought refuge in Turkey, where some Islamist and nationalist groups lend support to demands for an independent Uighur homeland in the region.

But Turkey's official policy has been to support China's territorial integrity and oppose any separatist movements.
Turkey won't be doing much against Chinese imperialism. It too is afraid of Kurdish Separatism, and like India condemned to impotency.

Turkey would be the sole major country who has a stake in the Uyghurs, because of ethnic bonds. Other countries like USA, etc. would only be interested in the publicity value, fully knowing that changing the facts on the ground is impossible. The Ummah on the other hand, have never heard of the Uyghurs and don't know that they are Muslims under occupation.
shaardula
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2591
Joined: 17 Apr 2006 20:02

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by shaardula »

i prefer the CCP getting the upper hand in this. CCP is a known, quantifiable entity that is subject to rational pulls of our times. the same cannot be said if the fallout was the otherway around. every entity has imperialistic aspirations, and most contemporary powers would use all currently available approaches to achieve it. but the ummah's entire game plan is to be medieval about it.

the important thing to realize is which ever way it turns out, it does not solve any real and immediate problems for us.
Last edited by shaardula on 10 Jul 2009 05:33, edited 1 time in total.
KLNMurthy
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4826
Joined: 17 Aug 2005 13:06

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by KLNMurthy »

cutting china down to size should be a no-brainer preference for India.
enqyoob
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2658
Joined: 06 Jul 2008 20:25

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by enqyoob »

China quake destroys 10,000 homes... 6.0-magnitude quake hit Yunnan province in southwest China Thursday evening, leaving more than 300 people injured, the Xinhua news service reported.
.... at a depth of about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), Xinhua reported....
.... Approximately 4,500 tents, 3,000 quilts and other relief material was being distributed,
.. earthquake comes more than a year after a massive quake struck Sichuan province in China. The 8.0-magnitude quake on May 12, 2008 killed more than 68,000 people, left nearly 18,000 more missing and displaced 15 million others.
There are quite a few gems of Strategic Thinking :roll: on this thread. 8)
cutting china down to size should be a no-brainer preference for India.
Exactly.
but this is how powers fight, when the time for direct confrontation is not ripe, otherwise known as war by proxy. Besides a person who does not fight for himself does not deserve any sympathy.
Great excuse... I can almost hear the Pakistani Jarnails sitting around saying that about the "Kashmiri Liberation Movement". Anyone here remember what happened in Hungary when the People Rose In Rebellion following the Soviet "Assistance"?
Yayavar
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4832
Joined: 06 Jun 2008 10:55

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by Yayavar »

ramana wrote:So the BRF consensus is that PRC should be supported while they suppress the Uighers? The PRC wont return any such favors. So whats the story?
No, do not support such 'consensus'. Xinjiang being radicalized may happen - we have much more rabid radical neighbours on our flanks, and PRC instigating them and troubles in NE. 12 millions uighers have a long way to go before their expressions of freedom are recognized - they might yet discover better options than being ummahized. Until then Uighers need to express their grievances and claim their rights...if PRC must sweat as a result, why not?
shaardula
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2591
Joined: 17 Apr 2006 20:02

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by shaardula »

prc is not going to win this free of cost. i dont know if 150 amounts to much, but i am guessing it will have an impact.
Atri
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4152
Joined: 01 Feb 2009 21:07

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by Atri »

India is doing what it does best, and is what is best for her.. Sit tight and enjoy the show.. watch the events unfold slowly in her favour. overt support to either Uighurs or PRC will be anathema to Indian interests. Chanakya's and PVNR's inaction is in India's best interest with respect to Uighur uprising.

Meanwhile, India should seriously think of raising a Tibetan Regiment in Indian army. If that is too bold, then at least start recruiting large number of Tibetan youth in Indian Army. If in long run Tibet is to be liberated, it should be done by Tibetan people primarily.
shiv
BRF Oldie
Posts: 34982
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: Pindliyon ka Gooda

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by shiv »

RajeshA wrote:I have a clear line regarding when I should show sympathy to separatist tendencies of a people and when not.

1) The nationalistic (== sub-nationalistic separatist) feeling amongst the people exists across any religious divisions amongst them, and they are be united. == Sympathy
Religion-motivated separatism == No Sympathy

2) The ethnic group holds its historical cultural roots dear to its identity, and that causes its desire to find its own place under the sun == SYMPATHY
The ethnic group has changed its Weltanschauung due to external influences, and for that reason wishes to distance itself from its surrounding political affiliations and bonds, as often happens through change of religion (e.g Kashmir, Pakistani areas from India, possibly in Nagaland,, etc) == NO SYMPATHY

3) An ethnic group is home in a place from time immemorial and has historical rights to the land and wants to secure its predominance in its homeland == SYMPATHY
An ethnic group has encroached into a geographical region, and made the native ethnic group into a minority and then wants to dictate the political future of the region == NO SYMPATHY (e.g. Kosovo, Bangladeshi in Assam soon)

4) An ethnic group can lay claim to a large area (especially peripheral), which should be under its own rule == SYMPATHY
Any ethnic group which occupies a minuscule area, wants to exclusively lord over it, destroying the contiguity of the larger federation == NO SYMPATHY

5) A local ethnic group is being emasculated culturally, linguistically, religion-wise by the predominant ethnic group in the country == SYMPATHY
An ethnic group native to the region is allowed to dictate the cultural and linguistic agenda for the region even as it finds itself in a bigger federation, but still demands independence from the wider political federal setup == NO SYMPATHY

6) The native ethnic group has hardly any voice in the political set up, cannot elect and send its representatives to govern over them, nor has a voice in the larger political setup of the country, especially regarding its own region == SYMPATHY
An ethnic group enjoys full democratic rights, and can govern themselves and have an equitable voice in the larger federation, and then wants independence == NO SYMPATHY

7) The region of a local ethnic group is part of a wider country, which is ruled by a dictatorship, but the ethnic group finds the political setup of the country to be rebelling against their sense of a more liberal, more representative setup == SYMPATHY
The native ethnic group lives in a country with a full liberal democratic political system == NO SYMPATHY

8 ) The ethnic group lives in a country, where another ethnic group dominates completely == SYMPATHY
The ethnic group lives in a country, which is a federation of many different ethnicities, and no ethnicity has a monopoly on power == NO SYMPATHY.

Excellent Rajesh. Excellent!
Gerard
Forum Moderator
Posts: 8012
Joined: 15 Nov 1999 12:31

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by Gerard »

enqyoob
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2658
Joined: 06 Jul 2008 20:25

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by enqyoob »

Hello experts:
Chinese officials say Kadeer’s role in the recent bloodshed is more than symbolic. The Associated Press cites officials saying they have a recording of Kadeer speaking by phone to a relative in Urumqi, discussing in advance demonstrations that occurred last weekend.

Kadeer rejects the charge. She says she indeed called her brother to alert him to announcements being circulated by others on the Internet. “I urged my brother to stay at home that day, and to ask my other family members to stay at home as well, fearing that they may be subject to violence at the hands of the authorities if they ventured outside,” she said. “In no way did I call on anyone, at any time, to demonstrate.”

Kadeer said she condemned any violence committed by Uighurs, but blamed the authorities: “The Chinese police provoked the violence.”


Some time ago, there were "communal riots" in a town called Mau in UP. Immediately attributed to the harassment of "one community" by "another community" by the usual quarters.

At the "IndiaUnity" Yahoo web site, the commie-pakis were having a ball bashing India for this, when someone came there and proceeded to tweak them. In due course, the leader there got provoked into making a startling revelation: He claimed that he had been in close phone contact with the guys in Mau, and "I stopped the riots with one phone call".

Of course, he then realized what he had typed, and back-pedalled, tried to brazen it out, attacking the provoker 8) who asked whether the guy who could stop the riots with one call, wasn't also the guy who started the riots with one call....

But try to get the message. The PRC is most probably right in their allegation. They should know - they are responsible for such riots all over the world in other countries, and someone who has been high up in their Politburo knows exactly how it is done.

Consider: How did the murder of two Uighur workers in a factory thousands of miles away (on the coast) - lead immediately to such massive riots in Urumqi at such a predictable point in time? Also, how was someone "across from the White House" so up-to-date on events?
shiv
BRF Oldie
Posts: 34982
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: Pindliyon ka Gooda

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by shiv »

vsudhir wrote:Chinese troops flood streets after riots

The attached pic looks straight outta a cheeni movie..... imperial troops assemble in the citadel of the forbidden city...scary onlee

Image

Attached caption:
Chinese security forces gather in a square in Urumqi, western China's Xinjiang province, Wednesday, July 8, 2009. China's president cut short a G8 summit trip to rush home Wednesday after ethnic tensions soared in Xinjiang territory, and the government flooded the area with security forces in a bid to quell emotions in the wake of a massive riot that left at least 156 dead.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Oh the value of psy ops..

A brief count shows that there are about 1500 troops in the picture. What a lovely scenario for 4 LMGs - one in each corner of the square. Or an IED mubarak... It's only because no one else is armed that these puppets of the communist regime can collect up in this fashion parade.

Why would anyone line up troops in a square and publish a photo like this? 1930s pictures of Nazi party meetings used to be like this. The picture would mean little to Uighurs. It is meant to send a message to outsiders - both Chinese and non Chinese that "We are strong - just look at our neat rows of uniformed men.."
enqyoob
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2658
Joined: 06 Jul 2008 20:25

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by enqyoob »

Shiv: All riot police require such drill, and especially a dictatorial regime crushing popular protest. How can you trust small teams to operate effectively to enforce the Will of the Party and go run tanks over children?

Anyway, if you look carefully, it appears that the Chinese can't stand in proper rows. Even our NCC company at the eye-eye-tea where Soapy Sunder marched with left arm and left leg shooting out together, had to keep a far straighter row than this - you could place a straight rod along the ankles of all the guys in a row. These guys are sloppy. They are probably just slouching around waiting for the daily rat-snake and booze rations to be passed out, before getting the exhortations to :Adi! Kollu! Kick!
Actually they seem to be ON the zam-zam cola.
shiv
BRF Oldie
Posts: 34982
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: Pindliyon ka Gooda

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by shiv »

My personal reaction to the problems in Uighuristan?

"I urge the Chinese government to respect human rights and religion and stop this genocide of Uighurs. I also urge all Uighurs to respect the Chinese government and the laws of their nation and to eschew violence in the name of religion or ethnicity"

You are both right. You are both my friends. Keep fighting. May the best man win! :rotfl:
shravan
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2206
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 00:08

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by shravan »

The Real Uighur Story

By REBIYA KADEER


When the Chinese government, with the comfort of hindsight, looks back on its handling of the unrest in Urumqi and East Turkestan this week, it will most likely tell the world with great satisfaction that it acted in the interests of maintaining stability. What officials in Beijing and Urumqi will most likely forget to tell the world is the reason why thousands of Uighurs risked everything to speak out against injustice, and the fact that hundreds of Uighurs are now dead for exercising their right to protest.

On Sunday, students organized a protest in the Döng Körük (Erdaoqiao) area of Urumqi. They wished to express discontent with the Chinese authorities' inaction on the mob killing and beating of Uighurs at a toy factory in Shaoguan in China's southern Guangdong province and to express sympathy with the families of those killed and injured. What started as a peaceful assembly of Uighurs turned violent as some elements of the crowd reacted to heavy-handed policing. I unequivocally condemn the use of violence by Uighurs during the demonstration as much as I do China's use of excessive force against protestors.

While the incident in Shaoguan upset Uighurs, it was the Chinese government's inaction over the racially motivated killings that compelled Uighurs to show their dissatisfaction on the streets of Urumqi. Wang Lequan, the Party Secretary of the "Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region" has blamed me for the unrest; however, years of Chinese repression of Uighurs topped by a confirmation that Chinese officials have no interest in observing the rule of law when Uighurs are concerned is the cause of the current Uighur discontent.

China's heavy-handed reaction to Sunday's protest will only reinforce these views. Uighur sources within East Turkestan say that 400 Uighurs in Urumqi have died as a result of police shootings and beatings. There is no accurate figure for the number of injured. A curfew has been imposed, telephone lines are down and the city remains tense. Uighurs have contacted me to report that the Chinese authorities are in the process of conducting a house-to-house search of Uighur homes and are arresting male Uighurs. They say that Uighurs are afraid to walk the streets in the capital of their homeland.

The unrest is spreading. The cities of Kashgar, Yarkand, Aksu, Khotan and Karamay may have also seen unrest, though it's hard to tell, given China's state-run propanganda. Kashgar has been the worst effected of these cities and unconfirmed reports state that over 100 Uighurs have been killed there. Troops have entered Kashgar, and sources in the city say that two Chinese soldiers have been posted to each Uighur house.

The nature of recent Uighur repression has taken on a racial tone. The Chinese government is well-known for encouraging a nationalistic streak among Han Chinese as it seeks to replace the bankrupt communist ideology it used to promote. This nationalism was clearly in evidence as the Han Chinese mob attacked Uighur workers in Shaoguan, and it seems that the Chinese government is now content to let some of its citizens carry out its repression of Uighurs on its behalf.

This encouragement of a reactionary nationalism among Han Chinese makes the path forward very difficult. The World Uighur Congress that I head, much like the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan movement, advocates for the peaceful establishment of self-determination with genuine respect for human rights and democracy. To achieve this objective, there needs to be a path for Han Chinese and Uighur to achieve a dialogue based on trust, mutual respect and equality. Under present Chinese government policies encouraging unchecked nationalism, this is not possible.

To rectify the deteriorating situation in East Turkestan, the Chinese government must first properly investigate the Shaoguan killings and bring those responsible for the killing of Uighurs to justice. An independent and open inquiry into the Urumqi unrest also needs to be conducted so that Han Chinese and Uighurs can understand the reasons for Sunday's events and seek ways to establish the mutual understanding so conspicuously absent in the current climate.

The United States has a key role to play in this process. Given the Chinese government's track record of egregious human-rights abuses against Uighurs, it seems unlikely Beijing will drop its rhetoric and invite Uighurs to discuss concerns. The U.S. has always spoken out on behalf of the oppressed; this is why they have been the leaders in presenting the Uighur case to the Chinese government. The U.S., at this critical juncture in the East Turkestan issue, must unequivocally show its concern by first condemning the violence in Urumqi, and second, by establishing a consulate in Urumqi to not only act as a beacon of freedom in an environment of fierce repression but also to monitor the daily human-rights abuses perpetrated against the Uighurs.

As I write this piece, reports are reaching our office in Washington that on Monday, 4,000 Han Chinese took to the streets in Urumqi seeking revenge by carrying out acts of violence against Uighurs. On Tuesday, more Han Chinese took to the streets. As the violence escalates, so does the pain I feel for the loss of all innocent lives. I fear the Chinese government will not experience this pain as it reports on its version of events in Urumqi, and it is this lack of self-examination that further divides Han Chinese and Uighurs.
SwamyG
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16267
Joined: 11 Apr 2007 09:22

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by SwamyG »

^^^^^
She is the 60+ yr old being talked about here.
RayC
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4333
Joined: 16 Jan 2004 12:31

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by RayC »

ramana wrote:So the BRF consensus is that PRC should be supported while they suppress the Uighers? The PRC wont return any such favors. So whats the story?

Looking at the map rsingh put up ET and Tibet are the largest territory of PRC. once they express their self determination than PRC wont be any one's problem.

That mohterma should have been in India not in DC. She had guts to defy the PRC machinery.
Xinjiang is a geostrategic issue that has nothing to do with religion is what should be the Indian viewpoint.

China has meddled enough with Indian sovereignty and it is time to pay China back in the same coin.

The situation in Xinjaing must be real serious wherein Hu Jintao ran back from the G8 summit, the Friday prayers banned etc.

These facts and the fact that the Friday prayers were banned (even though the chergy is handpicked for their loyalty to the Han Chinese regime and the fact that the sermon is vetted by the District Communist Han apparatchik) does indicate that it is not local but is turning out to be an uprising.

The danger to China is that there are 56 minorities. This uprising may encourage them to rebel too!

There is thus the danger of the Great Wall of China crumbling down!

The dream of annexing 'South Tibet' going up in a puff of smoke!
RayC
BRF Oldie
Posts: 4333
Joined: 16 Jan 2004 12:31

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by RayC »

SwamyG wrote:^^^^^
She is the 60+ yr old being talked about here.

I am 60+ come and meddle with me! :rotfl:
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by RajeshA »

RayC wrote:China has meddled enough with Indian sovereignty and it is time to pay China back in the same coin.

These facts and the fact that the Friday prayers were banned (even though the chergy is handpicked for their loyalty to the Han Chinese regime and the fact that the sermon is vetted by the District Communist Han apparatchik) does indicate that it is not local but is turning out to be an uprising.
There is a question of principles and then there is the question of practice.

Others like China advocate the principle of non-interference, but in practice they do not hesitate to do the opposite. That is real politik.

India advocates the principle of non-interference, but also feels then duty-bound to practice this principle, foremost so as not to give anybody the excuse to do something similar in India. That however does not stop the others from doing so. They only do it on the quiet. I don't know whether it is such a huge achievement in forcing others to do harm to you on the quiet.

So if we remove the dichotomy of principles and quiet practice of the opposite, than here is a suggestion.

How about getting the Indian Muslims to take up a position on the Xinjiang disturbances? How about getting the Indian Mullahs, Shahi Imam and Deoband to lodge a protest, or to carry out a few demonstrations against Chinese oppression of Muslims?

Others will shout that this is a double-edged sword, and may come to haunt us later, possibly in a way it is happening in Pakistan. Well one difference would be, that this is not about arming Indian Muslims to wage Jihad or anything of the like. Tauba, Tauba!

What this does is:
1. It generates a sense of being part of India. It shows to the IMs that Indian Interests and Muslims Interests can be congruent to each other. This would be an appropriate answer to the time of the nuclear deal in March 2007 when Bush came a calling, and Muslims demonstrated against him, whereas the body polity of India was very much in favor of Bush. That incidence gave the IMs a feeling that India's and Indian Muslim's interest diverge. A protest against Uyghur oppression can bring back on the rails.

2. Secondly, something that has been depressingly missing on the world stage and in the Ummah is the voice of Indian Muslims, especially when it is in favor of India. India's official foreign policy, correctly if I may add, is conducted from PMO, MEA, but which often has the disadvantage that the Indian Muslims cannot be the voice of India in places like the OIC. What we need is some coordination between India's official Foreign Policy and Indian Muslim Organizations on issues where Indian Muslim Organizations may take the front. I think this is one such issue. India can benefit from it, and at the same time officially keep a healthy distance from it as well (considering we are democratic, free and multi-religious).

3. Indian Muslims can benefit from it, because every other Ummah member is somehow appeasing China and keeping quite. The only murmurs of protest have been heard in Ankara, by the Chinese Muslims in Malaysia, and that is all. So if Indian Muslims start a protest on this issue, their voice would be the loudest in a very quiet environment, and as such would enhance their credentials to speak on issues concerning Muslim populations, which can come in handy in countering Pakistani propaganda on Kashmir in the OIC. This would also take away the carpet from below Pakistan as the voice of Muslims in the Indian Subcontinent.

4. India can use this opportunity to get cozy with a couple of Ummah countries, especially Turkey. Turkey in fact does see itself as the voice of Türkic people all over Central Asia. Turkey has been a great friend of Pakistan all these years, but this would be the time to break that relationship. The Pakistanis have been handing over Uyghur rebels to PRC, while India feels sympathy for the plight of the Türkic people. In the Great Game in Central Asia, Turkey can be a very good partner for India, just as Iran is. A loud protest from the Indian Muslims and a deathly silence from Pakistan would not go unnoticed amongst the Turkish people.

5. This would also be good for relations with the Central Asian Republics. Whereas PRC clamps down on Türkic people, India shows sympathy. The Kazakhs, the Kirghiz, the Uzbeks, the Turkmen, and even Azerbaijanis who are all Türkic would appreciate Indian sentiments, and may like to have enhanced strategic and economic ties with India to countenance PRC in Central Asia. Official Indian Foreign Policy need not do much in this regard. They can ride piggy-back on Indian Muslim protests.

6. Indian Muslim protests would also give China second thoughts about its meddling in South Asia and taking for granted that Indian Muslims and Bharat are in conflict.

7. In a tussle in Asia for supremacy with three poles: the Han Chinese, the Indics and Islam, it is important that the Han Chinese and Islam are not aligned, because that will take down India. This is an opportunity to recalibrate that dynamic a bit.

8. This is a low-cost high profit venture. We know we are not about to get Xinjiang freed from PRC, but why not use the opportunity to strengthen our standing in the region.

9. One could even consider this to be an opportunity to allow Indian Muslims to vent their negative energy outwards and not inwards inside India.

Like Prakash Karat brought out the Indian Muslims out on the streets when George W. Bush visited India, would he be willing to do this one more time, this time to protest PRC oppression of Uyghurs in East Turkestan. Come on, Prakash! Don't you want the limelight?
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by RajeshA »

Coming again to the question of what India gains from this incident and what we want to gain:

India does not want to go head-to-head with China on this by taking an official pro-Uyghur position. We are also unlikely to see an independent East Turkestan anytime soon. So no need to dream of that either right now. But we can still gain something from all this.

1) Change of Muslim sentiment towards PRC: We want some Satyamev Jayate on Arab Street. The Arabs need to be seeded with the knowledge that China is an even bigger enemy of Islam than USA. The focus here is not Arab sentiments about USA, but rather the Arab disgust at PRC. This needs to hammered in as much as possible.

2) PRC as a target of criticism: The problem here is that this remains a big story only in the Western press. The Arab regimes have not pressed on this point and the Arab press has been subdued about it. This needs to change. The Arab press should be constantly bombarding PRC even if their leaders choose not to do so. For that this needs to become a Muslim rights issue. For India it would be best that the Arab press makes the distinction about the extent to which Indian Muslims enjoy their freedoms to practice Islam in the country, and how the Muslims in China are not allowed to even have their own Mullahs.

3) Reorganization of strategic inclinations: India should strive for an additional partner in Central Asia. Should Turkey start to see India as its most important partner in the future politics of Central Asia, it will be a welcome change. We need a strong anti-China partner in Central Asia too, and there is none more culturally influential in the region than Turkey. Moreover Turkey is secular, so India need not bend our principles or rhetoric to accommodate such a partner. Together with Iran and Russia, Turkey can solidify India's positive role in Central Asia to the detriment of both PRC and Pakistan.

4) Untouchability: Just as whenever any Ummah-land touches USA or Britain, the regime loses a bit of respect in the eyes of their people, so too much be the case with any Muslim country which becomes too cozy with PRC. As and when PRC adopts Pakistan full-time as a last effort to stem its demise, Pakistan should remain a country to be scorned by all Muslims alike, be they in Pakistan or elsewhere. A divorce from USA should not improve their image. It should forever be known as the wannabe Muslim country which kills Muslims or extradites devout Muslims to Kafir dictatorships for execution.

5) Decrease PRC's options and maneuverability Right now, PRC can enter into agreements and cooperation with all and sundry in the Muslim world. They have agreements with Jamaat-Islami of Pakistan. They wouldn't flinch from jumping into bed with Al Qaida or the Taliban or whatever. A negative image of PRC amongst these presumably die-hard Islamists would decrease PRC's room for maneuverability and options. This could also have some benefits for India in our North-East.

6) Muslim Spokesman: Pakistan has been successfully contending as the spokesman for all the Muslims on the Indian Subcontinent as well as an outspoken spokesman for all Muslim causes worldwide. On this issue, India should make Pakistan to bite dust. Indian Muslims should snatch away this title from Pakistan. Pakistan's silence on Xinjiang and an outspoken stand by Indian Muslims on the issue can be helpful in that regard.

All this can be ensured by a cooperative Indian Media and outspoken Indian Muslims.
arunsrinivasan
BRFite
Posts: 353
Joined: 16 May 2009 15:24

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by arunsrinivasan »

How China Wins and Loses Xinjiang
Extract
Andrew Nathan, chair of the political science department at Columbia University, explains, "This is the Chinese style toward religion -- the government is very suspicious of religion. In Xinjiang, separatism is the thing they want to avoid. They conceive of the separatists as people who are religious fundamentalists. They're making a logical leap of faith. It produces resistance. It produces deep resentment."

And there are some indicators that China's attempts to curb Islam in the name of assimilating the Uighurs and other minorities in Xinjiang are woefully backfiring. Even as the local government has tightened its "counterterrorism" policies in recent years, the U.S. Congressional Commission on China has determined, the level of unrest in the province has actually increased. Last year saw a string of bus bombings and attacks on police in southwest Xinjiang; Sunday's bloody riots in Urumqi were the worst in many years.

"China's attempts to suppress Islam," a recent Human Rights Watch report concludes, "is a policy that is likely to alienate Uighurs, drive religious expression further underground, and encourage the development of more radicalized and oppositional forms of religious identity."

Commenting from a different angle, Richard Weitz, director of the Center for Political-Military Analysis at the Hudson Institute, finds broader regional security implications. "A lot of Chinese problems do appear to be a bit of their own making," he said. "They justify a lot of what they're doing in the name of counterterrorism, but we fear it might also exacerbate a terrorist threat. Of course, the same could be said for some U.S. policies -- look at Iraq and Afghanistan."

Misunderstanding the Uighur culture and religion, the Chinese authorities fear the worst. And their current policies seem more likely to foster resistance and resentment than peace and passivity. Perhaps the backlash is already beginning.
China seems to be digging a hole for itself :D
arunsrinivasan
BRFite
Posts: 353
Joined: 16 May 2009 15:24

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by arunsrinivasan »

RajeshA, I buy into your logic ... now if only someone could implement this? Any chance of this happening?
enqyoob
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2658
Joined: 06 Jul 2008 20:25

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by enqyoob »

India could host a joint Indo-Turkish-Tibetan Festival of The Turkic Peoples.... :mrgreen:
Have floats representing the Kushans, King Sibi-e-Ria, King Arjuntina, Kambojian (i.e., Kampuchean) dances, a Poetry of Manasarovar Festival, Murals depicting the Historic Freedom Struggle of the People of East Turkestan... Murals on the Historic Brotherhood Between the Turkic and Buddhist Peoples
And of course, invite Hu Jin Tao and contingents from Xinjiang, Taiwan, Japan, Kampuchea, South Korea and Vietnam.

Speaking of Turkish respect for hyooman rites, didn't they execute the leader of the Kurdish movement a couple of years back? Wonderful record, I would say.
Rahul M
Forum Moderator
Posts: 17168
Joined: 17 Aug 2005 21:09
Location: Skies over BRFATA
Contact:

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by Rahul M »

Chiron wrote: Meanwhile, India should seriously think of raising a Tibetan Regiment in Indian army. If that is too bold, then at least start recruiting large number of Tibetan youth in Indian Army. If in long run Tibet is to be liberated, it should be done by Tibetan people primarily.
haven't been through the BR mainsite have you ?
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/LAND-FORCES/SFF.html
Philip
BRF Oldie
Posts: 21538
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30
Location: India

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by Philip »

There are some myths that have to be cleared here.One,that all Muslim states around the globe are extremist and anti-non-Muslim.We have the Central Asian states formerly of the Sov.Union who have nothing to do with the Sausi-Af-Pak Wahabi fundamentalism.Other Arab states like Egyot and Syria are also anti-Al Q as was Saddam and Iraq earlier.So too is Iran,which mainly wants the Islamic revolution preserved and is fighting covert western backed ops to subvert the regime.With Iran though there is abig Q mark about its attitude towards Israel and its sponsoring of the Hiz in Lebanon though and its desire to have some kind of N-deterrent to ward off first Pak and Saudi Arabia (suspected to have Pak made nukes) and also Israel.Turkey is a prime example of a separation of state and religion in a Muslim nation.Therefore imagining the Uighars to be another paki clone is wrong.They are fighting for their very survival,as much as the Tibetans are.The Chinese are trying to create a nation where the various smaller ethnic groups are neutered through ethnic cleansing and scoial engineering,through the large scale induction of the latter day Huns,the Hans.Therefore support for the Hans must be made,both moral and through the international fora like the Un by the Uighar intl. movement.They will receive much support now from the Islamic states of Central Asia and elsewhere.If the PRC continues to suppress them,then a full scale war of independence might begin.India must sit back and watch how China deals with this situ,as it ddirectly effects the PRC's attitude towards the Tibetans and their insidous attempt to annex Arunachal Pradesh.As I've said before,it's past time to decalre Tibet an "Indian cultural nation".

Secondly,the myth that the Chinese Communist Party and the military have control over the whole country has been twice exposed,last year with the Tibetan uprising during the Olympics and now the Uighars .The heavy "Han-ded" method,pun intended,with whcih the moinorities are being buthchered will only bottle up further genuine peaceful public demonstrations and later turn them into anti-govt. armed movements.The biggest loser of face has been the Chinese leadership,Gin & Tonic and Pink Gin.G & T had to rush back in indecent haste from the G-8 to quell a serious riot on China's far flung border,thousands of miles away from Beijing! If he had to desert his international duties for such an event,which any western or democratic leader could've handled over the phone,it indicates the fragility of the regime and its fright and sensiitivity at any threat to its rule.The Uighar uprising will be a landmark in exposing the true fragility of the PRC and the world is watching very carefully at the cracks in the "Great Wall" of the PRC.The Taiwanese and the Tibetans will take much heart from this,as well as further girding their loins against the savagery of the Butchers of Beijing.
RajeshA
BRF Oldie
Posts: 16006
Joined: 28 Dec 2007 19:30

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by RajeshA »

narayanan wrote:India could host a joint Indo-Turkish-Tibetan Festival of The Turkic Peoples.... :mrgreen:
Have floats representing the Kushans, King Sibi-e-Ria, King Arjuntina, Kambojian (i.e., Kampuchean) dances, a Poetry of Manasarovar Festival, Murals depicting the Historic Freedom Struggle of the People of East Turkestan... Murals on the Historic Brotherhood Between the Turkic and Buddhist Peoples
And of course, invite Hu Jin Tao and contingents from Xinjiang, Taiwan, Japan, Kampuchea, South Korea and Vietnam.

Speaking of Turkish respect for hyooman rites, didn't they execute the leader of the Kurdish movement a couple of years back? Wonderful record, I would say.
Nice, that you too like jhankis and festivals. :)

If by leader of the Kurdish Movement you mean Abdullah Öcalan, then ...
n³,
if I may say so, this has nothing to do with human rights, Muslim rights or any of the fluffy stuff for India.

This all about creating a new balance of power and alliances in Central Asia, favorable to India. As you know, we are not all that well positioned.
AnimeshP
BRFite
Posts: 514
Joined: 01 Dec 2008 07:39

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by AnimeshP »

RajeshA wrote:
How about getting the Indian Muslims to take up a position on the Xinjiang disturbances? How about getting the Indian Mullahs, Shahi Imam and Deoband to lodge a protest, or to carry out a few demonstrations against Chinese oppression of Muslims?
looks like this is already happening ...
Link
LUDHIANA: Reacting sharply to the death of over 150 people of Uighur, a Muslim community in Xinjiang, China, a large number of Muslims under the
Shahi Imam, Punjab, Habib Ur Rehman, carried out a protest in the Field Ganj area near the Jama Masjid here on Wednesday.

........

The Imam appealed to the Muslim community in India to boycott Chinese-made goods.
derkonig
BRFite
Posts: 952
Joined: 08 Nov 2007 00:51
Location: Jeering sekular forces bhile Furiously malishing my mijjile @ Led Lips Mijjile Malish Palish Parloul

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by derkonig »

^^
This is too little and too late, the protests should have been on the scale of the Tibetans' protests.
AnimeshP
BRFite
Posts: 514
Joined: 01 Dec 2008 07:39

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by AnimeshP »

Atimes take on why Hu Jintao rushed back from the G-8 summit ...

No question, Hu's in charge of Xinjiang
<snip>

It is believed that when Hu left Beijing he entrusted Vice President Xi Jinping to oversee state affairs. Xi heads an ad hoc group set up after the riots in Tibet in March of 2008 to maintain political and social stability. As such, Xi should have been the top leader involved in the handling of the Xinjiang violence. It would have been an important opportunity to navigate a complicated situation.

But Xi, despite his sixth-ranked position in the nine-member politburo standing committee, has no authority to command PLA troops.

In China, the top command of the armed forces is the Central Military Commission (CMC), of which Hu is the chairman. In this system, only the CMC chairman or a vice chairman, with the authorization of the chairman, can give an order to mobilize the PLA. The two current CMC vice chairmen, General Guo Bohiong and General Xu Caihou, are not members of the politburo standing committee.

And while Xi is higher in rank, he has no authority over Guo or Xu. Under the circumstances, had Hu authorized Guo or Xu to move troops into Xinjiang, there would have been confusion in coordinating the crackdown. Only Hu's return would solve the problem. (In 2001, Hu had full authority to handle the Sino-US air collision incident, which involved the PLA, because he was also the first vice chairman of the CMC.)

The ethnic riots in Urumqi have revealed a loophole in China's political and military structure. None of the politburo standing committee members except Hu are CMC members. As indicated, when PLA troops are needed to maintain public order, problems occur if Hu is unavailable. To solve this dilemma, some analysts believe a politburo member, presumably Xi, will soon be appointed CMC vice chairman.

Hu ditched his European tour because the fast-moving situation in Xinjiang was escalating. Ethnic Han, inside and outside Xinjiang, were calling for "blood for blood". This is no one-off incident like the Sino-US air collision, and could very well explode if the authorities don't handle it properly.

It is rumored that some Han people in Beijing and Shanghai are planning street protests. Uyghur migrant workers - including those in the toy factory in Shaoguan, Guangdong, whose protests on June 26 led to Sunday's violence - are said to be fearful for their safety.

If Hu had followed through on his foreign tour, it is not hard to imagine that he would become a target of public accusations of indifference. Even as the situation seems to be calming down in Urumqi, it is still a tough job to minimize the impact of the conflict.

If not successfully contained now, the protests could easily spread. As China's top leader, Hu has to do his job - and he needs to be in the right spot to do it.

(Copyright 2009 Asia Times Online (Holdings) Ltd. All rights reserved. Please contact us about sales, syndication and republishing.)
ramana
Forum Moderator
Posts: 59773
Joined: 01 Jan 1970 05:30

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by ramana »

Good post Philip. Can you x-post in Ind interests thread?
enqyoob
BRF Oldie
Posts: 2658
Joined: 06 Jul 2008 20:25

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by enqyoob »

Fear and Loathing
Many Uighurs complain that they have become second-class citizens in their own homeland. Government authorities limit the numbers of Muslim Uighurs allowed to go on pilgrimage to Mecca and handpick clerics to deliver politically approved sermons at Friday prayers. Teaching of the Uighur language, which is written in the Arabic script, has been curbed so that Uighurs can more easily assimilate into the wider Chinese society. Yet Uighurs say that they are discriminated against by Chinese companies that operate in Xinjiang. They face restrictions on their travel abroad and even within China itself; repeated stories in the media over the past year, describing attacks and plots by "terrorist" Uighur separatists, have deepened Han Chinese suspicion to the point where many hotels in coastal cities will refuse Uighur custom. "The Uighurs are the very bottom of the heap economically in China," says Dru Gladney, a professor of anthropology at Pomona College in California and an author of numerous articles and books on Xinjiang. "There's a very deep sense of frustration, especially among the young, unemployed men."

Other parts of China are witnessing similar disaffection among angry, unemployed youth. But Xinjiang, like Tibet, is crucially different. With their sizable non-Han populations, unrest in those two regions conjures up one of the Chinese leadership's worst nightmares: the rise of a separatist movement that would presage the breaking up of the whole country. Given the enormous economic and social challenges China faces, Beijing values stability above all, and will do practically anything to maintain it. ...Severe punishment. Even tighter control over the lives of Uighurs. Those seem to be the only policies Beijing is willing to contemplate. Yet this strategy has left Uighurs feeling trapped and desperate, says Alim Seytoff, a WUC spokesman: "If we speak up, we get killed. If we don't speak up, we will be wiped out." Nicholas Bequelin, a China researcher for New York City – based Human Rights Watch, says that a sense of helplessness - and hopelessness - drives the Uighurs to demonstrate: "They knew the terrible consequences of protesting for themselves and their families and yet they went out anyway."

Given the level of desperation, says Bequelin, "the government needs to ask itself why it faces such opposition in ethnic areas and consider very seriously changing those policies."
The Policy remains the same:
BEATINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES - Comrade Gen. Secretary Hu
Gerard
Forum Moderator
Posts: 8012
Joined: 15 Nov 1999 12:31

Re: Understanding the Uighur Movement-1

Post by Gerard »

Post Reply