Party and State: Uighur

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Military Commander of Xinjiang Removed From Post

The terrorist attack in Beijing last week has left egg on the face of the Chinese security, and, predictably, it's time for some heads to roll. First on the chopping block is General Peng Yong, who was appointed the military chief for Xinjiang, which presumably spearheaded the spate of shootings and executions of ethnic Uighurs in September. The report in Chinese press didn't go into details, but Peng's dismissal is rather more than coincidental.

Despite waging his own terroristic war on terror, attackers were till able to load up on gallons of petrol and crash an SUV into a major tourist attraction. Beijing has pointed the finger at Islamic extremists, further demonising Xinjiang Muslims in an effort to paint them not as downtrodden masses who get routinely shat upon by the Han Chinese.

The attack is a blessing when it comes to getting excuses to ramp up the persecution of otherwise innocent Uighurs, since the propaganda offensive that alleged that "terrorist elements" in the region were being fuelled by Syrian rebel Muslims. The Syrian connection being that China is interested in brokering a oil deal with Assad, and hellbent on making sure that the Americans don't get anywhere near it.

Xinjiang military chief punished after Beijing attack: report

Chinese police detain five suspected Islamist militants after 'terror attack' on tourists

China says Tiananmen attackers carried out reconnaissance trips

China seeks info on Uighurs after deadly crash

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Uighur Muslims Forced to Pray to the Flag

Some bright spark in Xinjiang has come up with the killer idea of placing a Chinese flag at the head of a mosque, so that Muslims in the restive region bow to it every time they go to prayer.

Uighur rights activist Ilham Tohti said that placing the flag over the mihrab, a niche in the mosque that points the direction of Mecca was an attempt to “dilute the religious environment”. Misguided efforts to integrate ethnic Muslims in the province have more or less had the opposite effect, with authorities clamping down on what they see as Muslim terrorists.

Clashes between the majority Han Chinese and Uighurs have intensified over recent months, with reports of police squads executing men deemed to be part of a global pro-independence network of terrorist cells. Little evidence has been found of any such connection, but central government would be keen to play down the idea that Uighurs are just unhappy with the CCP running things. The terrorist threat masquerade allows the Politburo to placate worries of anti-Islamic sentiment, especially in Pakistan, as Chinese state owned enterprises make more and more investments in Muslim majority countries.