China's top Xinjiang official vows "terrorist" crackdown

[Ray]

China's top Xinjiang official vows "terrorist" crackdown

BEIJING | Mon Aug 8, 2011 1:01am EDT

(Reuters) - The top official in China's Xinjiang province has called for a crackdown on terrorists and religious extremists after a series of deadly attacks, provincial government said on Monday.

Zhang Chunxian, the Chinese Communist Party chief of Xinjiang, was the latest senior figure to vow no mercy for troublemakers in the far western province, where officials have blamed Islamic militants for recent outbursts of violence.

Two deadly attacks in late July left at least 14 dead and 42 injured in the city of Kashgar.

"In order to firmly curb the current spate of violent terrorist acts...(we must) exert the highest pressure on the crackdown against terrorists," Zhang said in a speech to party members on Friday, according to the regional government's website (首页)........

Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang, a region that accounts for a sixth of the country's land mass and holds deposits of oil and gas, have long resented the presence of Han Chinese and religious and political controls imposed by Beijing.

Zhang also called for a curb on "illegal religious activities" and to focus on maintaining stability, without elaborating.

Zhang's comments echo recent remarks made by Meng Jianzhu, the country's top police official, who said that China will show no leniency to those who perpetrate terrorist activities......

China's top Xinjiang official vows terrorist crackdown | Reuters

China is the only country that calls a terrorist a terrorist and gets their man.

No fooling with the Chinese and other silly Pollyanna nonsense or political correctness.

 

[Ray]

China blames Pakistan-trained Uighurs for Xinjiang attacks

Peh Shing Huei
The Straits Times
Publication Date : 02-08-2011

China accused Pakistan-trained Uighur terrorists of being behind bloody attacks in Xinjiang, a rare accusation given the strong ties between Beijing and Islamabad.

An initial police investigation found that the attacks in the ancient Silk Road city of Kashgar were led by those who learnt about explosives and firearms in Pakistan, reported the official news agency Xinhua. The attacks left 20, including the attackers, dead.

Two more suspects, both of them Uighurs, were "executed on the spot by police who were in the process of capturing them" yesterday, the Kashgar municipal government said in a statement. It also offered 100,000 yuan (US$15,500) for information on two other Uighur suspects in Sunday's attacks, local media reported.

Xinhua, citing an earlier statement by the Kashgar authorities, said the leaders of the religious extremists were trained in overseas camps of the separatist group East Turkestan Islamic Movement (Etim), before slipping into Xinjiang region.

Analysts say that such official finger-pointing was "very unusual" for the Chinese government.

"For a long time, Chinese scholars have been talking about Pakistan as a training camp for China's domestic terror groups. It is not a secret at all," said analyst Zhang Jian from Beijing University, who researches ethnic minority issues in China. "But for Xinhua to say it, it is really surprising."

While Pakistan has had a fractious relationship with the United States in the fight against terrorism, it has not come under official pressure from China.

In fact, as one of the first countries to recognise the People's Republic of China after its founding in 1949, it is one of Beijing's closest allies. Pakistan also relies heavily on Beijing for economic aid and military support, and often acts as China's link to Muslim countries.

But this connection is not working in China's favour now, with neighbouring Pakistan forming a convenient base for the Uighurs, a Turkic people who are mostly Muslim and who have resisted the Chinese government's political controls and religious restrictions in Xinjiang........

Some Chinese academics have fingered Pakistan because Hotan city, the scene of some troubles, lies close to the border with Pakistan. Beijing's worries were made clear by President Hu Jintao to Pakistani Premier Yousuf Raza Gilani when they met in May.

Also, Xinjiang is second only to Tibet in the pecking order of Chinese sensitivities. Analysts note that the Dalai Lama, during the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader's recent trip to the US, visited Radio Free Asia, which broadcasts to people in the two regions. This added to Chinese nervousness......

"These kinds of terror attacks have been increasing recently," said the Global Times in an editorial yesterday.........

The violence has been a persistent headache for the Chinese authorities, who have used economic development to buttress governance. But Uighurs complain that the benefits of growth largely go to Han Chinese.

Even the Global Times acknowledged that lasting peace may no longer be possible.

"Honestly, a perfect harmony between Uighur Chinese and Han Chinese without any problems may be wishful thinking, no matter how hard the Chinese government tries," it said.

"It is a reality the Chinese public has to face up to and deal with."

This is a clear indication that the Chinese are not going to accept all this nonsense. They have now shed all their charade and are getting into business to sort out the terrorists.

 

[Ray]

Chinese Muslims banned from fasting in Ramadan

mid fresh arrests, restrictions on fasting and prayers at mosques, Uighur Muslims are suffering under the latest episode of Chinese government crackdown on their ethnic minority in the northwestern region of Xinjiang.

"If any religious figure discusses Ramadan during the course of religious activities, or encourages people to take part, then they will lose their license to practice," Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the Munich-based World Uighur Congress, told Eurasia Review on Friday, August 5.

"The more serious cases will result in arrests for incitement to engage in illegal religious activity," he said.

A day before the start of the holy fasting month for China's Muslims, at least 11 people were killed in a series of attacks in the north-western region of Xinjiang.

Chinese authorities blamed the attacks to the ethnic minority, after which the Chinese police shot dead two Muslims last Sunday.

The attacks came less than two weeks after 18 people were killed in an attack in the restive Xinjiang region.

Following the unrest, more than 100 uighurs were detained by Chinese authorities.

Most of those detained as suspects were committed Muslims who attended mosque and whose wives wore veils, residents say.

Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, was the scene of deadly violence in July 2009 when the mainly Muslim Uighur minority vented resentment over Chinese restrictions in the region.

In the following days, mobs of angry Han took to the streets looking for revenge in the worst ethnic violence that China had seen in decades.

The unrest left nearly 200 dead and 1,700 injured, according to government figures. But Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking Muslim minority, say the toll was much higher and mainly from their community.

China's authorities have convicted about 200 people, mostly Uighurs, over the riots and sentenced 26 of them to death.

No Fasting

Beijing slapped severe restrictions on Chinese Muslims as the holy fasting month of Ramadan started.

As for Muslim members of the government throughout Xinjiang, the government forced them to sign "letters of responsibility" promising to avoid fasting, evening prayers, or other religious activities.

"Fasting during Ramadan is a traditional ethnic custom, and they are allowed to do that," an employee who answered the phone at a local government neighborhood committee office in the regional capital Urumqi said confirming the restrictions.

"But they aren't allowed to hold any religious activities during Ramadan," she added.

"Party members are not allowed to fast for Ramadan, and neither are civil servants."

As for private companies, Uighur Muslim employees were offered lunches during fasting hours.

Anyone who refuses to eat could lose their annual bonus, or even their job, Raxit added.

Officials have also targeted Muslim schoolchildren, providing them with free lunches during the fasting period.

A Uighur resident of Beijing said students under 18 are forbidden from fasting during Ramadan. Moreover, government campaigns forced restaurants in the Muslim majority region to stay open all day.

More restrictions were also imposed on people trying to attend prayers at mosques.

Everyone attending prayers has to register with their national identity card, he added.

"They have to register," he said.

"[After prayers] they aren't allowed to [congregate and] talk to each other."

In Ramadan, adult Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking and sex between dawn and sunset.

The sick and those traveling are exempt from fasting especially if it poses health risks.

Muslims dedicate their time during the holy month to be closer to Allah through prayers, self-restraint and good deeds.

Chinese Muslims banned from fasting in Ramadan | MuslimVillage.com

This is from a Muslim site and so the authenticity cannot be questioned.

If they do not allow such important Islamic ritual, they are only feeding fat to the fire.

This is where China is making a mistake.

 

[Ray]

It is one thing to go hard at terrorists and it is another to prevent people from undergoing their religious rites!

 

[Godless-Kafir]

Do you think Uncle Sam will be lenient and turn a blind eye towards Xinjiang Uigur terrorists, while wanting anti west terrorist dead? I think there is a possibility they would over look these guys and perhaps even use them against China just like it used it against USSR.

 

[Ray]

What about the theory that it is sponsored by the US to keep China on the hop and make China spend good money on anti terrorism equipment and enhance their police force, losing more money through pay and hard area allowances?

After all, the Uighur rebel leader is US based!

And to add to it, the new Tibetan PM is also from the US!!

Uighurs are not in Russia, or are they?

 

[Godless-Kafir]

What about the theory that it is sponsored by the US to keep China on the hop and make China spend good money on anti terrorism equipment and enhance their police force, losing more money through pay and hard area allowances?

After all, the Uighur rebel leader is US based!

And to add to it, the new Tibetan PM is also from the US!!

Uighurs are not in Russia, or are they?

The murky world of espionage is not quite far away from our conspiracy theories and paranoiad assumptions. Its quite possible CIA is supporting them but that also raises the question would they risk such an game with China particularly when US has its hands full in Afghanistan and does not want China to enter the fray and support those terrorist against US. I am sure if China spots an US hand in Uighur attacks then China may support the taliban in response.

 

[Ray]

The murky world of espionage is not quite far away from our conspiracy theories and paranoiad assumptions. Its quite possible CIA is supporting them but that also raises the question would they risk such an game with China particularly when US has its hands full in Afghanistan and does not want China to enter the fray and support those terrorist against US. I am sure if China spots an US hand in Uighur attacks then China may support the taliban in response.

How much does it take to assist a terrorist group?

Pakistan has more of a handful than the US and with a totally failing economy that requires Saudi money to push its Budget.

If Pakistan can sponsor terrorism the world over and India in particular, can the US not?

One wonders if one could directly pinpoint as to who is sponsoring the Uighur terrorists.

That the base is in Pakistan, even China has now officially been declared through their official in Kashgar and by both their official mouthpieces, the Xinhui and Global Times, who have endorsed the same.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

How much does it take to assist a terrorist group?

Pakistan has more of a handful than the US and with a totally failing economy that requires Saudi money to push its Budget.

If Pakistan can sponsor terrorism the world over and India in particular, can the US not?

One wonders if one could directly pinpoint as to who is sponsoring the Uighur terrorists.

That the base is in Pakistan, even China has now officially been declared through their official in Kashgar and by both their official mouthpieces, the Xinhui and Global Times, who have endorsed the same.

Right now i dont suspect anything more than US turning a blind eye towards them, i dont see the US risking an all out conflict with China supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan and emboldening Chinas ally Pakistan to fight US.

 

[Ray]

Right now i dont suspect anything more than US turning a blind eye towards them, i dont see the US risking an all out conflict with China supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan and emboldening Chinas ally Pakistan to fight US.

How will it lead to an all out conflict with China, when one cannot pinpoint it to the US?

China had supported the Mujahideens in the fight against the USSR (Brig Yousaf's [of the ISI responsible for the Mujahideen and Afghanistan] book Bear Trap maybe read).

Can anyone say they are not supporting the Taliban?

Pakistan fighting the US?

US is their lifeline.

They (Pakistan) will die with financial asphyxiation if US economic help to include WB and IMF is taken away.

Inspite of Pakistan's big talk, they have sold themselves to the US and is actually a vassal state.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

How will it lead to an all out conflict with China, when one cannot pinpoint it to the US?

China had supported the Mujahideens in the fight against the USSR (Brig Yousaf's [of the ISI responsible for the Mujahideen and Afghanistan] book Bear Trap maybe read).

Can anyone say they are not supporting the Taliban?

I have heard no news of it, like weapons supplied from China used against US or Vice Versa..

 

[Ray]

I have heard no news of it, like weapons supplied from China used against US or Vice Versa..

Buy the book, Bear Trap by Brig Yousaf of the ISI and you will know.

Also Cooley's Unholy War. It is said to be one of the best on the Afghan War against the Soviets!

 

[amoy]

It is one thing to go hard at terrorists and it is another to prevent people from undergoing their religious rites!

Theoretically u may say Ramadan / fasting is all abt religion, but in the real life how would u tell 'rites' apart from politics/separatism/terrorism, say, in case a "Mullah" in a "religious" gathering calls for a Jihad against infidels??

Chinese and CCP are incredulous of that "religious" veneer and have learnt lots of lessons from the History
- Insurrections mobilized in the faith/'gospel' of "Buddha Maitreya" finally overthrew Yuan Dynasty. On that basis Ming Dynasty was founded
- Taiping Tianguo (Heaven) under "Christianity" shook Qing Dynasty by capturing almost a half of China
- And the Boxing Movement in the form of indigenous faiths, against foreign aggressors

Now Islam...

 

[Virendra]

Although I get your drift, but would love to see you complete your statement "Now Islam ..." so I could rub it into some Pakistani friend.
Jokes apart, we have a thriving muslim population, one of the largest in any of the countries. Don't know why CHINA are so jumping paranoid when we aren't.
Going by the inference above, we would've been consumed by an Islamic holocaust long before.

Regards,
Virendra

 

[redragon]

What can I say? Day dreaming? If you Indian can focus more on get your own things done, India would have been a ok country by now.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

China's Muslim Uyghurs Forbidden to Fast During Ramadan

China's Muslim Uyghurs Forbidden to Fast During Ramadan


Chinese authorities in Xinjiang Province have issued a notice that any Uyghur cadres or workers found not eating lunch during Ramadan could lose their jobs.

It is part of the campaign of local authorities in Xinjiang, home to the Muslim Uyghur ethnic group, to force the Uyghur people to give up their religious rituals during the fasting month of Ramadan.

Ramadan is a holy month in the Islamic calendar, which begun this year on Aug. 22. It requires not eating during the daytime.

"Free lunches, tea, and coffee—that authorities are calling 'Care from the government' or 'Living allowance'—are being offered in government departments and companies. But it is actually a ploy used to find out who is fasting," said Dilxat Raxit, World Uyghur Congress spokesman, speaking to The Epoch Times.

According to Dilxat, Uyghur Communist Party cadres throughout Xinjiang had been forced to sign "letters of responsibility" promising to avoid fasting and other religious activities. They are also responsible for enforcing the policy in their assigned areas, and face punishment if anyone in these areas fasts.

For the first time, Dilxat said, the crackdown has extended to retired Communist Party members. Current cadres are required to visit them to prevent them from participating in the fast. If anyone violates the ban, local leaders will be held responsible and severely punished, he said.

Muslim restaurant owners are forced to sign a document to remain open and continue selling alcohol during Ramadan or have their licenses revoked, he said.

Uyghurs arrested during the July riots in Urumqi are also prohibited from fasting; those who insist on fasting will be force fed food and water while enduring insults for their misbehavior, he said in the interview.

Monks in mosques are forced to preach to others that fasting is a "feudal activity" and harmful to health, said Dilxat. Otherwise, their religious certification will be cancelled.

When asked about Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Hu Jintao's recent visit to Xinjiang, Dilxat said: "Xinjiang's situation has not yet returned to normal. Rather than asking the local Han people to respect the religion and culture of Uyghur people, Hu encouraged the use of military troops to suppress and further restrict our religious freedom. The communist regime often talks about 'maintaining stability,' but what they do is always different from what they say. They are actually the ones who are destroying stability."

An Epoch Times reporter contacted the CCP's State Ethnic Affairs Commission to see whether the restrictions claimed by Dilxat were official, or what the official stance on Ramadan was. The media contact wouldn't speak on the subject, instead giving two numbers in Xinjiang that he said the reporter would be able to call to find out more. Both numbers were continually busy, and when the reporter called the State Ethnic Affairs Commission back, the man hung up.

 

[amoy]

Do you think Uncle Sam will be lenient and turn a blind eye towards Xinjiang Uigur terrorists, while wanting anti west terrorist dead? I think there is a possibility they would over look these guys and perhaps even use them against China just like it used it against USSR.

Actually some Uigurs/Uzbek Chinese Talibans were arrested in Afghanistan and were thrown into Guantanamo jail. China asked for repatriation for trials. But the US refused. Finally they were settled in a South Pacific state. Google for it pls

we have a thriving muslim population, one of the largest in any of the countries.

hey, We Chinese often talk about 'face', with idioms like saving face, giving face... So do Indians love to cover up their skeletons in the cupboard for face saving?

Indian communal violence is well known, and Kashmir... A thriving Muslim population? In a cyber world everything gets transparent.

but would love to see you complete your statement "Now Islam ..." so I could rub it into some Pakistani friend.

No offense to Islam... But we Chinese know it all too well how terrorists flag their 'cause' under a religion.

Pakistan? No clues in Hotan or Kashgar lead to a state-sponsored terrorism. Indian psyops won't upset the faith in Sino-Pak partnership, which is time-tested but not religion based

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Pakistan? No clues in Hotan or Kashgar lead to a state-sponsored terrorism. Indian psyops won't upset the faith in Sino-Pak partnership, which is time-tested but not religion based

Does China have more influence in Pakistan then USA?? Yes or No answer are both positive for India.

 

[Dovah]

Indian communal violence is well known, and Kashmir... A thriving Muslim population? In a cyber world everything gets transparent.

It really does, doesn't it?

http://www.christusrex.org/www1/sdc/hr_facts.html

Indian communal violence is well known, and Kashmir... A thriving Muslim population?

Well yeah, National Census is a better source for such info than some sad-ass Pakistani website.
Muslim population actually increased in India in the past 50 years..even in percentage.

which is time-tested but not religion based

Old?
Perhaps
Time-tested?
Hardly.

Where were you in 1971?
1984?
Kargil?

Oh and don't worry about the religion thingy, the Pakistanis will take care of that.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

I
Oh and don't worry about the religion thingy, the Pakistanis will take care of that.

Fundemental islam and pork eating kafirs don't mix.