Fourteen years ago the Chinese government used the “9/11” terrorist attacks on the US to opportunely designate Uyghur activists as terrorists and increase its suppression of that minority in its country.

　　　　　The following year, then Chinese President Jiang Zemin called on President George W. Bush at his private ranch in Crawford, Texas, providing him information pertaining to Islamic fundamentalism forces while linking the resistance movement by the Uyghurs within China to terrorism. Bush, who was focused on America’s fight against terrorism at the time, in effect turned a blind eye to China’s absurd oppression of the Uyghurs.

　　　　　Now the world is faced with the frightening threat of the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL), and China views this situation as yet another convenient opportunity to escalate its repression of the Uyghurs, once more comparing them to Islamic fanatics.

　　　　　Rebiya Kadeer, chief representative of the Munich-based World Uyghur Congress (WUC), charges that China has stepped up its oppression of the Uyghurs since Xi Jinping was appointed president. However, the oppression of the Uyghurs was conspicuous even before Xi assumed office.

　　　　　Uyghur children are no longer taught how to read or write their indigenous language at school. In point of fact, Uyghur was banned on all levels of education in 2006—from grade school to university. China then took further steps to deprive Uyghurs of their religion. Already, Uyghurs under 18 are prohibited from practicing Islam. Meanwhile, those involved in education are barred from participating in activities associated with Islam and will lose their jobs should they ignore this directive. Uyghurs who can be easily identified as Muslims from their looks and appearances are not even allowed to board buses.

　　　　　During Ramadan last year, Uyghur college students were barred from fasting and compelled to consume food and drinks distributed to them. Those who refused to comply for fear of committing a transgression against their religion were allegedly subject to expulsion from school or disqualification of academic credentials.

Ominous Declaration

As the Chinese government steps up its efforts to assimilate the Uyghurs to Han China, depriving them of their language and religion, Xi Jinping took an inspection trip last April 227-30 to Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Xi’s primary mission was to discuss the importance Xinjiang assumes in the new Silk Road economic belt project, and stress the need to promote development and intensify the frontline patrol of China’s far-western region—home to the Uyghur Muslim minority estimated at around 20 million.

　　　　　Against this backdrop, an explosion rocked a railway station in Urumqi around 7:30 p.m. on the last day of Xi’s visit. Although he himself wasn’t directly affected by the incident, Xi was reported to be infuriated by the explosion, as he had expected strict security measures implemented for his trip. He immediately ordered resolute anti-terrorism measures. There followed a declaration of “a people’s war” against terrorism by Secretary Zhang Chunxian, the highest-ranking Communist Party official in Xinjiang, vowing to adopt “ultra-tough, unconventional measures” to carry out special campaigns against violence and terrorism. His ominous pledge was subsequently put into practice without fail. Notes Ms. Kadeer:

　　　　　“There were at least 37 incidents of Uyghurs massacred by China last year alone that WUC is aware of, including the worst that occurred in Yarkant in July.”

　　　　　That incident took place in Yarkant County in Xinjiang last July 28, but official Chinese and Uyghur accounts of the incident are dramatically different. The Chinese government claims the incident occurred when “(Uyghur) militants attacked a police station,” calling it “a serious terrorist attack which has links to domestic and overseas terrorist organizations” and putting the number of victims at 96.

　　　　　The scene of the incident was allegedly cordoned off immediately, and the foreign media denied access to information sources. The truth remains unclear as AP has reported: “With no independent media coverage, it is easier for the state to demonize its enemies.”

　　　　　Meanwhile, Ms. Kadeer has this to say about the incident:

　　　　　“At the time, Muslims in Tarkant were observing Ramadan. The Chinese authorities banned Muslims in Xinjiang from fasting and Uyghurs were forced to comply. However, on the holy night just before Ramadan ended, Muslim men congregated at the mosque, while women stayed at home to pray. That’s when the Chinese authorities attacked the women. Split into two groups, each of a dozen or so, the women were offering prayers when armed Chinese forces raided, killing all of the women. When their husbands came home from the mosque, they were stunned by what they found, and went to the police station. That is how the Yarkant incident occurred.”

　　　　　Regarding these Uyghur men as “radical Uyghur forces out to attack the police station,” the police slaughtered most of them, according to Ms. Kadeer. The police later dispatched armed forces to encircle Yarkant village, killing the majority of its residents. Ms. Kadeer claims more than 2,000 of the villagers were killed.

　　　　　Meanwhile, Radio Free Asia (RFA) quoted a villager as charging that the Chinese police “killed most of us, including even six-year-olds—more than 3,000 villagers were slaughtered.”

　　　　　The number of victims claimed by China was 96, but even this by itself is a huge number. If the number really stood at between 2,000 and 3,000, this truly is a massacre on a horrendous scale, reminding one afresh of the ominous pledge of Zhang that “ultra-tough, unconventional measures” would be used to clamp down on the Uyghurs.

Targeting Uyghurs for Attack

　　　　　Heartless slaughters of Uyghurs evidently have since been continuing. On the day of Ms. Kadeer’s arrival in Japan January 28, the Jiji Press reported from Beijing that three Uyghur youths attacked police officers at a checkpoint in Hotan, an oasis town in Southwestern Xinjiang on January 28, took flight, and were later shot dead.

　　　　　Ms. Kadeer explained that the youths, aged 16, 17, and 18, escaped purely out of fear.

　　　　　Meanwhile, RFA reported: When several police officers attempted to force one of the youths into a truck, the trio killed them all with their knives and fled the scene, according to the police. Two days later, a 150-man SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) team was mobilized, spotted them, and killed two of them “within a minute or two.” Two days later, the third youth reportedly met the same fate.

　　　　　Be that as it may, could teenagers so easily kill armed police officers with nothing but their knives? The truth about the Hotan incident is as difficult to understand as the Yarkant incident. The one sure thing about these incidents is that attacks by the Chinese authorities against the Uyghurs are continuing. I suspect the Chinese government is taking advantage of the threat of ISIL as a convenient excuse for its oppression of the Uyghurs.

　　　　　Prof. Yang Haiyin of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Shizuoka is an ethnic Mongolian who has conducted extensive research on the circumstances surrounding the genocide of Mongolians in China. The tragedy of the Mongolian genocide exactly overlaps with those befalling the Uyghurs and the Tibetans today.

　　　　　Looking back, one is reminded of the close relations we Japanese have had with the Mongols, the Tibetans, and the Uyghurs. All the more reason for them to have strong feelings for Japan. If there is one nation that should speak up and bring charges against China for the crimes against humanity it is continuing to commit in the 21st century, I would think it is none other than Japan. In order to help put an end to the tragedy being suffered by the Mongolians, the Tibetans, and the Uyghurs, the Japanese government and the people of Japan cannot remain silent. (End)

(Translated from “Renaissance Japan” column no. 643 in the February 19, 2015 issue of The Weekly Shincho)