Top Communist official accuses West of supporting “East Turkestan

terrorist forces”

Top Communist official accuses West of supporting “East Turkestan terrorist

forces”
Published Today |

According to official Chinese media reports, Deputy Communist Party Secretary

Nur Bakri delivered a lengthy speech on September 10 accusing Western
countries of instigating terrorism, separatism and extremism in East Turkestan
(also known as Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region). Citing “imperialist plans
to split China”, Bakri asserts that “East Turkestan splittist elements”, led by
Uyghur democracy leader Rebiya Kadeer and backed by the West, were
responsible for a series of violent attacks that occurred during the Olympics
period in the region.

Bakri’s remarks are consistent with previous Chinese government assertions

linking outside forces with alleged domestic terrorism. In line with earlier official
claims regarding Uyghur terrorism, Bakri offers no evidence to substantiate his
assertions that outside forces or members of the “three evil forces” [terrorism,
separatism and extremism] are either instigating violence within East Turkestan
or are part of a well-organized terrorist network plotting to carry out terrorism
and violence within the region.

Chinese officials, led by Xinjiang Party Secretary Wang Lequan, have

spearheaded a drive to blur the distinction between peaceful dissent and
terrorism in East Turkestan. Chinese government officials have also consistently
attempted to link organizations promoting human rights and democracy with
terrorism and alleged terrorist groups, in order to discredit their human rights
efforts. In his speech, Bakri directly targeted the World Uyghur Congress, a
German-based organization that promotes democracy, human rights and
freedom for the Uyghur people. Official statements alleging an association
between human rights movements and terrorism are far from unprecedented- in
April 2008, the official People’s Daily accused the Dalai Lama of being a terrorist,
stating “the Dalai clique has also strengthened collusion with East Turkestan
terror organizations and planned terror activities in Tibet.”

A somewhat uncommon aspect to Bakri’s pronouncements was a harsh

condemnation of Western plans to not only “split the country”, but to incite
violence and terrorism in East Turkestan in the name of democracy and human
rights by supporting individuals such as Rebiya Kadeer. In reference to “Western
hostile forces”, Bakri stated: “They are the most important external factor in the
continuing rise of ethnic splittist, destructive activities in Xinjiang, and the large

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threat they pose from abroad to our national security and social stability will exist
for a long time.”

“The Chinese regime has failed at creating stability in East Turkestan, so it is

desperate to blame outside forces for its own failures,” said Ms. Kadeer. “It has
made the West its scapegoat, charging that Western countries’ protection and
promotion of democratic freedom constitute an effort to foment violence and
splittism in East Turkestan.”

UHRP believes that the CCP’s inability to mitigate the growing social, economic
and political challenges that exist in East Turkestan with any type of positive
reforms has left it with a perceived lack of options, other than the use of force,
intimidation and character assassination.

“It is unfortunate that instead of addressing any of the serious social problems
existing in East Turkestan, such as ethnic and religious discrimination, poverty,
and inequality, and formulating strategies to address the genuine grievances of
the Uyghur people, the Chinese government has instead chosen to revert to
hyped-up rhetoric and baseless character attacks,” said Ms. Kadeer. “It is my
hope that the Chinese government will begin a genuine attempt to improve the
lives of Uyghurs, and address the real roots of the instability that exists in East
Turkestan.