XINJIANG CONFLICT

Autonomy in Xinjiang: Han Nationalist Imperatives and Uyghur Discontend

which write by Gardner Bovingdon is a paper analyzes the sources of Uyghur discontent
and ethnonational conflict in Xinjiang since the founding of the People’s Republic of
China in 1949. Then Violent Separatism in Xinjiang: A Critical Assessment by James
Millward is an overview of antistate organization and violent resistance among Uyghur
and other people in Xinjiang, considering both domestic and international groups and
activities. Then last is The Xinjiang Conflict: Uyghur Identity, Language Policy and
Political Discourse tell about Chinese language policy and language use in Inner Asia, as
well as the relation of language policy to the politics of Uyghur identity. Language is
central to ethnic identity, and official language policies are often overlooked as critical
factors in conflict over ethnic nationalism. In Chinese Inner Asia, any solution to ethnic
conflict will include reablinguistic and cultural autonomy for major ethnic groups.
The Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR), a territory in western China,
accounts for one-sixth of China's land and this area rich with oil and other mining
products, and agriculture products. Xinjiang is home to about 20 million people from
thirteen major ethnic groups. The largest of these groups is the Uyghur, a predominantly
Muslim community with ties to Central Asia. Before the founding of the People’s
Republic of China, the economy of Xinjiang was a natural economy, with farming and
livestock breeding as the mainstay. Industry was underdeveloped, and there were no
railways or up-to-the-mark factories or mines. Famines were frequent in some areas, and
the people were impoverished. Xinjiang was peacefully liberated on September 25, 1949.
On October 1, 1955, the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was established, opening a
new page for historic development in Xinjiang. In the past half century, Xinjiang’s
economy and social undertakings have advanced by leaps and bounds.
But, since the Communist Party control this province in 1950’s and sends or
implement the policy that Han ethnic to do migration in Uighur, which this ethnic are the
dominant ethnic in China. The situations in Uighur are totally different after the
migration of Han’s ethnic. Begin from the controlled the natural resources by the Han
ethnic, limited job field, education, religion activity for Uighur ethnics. For the example,
Muslim ethnics prohibited to join religion activity or pray in mosque. Religion activity
prohibited in schools, the student prohibited to pray, wearing clothes with Islamic
symbol, and do fasting in Ramadhan month. Governments controlled the mosque and
choose the Muslim leader, and controlled the Muslim organization. Beside that, the
linguistic of Uighur want to destroy by China government. Many children send to the
other province and force to study and adopt the communist culture. In 1957 and 1966,
together with Cultural Revolution which lead by Mao Zedong, the believe and culture of
Uighur destroyed again. Their leaders send to jail, they which had to fight will be killing
and they don’t have opportunity to defensive.
Together with increasing the Han’s ethnic populations, racism and primordial
issues follow up. In 1991, there are happen conflict with Uighur and Han’s ethnics. This
conflict culminates in February 5, 1997, which many people from Uighur ethnics killed
by Han’s ethnics. The government of China just explains those conflicts which happen in
Xinjiang just want to against the terrorism and separatism.
Beijing exploits this situation and cooperation with US to controlled this province
and controlled the natural resources. Before the Beijing Olympiad 2008, and with reason
to success the Olympiad, many Uighur ethnic killed again. This is happening to prevent
the support from the other countries to the Uighur ethnics. This repressive attitudes
success to limit the Uighur activity and create many ethnics tension in Xinjiang.
The ethnics’ conflict which haapen in Xingjian is the consequences of the national
policy which create by communist of China. Because, many decade the policy of Uighur
not only can control they, but the policy increasing the anger of Han’s ethnic. In other
side, the Han’s people which are success to change Xinjiang feeling not get observed
from the government. For the example about the opportunity to get education in
university level and different policy about the implementation of family planning which
the uighur people can has more that two children. This is the policy which creates by the
China government to save the minority group in China.
The policy communist of China in Xingjian for many years ago just want to
control and maintain the authority. The roots Han’s and Uighur conflict is the dissatisfied
of the discrimination policy, they think that the excessive support to the Uighur just
growth the cruelty of Uighur people. The resistance of Uighur people because of the long
tension in managing of the natural resources, economic, religion, culture, etc which
caused of the migration of Han’s ethnic.
Beside domestic factors which influence the Xinjiang conflict, International
factors have affected Xinjiang politics in at least three ways. First, the Soviet Union
provided a model (and mirror) for Chinese policies. Second, several states have
intervened in Xinjiang. Third, multinational interventions in the 1990s to protect human
rights around the world led Uyghurs to hope they would find allies in their struggle. Yet
these international factors have not been the root cause of unrest and conflict in Xinjiang.
As the first step, the policy which will implement in this province must be
balance. For the example, the China government must decreasing the jobless which create
programs or create the new job field to decrease the jobless and must implement the
policies which can create the increasing the economic of Uighur people. Beside that,
Han’s and Uighur people must understand each other of their perspective. Han”s people
as the majority ethnics in China had big responsibility to create the good relations with
Uighur people.