They are just Islamic separatists. Should Muslims be given their own states where ever they ask for it?
Of course not, but these 156 (and growing) deaths seem to be related more to protesting ethnic discrimination rather than demanding Islamic statism...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/5758810/China-riots-questions-answered.html
(excerpt)
“The protest had a specific motivation - to call for an inquiry into the deaths of two Uighur toy factory workers who were killed in a riot Southern China last month. Graphic videos on the internet appear to show a Uighur woman being beaten to death by Han Chinese workers.
However, beyond this particular grievance, the Uighur population has grown increasingly resentful of Chinese rule which they say discriminates against them. The provinces rich mineral resources have mostly been exploited by Han Chinese, drawing millions of them to the region. Han Chinese accounted for just six per cent of Xinjiang’s population in 1949 but now make up more than 40 per cent of the total population. The result is resentment and tension on similar lines to that seen Tibet.
Does Xinjiang want independence from China?
Communist Party officials claim there is a serious threat from Uighur nationalists. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, China pushed Washington to classify two little-known separatist groups, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and the East Turkestan Liberation Organisation, as terrorist organisations. Several Uighurs were locked up at Guantanamo Bay and have only recently been released without charge.
Last year, a spate of bombings and attacks against the police ahead of the Olympics were blamed on the two groups, which were said to have been training fighters in Pakistani camps.
However there remains scant evidence of a serious separatist movement and activists have accused China of drumming up propaganda to justify a strict security presence in the region.”