Beijing Rounds Up Muslims

The Guardian (UK) ^ | 3-23-2002 | John Gittings

[blam]

Beijing rounds up Muslims

John Gittings in Shanghai
Saturday March 23, 2002
The Guardian

The Chinese authorities have detained thousands of Muslims in Xinjiang region in the north-west since September 11, claiming that local separatists are linked to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, Amnesty International said yesterday.
Some are reported to have been executed immediately after "public sentencing meetings". Quoting official sources, Amnesty says 8,000 Muslims were given "political education" courses. Some were arrested for using the Koran.

The report coincides with an "anti-terrorist exhibition" in the regional capital, Urumqi. The exhibits include handguns, grenades, compasses and photographs of alleged terrorists being convicted in court.

In January Beijing claimed that separatists in the Muslim Uighur community in Xinjiang had links with al-Qaida. The Uighurs once made up 93% of the regional population, but now comprise less than half. Xinjiang shares a narrow border with Afghanistan, which the army has sealed off.

Terrorist incidents in Xinjiang have been small and sporadic.

Earlier this month the governor, Abulahat Abdurixit, said that there was no "major violent terrorist activity" last year.

But Amnesty says: "The number of people detained on political grounds over the past six months is likely to be in the thousands."

With little evidence of actual terrorist activity, the authorities seem to be shifting their attention to what they call the "ideological area".

A senior official said at the the recent national people's congress that the "terrorist forces" were "spreading separatism by smuggling in publications and literary works."

Amnesty says: "All potential dissent and opposition activities, including peaceful expressions of views via poems, songs, books, pamphlets, letters or the internet, have been targeted."

[Cleburne]

Don't worry, our friends on the left will soon rally to the cause of these oppressed peoples, and yell down at the Communist government, until their murderous rampages are ceased. Or not. Oh, I forgot, the Western liberals are to busy fretting over whether terrorists in Cuba aren't getting their favorite breakfast foods and if the thermostat is turned up to high. A few thousand people being persecuted is no big deal. It's a worker's paradise after all.

[Cleburne]

The Uighurs, the Muslim people in question, had maintained a nation seperate from China (though under Mongolian rule for a while) for a couple thousand years, until the 18th century. The re-established their autonomy during the civil war, but were defeated by Communist forces and absorbed into the Communist state. Thus, the movement there today is more nationalist than radical Islamic, but radicals are growing in popularity. The state's abortion stance is of course deeply resented by the ethnic Uighurs, as is the state's attempts to shut down religious schooling. China has a vested interest there, though, as most of her oil supplies are contained in the region. One needs oil supplies in your country in case of, er, "emergency".

[Alpenkatze]

Well China doesn't care now... but they have thiers coming. It will be much easier for these countries they are selling missile info to, to hit them, then it is to hit us. These Muslems will remember what they did to thier brothers in time. What really bothers me is that so many innocent people will die because of what some sick Muslems did. I just can't believe ALL Muslems are bad, any more than I believe ALL Catholics are bad because a few priests are child molesters. It is hard to explain it to my kids though.

[Malcolm]

China is probably wrong in what they're doing, but it sure is hard to work up sympathy for those backward Muslims. China has not been our friend in any substantive way either, so it is hard to decide who we should assign the black hat to here. The Muslims, in a worldwide sense, will either adapt to modernity, or they will be exterminated by others that do. As far as China, I believe they will eventually be overthrown by democratic forces, one way or the other. China and the Muslim world both seem oddly out of step with the rest of humanity. Neither will survive the 21th century in their present forms.....

[Rudder]

Beijing Rounds up Muslims. Some are reported to have been executed immediately after "public sentencing meetings".

Well, I guess the Chinese are not wrong about everything.

[TaxPayer2000]

fine, move to china, bye

Well, that was kinda snitty.

The word you've entered isn't in the dictionary. could you be a little more vague?

[luvzhottea]

I never thought Id say this, but Admire this!

Sometimes there are no words...

[luvzhottea]

What really bothers me is that so many innocent people will die because of what some sick Muslems did. I just can't believe ALL Muslems are bad, any more than I believe ALL Catholics are bad because a few priests are child molesters. It is hard to explain it to my kids though.

Your words are obviously sensible and rational. Therefore they won't be popular.
RACISM and RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY are evil and not conservative principles.
Attacks on American Muslims Reaffirm Wisdom of 2nd Amendment
"Natural Conservatives" Muslims deliver for the GOP by Grover Norquist The American Spectator: June 2001
Americans for Tax Reform, Grover Norquist's website
American Conservative Union Biography: Grover G. Norquist

[weikel]

China is a rising civilization unlike us and they don't pussyfoot around with PC BS.

[NC_Libertarian]

Some were arrested for using the Koran.

Regardless of how you personally feel about Islam if you admire this, then you are on the wrong web site.

[Rick_Hunter]

As much as I hate to admit, some dark part of me admires them for doing this.

[Rick_Hunter]

China is a rising civilization unlike us and they don't pussyfoot around with PC BS.

-----------------------------

Damn right.

[Rick_Hunter]

First off, I don't think all Muslims are bad people (especially not most Muslim women), nor do I want to ban them from practicing their religion. However, I don't exactly hold positive opinions of their religion itself, and I see nothing wrong with saying that. Furthermore, how is it "racist" to be critical of Islam? I suppose it's racism when a person bashes the white Tali-boy John Walker Lindh too. And since when are Muslims a race?

[Illbay]

It could be the Muslims ARE linked to al-Qaeda. But it is more likely this is just a continuation of the severe crackdown on religion.

[Malcolm]

Since this is a CONSERVATIVE website and you are a LIBERTARIAN, if someone here is on the wrong website, who are you of all people to decide that??? Libertarians don't have their own website; nobody would come, even if they did. Libertarians; what a complete waste of space!!!