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."

[Fish out of Water]

index bump

[The Cuban]

I never thought Id say this, but Admire this!

[denydenydeny]

This doesn't appear on even the smallest radar screen in the good ol' Dar al'Islam.

China could perform public human sacrifice on every Muslim in the country but it still wouldn't earn them even junior-Satan status.

China is not a living, constant public rebuke to Islam the way America and Israel are.

[TaxPayer2000]

I never thought Id say this, but Admire this!

fine, move to china, bye

[HardStarboard]

>>>Some are reported to have been executed immediately after "public sentencing meetings<<<

And we get in trouble from our own left for not getting them prayer rugs and Halal meals quickly enough.

Seems the Chinese have found an effective way to minimize complaints!

[blam]

"Seems the Chinese have found an effective way to minimize complaints!"

...as well as terrorist attacks. I did notice that the Muslims were captured at Urumchi. That's where the 6,000 year old Caucasian mummies were discovered.

[piasa]

Good point.

Was is a UK Guardian reporter who decked himself out as a Gitmo prisoner to 'feel their pain?'

I wonder if a UK Guardian reporter will now have one of his editors shoot him in the back of the head to 'feel their pain,' and then someone on staff can slam China for Geneva Convention violations and 'fruit loop assualt.'

What this article doesn't mention is that to the Red Chinese, peaceful Christians, Fulon Gong, and Tibetan monks fall into the 'terrorist' category too, if only because the religious person doesn't view the state to be god. I have little doubt China is busy applying its new 'antiterrorism' mandate to just about everyone with a difference of opinion with the Sacred Party.

[17th Miss Regt]

I have been wondering when we would hear about this. China has had a longstanding problem with the Muslims in the western areas of Xingkiang. There has been a separatist movement for a while and this has been a real thorn in their side. The Ministry of Public Security would like to have a go at squashing this problem once and for all but this would involve lots of unrest in these areas.

[gg188]

Immediately after September 11, China in one simple action accomplished what the West failed to do in costly gyrations of all variety of airport searches and screenings: China banned all Arabs or Arab-looking persons from boarding airplanes in China. Total profiling; total prevention of Arab air terrorism. End of story.

[lafroste]

fine, move to china, bye

Well, that was kinda snitty.

[slimer]

Some are reported to have been executed immediately after "public sentencing meetings".

Now that's the way to do it! Perhaps they could do away with those silly meetings though.

[mikeIII]

This is probably one of the few instances where the leftist Guardian finds fault with China.

[Alpenkatze]

This is just another reason the Muslems should look at things before making such stupid moves, like hitting a economical landmark, in the biggest city, in the most powerful country in the world. Idiots!! Now, any country in the world can kill muslems in thier country, and America can do little to help, lable them a terrorist, and all is said. I know China is just taking advantage of the situation. I know they do the same to other religions, but this was a very stupid thing to do. This was like going up and pushing cops around in the middle of a riot, you KNOW your going to get a beating. Behind China, I expect other countries to do this. Africa and India need little reason to act.

[Judith Anne]

I think you are probably correct, that other countries are or will be doing the same...well...you don't hear much about a jihad against the great satan China...and I just don't think China would care much, either...

[WRhine]

China has a strong survival instinct unlike America. Maybe that's why they have been around for so long.

[montag813]

And we get in trouble from our own left for not getting them prayer rugs and Halal meals quickly enough

They probably get pork friend rice.

[montag813]

And we get in trouble from our own left for not getting them prayer rugs and Halal meals quickly enough

They probably get pork fried rice.

[LarryLied]

Any historians out there know of major battles between China and the Islamic hordes?

[Bounceback]

Nah, the first was ok: Pork Friend Rice.