An electronic newsletter Produced by the Eastern Turkistan Information Center No: 35 23 April 1997 In this issue: (1) TATARSTAN'S ACADEMY OF SCIENCES RECOMMENDS SWITCH TO LATIN ALPHABET.
(2) KYRGYZ PRESIDENT SUPPORTS TRASECA PROJECT, LUKASHENKA PROPOSES ALTERNATIVE.
(3) THE HEAD OF THE GHULJE ISLAMIC SOCIETY IS ARRESTED
(4) FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN KYRGYZSTAN
(5) TROOPS REPORTEDLY SENT TO SUPPRESS XINJIANG SEPARATIST
(6) READER ON NATIONALITY UNITY PUBLISHED IN XINJIANG
(7) READER ON NATIONALITY UNITY PUBLISHED IN XINJIANG
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= (1) TATARSTAN'S ACADEMY OF SCIENCES RECOMMENDS SWITCH TO LATIN ALPHABET.
The Academy of Sciences of Tatarstan has recommended that the Tatar language adopt the Latin alphabet on the grounds that Cyrillic letters do not correspond well to sounds in Tatar, ITAR-TASS reported yesterday. The Tatar language was written in Arabic script until 1927, when a switch was made to the Latin alphabet. As in the case of other Turkic languages spoken in the USSR, the Cyrillic alphabet was imposed in 1939. RFE/RL's Tatar- Bashkir service reports this is the first official endorsement of changing back to the Latin alphabet. Previously, only Tatar civic groups had called for the change. (2) KYRGYZ PRESIDENT SUPPORTS TRASECA PROJECT, LUKASHENKA PROPOSES ALTERNATIVE.
Askar Akayev and his Georgian counterpart, Eduard Shevardnadze, held talks in Tbilisi yesterday that focused on strengthening bilateral relations and cooperating in transportation, RFE/RL's bureau in the Georgian capital reported. Akayev stressed the importance to Kyrgyzstan of the TRASECA road and rail project that will link China, Central Asia, and the Transcaucasus with Europe. Kyrgyzstan has received a $140 million loan from Japan to finance ist participation in the project. Meanwhile, Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka proposed in Seoul yesterday the creation of a Beijing-Moscow-Minsk transport corridor "not only as a victory for the economy but as a response to NATO enlargement," Interfax reported. Belarusian economists say the corridor would constitute a cheaper and safer way of transporting Chinese goods to the CIS and Europe than existing routes. Lukashenka said he will discuss the project with the Chinese leadership in Beijing on 28 April. (3) THE HEAD OF THE GHULJE ISLAMIC SOCIETY IS ARRESTED
On March 25, the Chinese authorities arrested Abdushukur Abliz, the head of the Ghulje Islamic society, accusing him in connections with instigators of the ethnic unrest on February 5-7 in the Ghulje city of Eastern Turkistan. Abdushukur, 40 years old Uyghur, has been working as a head of the Ghulje Islamic society for the several last years. Before, he was employed at the 2nd Textile factory in Ghulje. He is known in the Ghulje Uyghur community as a very moral and peaceful person with a deep knowledge of the Islamic teaching, and who has always kept himself away from involving in any political activities. [Abdullah Pamir] (4) FREEDOM OF SPEECH IN KYRGYZSTAN
The officials of the Justice ministry of Kyrgyzstan called and reprehended for the anti-Chinese activities the chief editor of "Vijdan Awazi" newspaper, Mr. Muzepper Kuran, and his deputy, Mr. Ekber Bavdun, after the Uyghur community in Bishkek and its suburbs staged a demonstration in front of the Chinese Embassy protesting the brutal suppressions of Uyghur youth by the Chinese military in Ghulje city of Uyghuristan on February 5-7. "Slovo Kygyzstana", the official newspaper of the Kyrgyz government, reported in its joint April 18-19 issue that the Justice ministry of Kyrgyzstan accused the leaders of the Uyghur cultural center Ittipak and the "Vijdan Awazi" newspaper, M. Kurbanov and E. Bavdunov, in preparation and dissemination in the republic of the materials that intervene in a foreign country's internal affairs, and officially warned them that such activities violate the laws of Kyrgyzstan. In fact, the action of the Justice ministry itself violates Article 16 of the constitution of Kyrgyzstan and several other international documents on human rights signed by the government of Kyrgyzstan, which declares Kyrgyzstan a democratic country. "Vijdan Awazi" (the voice of conscience), formerly called "Ittipak", is a socio-political newspaper published in Bishkek in the Uyghur and Russian languages. The newspaper is the only source in Kyrgyzstan that brings to the public the problems of the Uyghur community in Kyrgystan and abroad. The newspaper has given a wide coverage of the clashes of the Uyghurs with the Chinese military in Ghulje on February 5-7, including the reports from the international media. [Rabiyem Kurban, Bishkek] (5) TROOPS REPORTEDLY SENT TO SUPPRESS XINJIANG SEPARATIST
(Provided by Bill Mitchell) Informed sources in Beijing disclosed that, since disturbances broke out in Yining and a bus explosion in Urumqi early this year, Uygur separatist activities have continued to intensify, and people of Han nationality have been arbitrarily killed in some places. In addition to sending Public Security Minister Tao Siju to Xinjiang to take charge of the situation, high authorities in Beijing sent another five divisions of the Liberation Army and armed police to Xinjiang to suppress separatists. The sources also disclosed that, since the Yining disturbances and Urumqi bus explosion, despite the government's stepped-up control, separatist activities not only have not been quelled, but also have become more rampant, violence and bloodshed have continued, and even some innocent people of Han nationality have been killed. Not long ago, more than 20 people of Han nationality were killed near Yining and their bodies were hung on a bridge. One of the victims was found still alive and was rescued. Armed police arrest more than 100 mobsters. Later, a large number of armed policemen were sent to arrest more than 100 mobsters. The sources disclosed that, currently, Xinjiang separatist activities have two characteristics: First, they are moving from cities to rural areas; and, second, violence has increased. The sources also disclosed that, high authorities in Beijing have received intelligence confirming that Xinjiang separatist elements have colluded with Islamic separatist organizations of several countries. These countries include Kazakhstan, Iran, Afghanistan, and the Kashmir area under Pakistani control. In Xinjiang, separatist elements have been more active in southern Xinjiang -- a headquarters has been established in the Artux area. Rapid Troops Were On Standby. The sources disclosed that, high authorities in Beijing strongly favor resolute suppression and decided not to be soft. Recently, Qiao Shi, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, on his way to visit Mongolia after returning from his European visit, particularly stopped over in Urumqi and delivered a very strongly worded speech. At the same time, high authorities in Beijing ordered Public Security Minister Tao Siju and a deputy chief of staff to fly to Xinjiang to command the suppression. At the same time, Beijing also sent another five divisions, about 50,000-60,000 men, of the Liberation Army and armed police to Xinjiang. Also, rapid-response troops in Lanzhou, Beijing, and other localities have stepped up preparations and are ready to go any time. (6) READER ON NATIONALITY UNITY PUBLISHED IN XINJIANG
(Provided by Bill Mitchell) To further study and practice the spirit of the central authorities' important instructions on maintaining stability in Xinjiang and to continue to strengthen and develop Xinjiang's political stability and unity, the "Reader on Nationality Unity Education" (in Uygur, Han, and Kazak), which was compiled by the Xinjiang Autonomous Regional CPC Committee Propaganda Department, was recently published and distributed by the Xinjiang Qingshaonian Publishing Company. Closely centering on the spirit of the central authorities' important instructions on maintaining stability in Xinjiang and closely asking Xinjiang's reality into consideration, the reader expounds, by integrating theory with practice, the basic viewpoints of strengthening nationality unity, opposing nationalist splittism, defending the motherland's unification, maintaining social stability, and promoting economic development. The book is written in simple language, easy to understand, and its viewpoints are clear-cut. It is a supplementary material for studying the central authorities' important instructions on maintaining stability in Xinjiang. The regional CPC committee propaganda department has decided to list the book as one of the important study materials for the "Nationality Unity Education Month" to be held in May, and asked every cadre to have a copy. (7) READER ON NATIONALITY UNITY PUBLISHED IN XINJIANG
(Provided by Bill Mitchell) To further study and practice the spirit of the central authorities' important instructions on maintaining stability in Xinjiang and to continue to strengthen and develop Xinjiang's political stability and unity, the "Reader on Nationality Unity Education" (in Uygur, Han, and Kazak), which was compiled by the Xinjiang Autonomous Regional CPC Committee Propaganda Department, was recently published and distributed by the Xinjiang Qingshaonian Publishing Company. Closely centering on the spirit of the central authorities' important instructions on maintaining stability in Xinjiang and closely asking Xinjiang's reality into consideration, the reader expounds, by integrating theory with practice, the basic viewpoints of strengthening nationality unity, opposing nationalist splittism, defending the motherland's unification, maintaining social stability, and promoting economic development. The book is written in simple language, easy to understand, and its viewpoints are clear-cut. It is a supplementary material for studying the central authorities' important instructions on maintaining stability in Xinjiang. The regional CPC committee propaganda department has decided to list the book as one of the important study materials for the "Nationality Unity Education Month" to be held in May, and asked every cadre to have a copy. Prepared by: Abdulrakhim Aitbayev (rakhim@lochbrandy.mines.edu) WUNN newsletter index*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= The World Uyghur Network News electronic newsletter is produced by the Eastern Turkistan Information Center (ETIC) in cooperation with the Taklamakan Uighur Human Rights Association (USA), and is devoted to the current political, cultural and economic developments in Eastern Turkistan and to the Uyghur people related issues. Eastern Turkistan (Sherqiy Turkistan in Uyghur) is a name used by the indigenous people of the region for their motherland located in what is at present the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic China. The World Uyghur Network News brings information on situation in Eastern Turkistan from the Uyghur and other sources to the attention of the international community. *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= EASTERN TURKISTAN INFORMATION CENTER |