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Produced by the Eastern Turkistan Information Center No: 59 1 October 1997 In this issue: (1) Three bombs exploded in northern Eastern Turkistan Eastern Turkistan Information Center, 10/02/97 (2) WIDESPREAD PEASANT REBELLION IN CHINA"S PROVINCES Hong Kong Cheng Ming 1 Aug 97 No 238, pp 19-21 Article by Li Zijing: "A Half Million Peasants Plunge Into Rebellion in Four Provinces" (3) PRC ADMITS 1996 DEATHS OF 'PATRIOTIC FIGURES' IN XINJIANG Hong Kong AFP 1009 GMT 17 Sep 97 (4) XINJIANG SECRETARY REJECTS LENIENCY FOR 'TERRORISTS' Hong Kong Zhongguo Tongxun She 1239 GMT 17 Sep 97 By reporter Liu Kegang (5) AUSTRALIAN FIRM INITIATES XINJIANG GOLD SEARCH Beijing Zhongguo Xinwen She 16 Sep 97 (6) AUTHORITIES WORRIED XIANJIANG 'TERRORISTS' IN BEIJING Hong Kong Ping Kuo Jih Pao 14 Sep 97 p A6 *=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*= (1) The Eastern Turkistan Information Center report Three bombs exploded in northern Eastern Turkistan [ETIC, 10/2/97] On October 1, the day of the 42th anniversary of foundation of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and the 48 th anniversary of the People's Republic of China, three bombs exploded in three different places of northern Eastern Turkistan. One bomb blasted a military building in Kuytung, a city located to north-west from Urumchi, killing 30 Chinese military servicemen. Another explosion took place in a police department building in Shikhanzi city located west of Urumchi. The bomb killed 9 police officers. Also, an oil industry object, perhaps an oil well, was blasted in a place close to Karamay, a city located to north-west from Urumchi. All three cities are mostly populated by the Chinese. Karamay and Kuytung are the largest oil industry centers in the north-west of China. In late April, 3 Uyghurs were sentenced to death and executed the same day for their roles in an Uyghur youth demonstration in Ghulje on February 5-6. 27 others were sentenced to penalties ranging from 7 years in prison to life imprisonment. On July 22, 29 Uyghurs were convicted and given various heavy sentences in connection to the demonstration. At the trial rally, 9 Uyghurs received death sentences, 3 received death sentences with reprieves, 7 received life sentences, one was sentenced to 18 years in prison, and the other 9 were sentenced to no more than 15 years of fixed-term imprisonment. Three Uyghurs were executed in Urumchi also in connection to the the Ghulje events on July 28. Wang Lequan, the secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Party Committee told foreign reporters at the press conference on September 17: "Sometime ago, incidents of beating, smashing, looting and disturbance occurred in Xinjiang. They were committed by an extremely small number of evildoers. What they did went against the will of the people and was resolutely opposed by the people of all nationalities in Xinjiang. On the whole, both political situation and social situation are stable in Xinjiang." [Abduljelil, Abdullah Pamir] (2) WIDESPREAD PEASANT REBELLION IN CHINA"S PROVINCES Hong Kong Cheng Ming 1 Aug 97 No 238, pp 19-21 Article by Li Zijing: "A Half Million Peasants Plunge Into Rebellion in Four Provinces" Since mid-May in 1997, once again more than 500,000 peasants assembled, staged parades and demonstrations, and filed petitions in over 50 counties in Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces. In some localities in Hunan and Jiangxi, such activities turned into riots. The Beijing authorities became panic-stricken. One after another, they issued a total of six documents and sent out over 70 work teams to investigate the situation. The April issue of Dong Xiang journal carried an article: "Peasant Rebellion Spreads to Nine Provinces, Autonomous Regions," reporting that between winter 1996 and spring 1997, several riots, disturbances, and rebellions broke out in the rural areas of 36 counties in nine provinces and autonomous regions with the participation of nearly 380,000 peasants in demonstration, parade, and petitioning. As a result of this on 29 April the Chinese Communists held an emergency meeting of party and government leaders from various provinces (autonomous regions) and municipalities under the direct administration of the central government. At the meeting Li Peng put forward five policies and measures to handle the problems concerning rural areas and peasants. However, what are the results? Mass Demonstrations by 120,00 Peasants in Hubei Province Since mid-May, once again more than 500,000 peasants in more than 270 townships and villages in over 50 counties in Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces staged parades and demonstrations and carried out petitioning activities. Between 14 and 19 May, nearly 120,000 peasants in more than 60 townships and villages in Jingshan, Tianmen, Qianjiang, and Xiantao counties in Jingzhou Prefecture, Hubei Province, staged parades and demonstrations and filed petitions on more than 70 occasions accusing the authorities of "exploiting and fleecing the peasants." Nearly 3,000 peasants assaulted the party and government institutions in Tianmen County. They clashed with the public security and armed police forces on 18 May. According to a local report, more than 90 people were injured. Major Riots Provoked by 200,000 Peasants in Hunan Province Between 17 and 22 May, nearly 200,000 peasants in over 80 townships and villages in Lixian, Linli, Nanxian, Anhua, Ningxiang and other counties in Yiyang and Changde prefectures, Hunan Province, assembled, staged parades and demonstrations, and filed petitions on more than 80 occasions. On 20 May, urban laid-off workers in Yiyang and Changde also participated in the activities of assembling, staging parades and demonstrations, and filing petitions. In Yiyang City, Lixian and Ningxiang counties, incidents of burning cars of party, government and public security organs broke out. Peasants in Lixian County assaulted the county government, and clashed with the public security and armed police forces. According to a local report, 57 people were injured during the clash, and three persons died of serious injuries. Major Riots Provoked by 100,000 Peasants in Jiangxi Province Between mid-May and mid-June, more than 100,000 peasants in over 70 townships and villages in Xiushui, Yifeng, Anfu, Wanan, Xingguo, and other counties in Jiujiang, Yichun, and Jian prefectures in Jiangxi Provinces assembled, staged parades and demonstrations, and filed petitions on more than 100 occasions. Incidents of peasants seizing the county party and government buildings, and attacking supply and marketing cooperatives for chemical fertilizer and cement were reported in Xiushui, Anfu, Wanan, and other counties. Over 800 peasants assaulted the public security bureau in Yifeng County and confronted the soldiers and policemen for more than 70 hours. More than 130 peasants were arrested in a clash. According to a Internal Reference report, some of the rural party and government cadres at the township and village levels also encouraged peasants to demonstrate and personally participated in the procession, and put forward the slogans such as "Down with the urban bureaucratic exploiting class and share the wealth of new local overlords in the countryside" and "establish peasants" own political power." In Xiushui, Wanan, and Xingguo counties, incidents of encircling provincial- and prefectural-level leading party and government cadres were reported. Finally the local armed forces had to be mobilized to rescue the besieged cadres. Over 70,000 Peasants Staged Parades in Anhui Province, End Up in Bloody Accidents Between 20 May and 17 June, nearly 70,000 peasants in over 50 townships and villages in Lifeng, Funan, Xiaoxian, Luan, Huoshan, and other counties in Fuyang, Suxian, and Luan prefectures, Anhui Province, staged parades and demonstrations, held rallies, and filed petitions on more than 60 occasions. Incidents of peasants raiding party and government buildings, occupying the offices in charge of confidential and important files, and seizing guns and ammunition of the armed police forces took place in Lifeng and Luan counties. On 15 June, an incident of more than 500 peasants stopping a freight train, seizing cargo, and clashing with the railway police was reported. It was learned that more than 40 people were injured and 11 persons died (including 5 public security guards and policemen). The Anhui provincial authorities formed an investigation team to investigate this incident. Over 70 Investigation Teams, Six Documents In the face of the major riots participated in by over 500,000 peasants in four provinces, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council had sent out more than 70 investigation and specially selected teams to go to the rural areas in 83 counties in Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, and Anhui to understand and investigate the violent protests lodged by peasants recently and the problems that the party and government departments are faced with in the course of implementing the policies on agriculture and rural areas. Meanwhile the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, and the relevant departments had, one after another, issued six documents in this connection between 12 May and 23 June. On 12 May, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council had issued a circular: "On Further Implementation of Guidelines and Policy Concerning Agriculture and Rural Areas in an All-Round Manner." This document criticized party and government organizations for ignoring their work on agriculture and rural areas, willfully working out the various policies and measures that undermine agricultural development, hamper peasants" enthusiasm in farming, and lead to peasants" defiance and riots. On 19 May, the General Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Agriculture issued a circular: "On Conscientiously and Firmly Carrying Out Work in Purchasing Agricultural Products and Protecting Peasants" Interests According to Policy." This document warned local government departments against unhealthy practices which lead to peasants" defiance such as issuing IOUs, forcing purchasing prices down, giving short weight, refusing to purchase farm products, imposing exorbitant new taxes and levies, imposing arbitrary charges, and offering gifts to cadres. Use of Public Security, Armed Police Forces To Disperse Petitioners Aggravates Situation On 23 May, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued a circular: "On Correctly Handling and Solving Problems Concerning Incidents of Petitioning, Demonstration, Procession, and Assembly by Peasants." This document pointed out that in some districts, public security and armed police forces and militiamen were mobilized to disperse the people who were filing petitions, demonstrating, parading, and assembling. Sanguinary conflicts had occurred, worsening the situation. In some of the localities, peasants were arrested en masse. This had intensified the contradiction. The document also criticized the use of fire arms which made things worse. In a reply to the Ministry of Public Security, the State Council issued a circular on 28 May, entitled: "On Resolutely Striking at Organized Armed Violence and Riotous Activities." This document was a reply to the request for instruction submitted by the Hunan provincial government and public security department and the Anhui provincial government and public security department on how to handle incidents involving peasants in townships and villages who organized armed forces to attack township governments, supply and marketing cooperatives, and public security organs. This document demanded that all organized armed organizations of violence be firmly dealt with and banned. Those who persistently carry out violent activities and refuse to surrender their weapons should be firmly and resolutely hit. One must not become soft-hearted in dealing with them and tolerate their activities. Work, Investigation Teams Sent Out by Party, Government Departments at Three Different Levels To Stay, Work in Rural Areas On 15 June, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council issued a circular: "On Dispatching and Organizing Work and Investigation Teams To Stay and Work in Rural Areas." This document demanded that the party and government departments at the provincial, prefectural, and county levels establish a long-term surveillance mechanism for rural work. Leading comrades must select an advanced and relatively better place and another backward and relatively complicated place for investigation. Under no circumstances should they do things like a gust of wind or for appearance"s sake. Leading cadres must set their ideas to rights, and be prepared to lead a hard life when they go down to the grassroots level to stay and work there. Most of Rural Party, Government Bodies Are Imperfect On 23 June, the General Office and the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee issued a circular: "On Accelerating the Building and Improvement of Township, Village Party, and Government Bodies." This document pointed out that little progress has been made in carrying out the work of building the township and village party and government bodies. Such work has not been started yet in some areas. In some other areas, such work has not even been listed in the work agenda. The document pointed out that more than 65 percent of the township and village party and government bodies are imperfect, while 30 percent of them are at a standstill or lack the initiative to exercise leadership. According to an investigation report prepared by the Policy Research Office of the State Council and the Ministry of Agriculture in early June, investigations in 130 townships and villages in 27 counties in Henan, Shanxi, Hubei, Jiangxi, and other provinces showed that 81 township and village party and government leading bodies were at a standstill. They carried out no regular activities as an organization. Nor did they pay party dues. In some townships and villages, patriarchal clans replaced party and government organs in making decisions. A Heavy Time Bomb, Powder Keg Following the rural rebellions in nine provinces and autonomous regions between last winter and this spring, once again more than 500,000 peasants assembled, filed petitions, and staged parades and demonstrations in more than 50 counties in Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangxi provinces. What merits attention is the fact that this wave of peasants" protests broke out in Hunan and Jiangxi which were the old revolutionary areas where the Chinese Communists launched their peasant movement in the past, particularly in Hunan, Mao Zedong"s own home province. The Hunan people"s traditional spirit of being fierce and tough has been well manifested in China"s modern and contemporary history. Sure enough, this wave of peasant protests was turned into peasant riots in Hunan and Jiangxi. In the face of this wave of relatively larger-scale peasant riots, the Chinese Communists have become panic-stricken, and issued a total of six documents within one month. They have also sent out more than 70 work and investigation teams. However, it seems that they can only provide some temporary solutions to the problems without being able to effect a permanent cure. The Chinese regime is now plagued with the labor disturbances caused by a large number of laid-off workers. Not long ago, when Qiao Shi was on an inspection tour out of Beijing, he called this situation a heavy time bomb. Actually rural areas in China are not so calm either. It is not much of an exaggeration if we call the situation a powder keg. Right now, the Beijing regime is sitting on a powder keg while holding a heavy time bomb. One can easily imagine its future. (3) PRC ADMITS 1996 DEATHS OF 'PATRIOTIC FIGURES' IN XINJIANG Hong Kong AFP 1009 GMT 17 Sep 97 Beijing, Sept 17 (AFP) - China admitted Wednesday that seven "patriotic figures" had been killed during a showdown with Islamic militants in the troubled region of Xinjiang. Wang Lequan, the top communist official in the northeastern region, told a news briefing the seven were killed by a band of "thugs" on April 29 last year. "From February 10 onwards, a host of thugs committed a series of murders and sometimes killed three to four people at a time. In the worst incident on April 29, seven patriotic figures were killed," he said. According to official reports at the time, nine Islamic separatists were killed in a clash with police on April 29 but there were no police casualties. Wang gave no detils of the status of the seven. Xinjiang, which borders Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, has seen the eruption of a fresh bout of anti-Chinese sentiment and separatist attacks in the last two years. The April 29 shoot-out came as the Chinese authorities launched a "Strike Hard" campaign against rising separatist sentiment and crime. But if failed to stem the flow. A series of separatist incidents followed that culminated in serious rioting in the border town of Yining on February 5 this year and three bomb attacks in the regional capital of Urumqi on February 25. "These incidents were undertaken by a handful of criminals who cannot dominate the social situation in Xinjiang," Wang said. "They do not represent the people of Xinjiang .. and are supported by reactionary forces overseas and are social dregs," he added. He dismissed the possibility of negotiating with separatists, quoting a Chinese saying: "Killers should be killed in kind." Sporadic disturbances in Xinjiang have been routinely silenced by Beijing, except for a short period between 1944 and 1950 when the state of East Turkestan emerged during the Chinese civil war. The separatists "pose a direct threat to the supreme interests of the country. There is no room for accommodation," Wang added. (4) XINJIANG SECRETARY REJECTS LENIENCY FOR 'TERRORISTS' Hong Kong Zhongguo Tongxun She 1239 GMT 17 Sep 97 By reporter Liu Kegang Beijing, , 17 Sep (ZTS) -- Wang Lequan, secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional CPC Committee, said here on 17 September that as Xinjiang's national splittists pursue a reactionary "pan-Islamism" ideology, are extremely vicious and brutal, there is no way showing leniency toward these thugs. At a news conference for domestic and foreign reporters, Wang Lequan said Xinjiang's violent terrorists collude with foreign reactionary organizations, pursue a "pan-Islamism," which runs counter to ideologies currently in trend internationally, vow repeatedly to overthrow, to subvert the current regime and establish an Islamic kingdom, and have killed not a few patriotic religious personnel, cadres, and innocent masses. He used the term "extremely vicious" to describe these national splittists who use explosives to indiscriminately kill and maim elderly as well as children. Citing the "25 February" bus bombing case this year in Urumqi in which nine persons were killed and 57 wounded, he said there is no way to show leniency to these thugs. He added that as these people attempt to subvert and seize power politically and to endanger state security, "there is no room for compromise with them on this point." He, however, pointed out that handling of these people is completely in line with the state laws. Wang Lequan pointed out that as Xinjiang now enjoys political and social stability, this extremely small number of splittists could neither influence Xinjiang's social situation nor represent Xinjiang people's interests. Abdulahat Abdurixit, chairman of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional People's Government, also pointed out that engaging in splittist activities in Xinjiang had been proved unpopular in the past; it is still unpopular at present, nor will it be in the future. (5) AUSTRALIAN FIRM INITIATES XINJIANG GOLD SEARCH Beijing Zhongguo Xinwen She 16 Sep 97 Beijing, September 16 (ZXS) -- A well-known Australian mineral company, WMC, has signed a contract with Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for gold prospecting in its Ili Prefecture. According to the sources, WMC, the Australian partner, will invest US$4m into the first phase of the operation to ascertain appropriate sites in the western part of the Tianshan Mountains. A further US$25m will be laid out for indepth site investigation and feasibility studies. WMC will fund the total capital outlay required and the Chinese side will be responsible for all initial geological works and scientific research. The foreign partner will therefore take all the risks but will receive 75 percent of the dividends, while Xinjiang will receive 25 percent of the dividends risk-free. Experts believe the chosen site has immense potential and both sides are hopeful that, in three to five years, sizeable gold deposits will be unearthed. WMC was established 66 years ago and had assets of almost US$10bn. The company is a leader in this sector and holds 8th position in the global mineral industry. It operates on five continents and the Xinjiang project is the fourth largest project it has undertaken. (6) AUTHORITIES WORRIED XIANJIANG 'TERRORISTS' IN BEIJING Hong Kong Ping Kuo Jih Pao 14 Sep 97 p A6 Report by Sing Tao Jih Pao News Team for the 15th CPC Congress: "To Ensure Congress Security, Public Security Department Issues Arrest Warrant for Xinjiang 'Terrorists' Entering Beijing" The Beijing public security department recently issued a special arrest warrant for two men from Xinjiang who had shot dead six people in downtown Urumqi, Xinjiang's capital. The authorities are worried that they may deliberately carry out "terrorist activities to retaliate against society" during the 15th CPC Congress in Beijing. XINJIANG PUBLIC SECURITY OFFICERS HELP INVESTIGATE The Xinjiang Public Security Department recently faxed information on the two suspects to the Beijing Public Security Bureau, which soon released it to criminal investigation and police departments of all public security branches, a source from the Beijing public security department disclosed. The First Section of the Public Security Bureau responsible for national security and political cases has also been required to participate in a hunt for the murderers. Public security officers from Xinjiang recently came to the Beijing public security bureau to help investigate the case, showing that the situation is serious. It is revealed that the two suspects are in their thirties. The authorities believe that they are armed with mini-submachine guns and other extremely dangerous munitions. On 19 August, the two men went on a shooting rampage in downtown Urumqi, killing six people, comprising four Uygurs, one Hui, and one Han, and injuring many others. At that time, when answering this newspaper's inquiries, the Urumqi police denied that the incident was linked with the recent vigorous separatist activities in Xinjiang, adding that it was an armed robbery. It is learned that the killers are Hans and fled after the incident. MURDERERS ARMED WITH SUBMACHINE GUNS In a hunt for the murderers, the source said, Xinjiang public security officers found that at least one of them had traveled to Beijing by train after the killings and thus sent urgent notification to the Beijing police. Beijing became jittery and feared that certain people would stir up disturbances, which would be bound to create a very bad impression, especially during the 15th CPC Congress held in Beijing where a large number of Chinese and foreign journalists have gathered. [Description of Source: Hong Kong Ping Kuo Jih Pao in Chinese--non-PRC-owned daily newspaper ("Apple Daily"); contains features on and analysis of PRC and Hong Kong political, social, and economic issues] Prepared by: Abdulrakhim Aitbayev (rakhim@lochbrandy.mines.edu) and Bill Mitchell (turpan@ix.netcom.com). 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 |