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(Dedicated to
12th anniversary of the Barin incident)
Perhat Yorungqash
Dear compatriots, today we commemorate the rebellion of
Uighur farmers in 1990 in the Aqsu region of Eastern
Turkistan. Though 12 years have already passed, this
incident became a symbol of the Eastern Turkistan
liberation struggle and a mark of the Chinese regime’s
cutthroat policies. This day of the Barin farmers’
rebellion is commemorated not only by Uighurs but also
by foreign observers. This event became a turning point
in the Uighurs’ and other Turkic nations’ perception of
national liberation. After the rebellion in Barin a new
word came to existence in Uighur dictionaries, that is
“Barin” which is synonymous to “struggle”, “rebellion”.
The leader of the Barin rebellion Zeynidin Yusup became
a national Uighur hero, to whom the people dedicated
songs and verses. The famous “Salam, Lutfulla” song now
had new words “Salam, Zeynidin” and was spread from ear
to ear.
Briefly saying, the Barin rebellion had a great impact
on Uighurs. Barin and its inhabitants became so popular
that many beggars in other cities presented themselves
as Barin victims knowing that everyone would treat them
with respect and friendliness. The main causes of the
Barin rebellion were poverty and hopelessness of the
people, hard burden put by the Chinese regime on the
shoulders of the Uighur farmers, religious oppression
and ethnic discrimination.
Here I would like to stress out that I worked as a
correspondent of the “Xinjiang people’s radio station”
during the Barin incident. The regime obliged us to
prepare reports about the events, so I had a chance of
following closely the Barin incident and of meeting with
the Barin rebels. I also witnessed the Chinese regime’s
approach towards the Barin events.
Barin district is located in the Uighur autonomous
region in Aqsu province, in the Kirgyz autonomous area.
Over 90% of population of this region consists of
Uighurs. According to the Chinese official statistics,
the total number of inhabitants in Aqsu region is 152
thousand 120 people, and minorities equal to 1135
thousand 348 people. Barin district itself has over 10
thousand inhabitants, all of them are Uighurs. The
Chinese central government classified the Aqsu region as
belonging to the “worst and poorest 100” place in the
country. Also, this region is also among the poorest 11
in the Uighur Autonomous region. The main reason for
such conditions is the dry air, poor land conditions and
environmental problems. Though the Chinese government
classified this region among the poorest and included it
in the special list of government aid recipients, the
Aqsu region is absolutely abolished and ignored by the
Chinese regime with all its problems. Besides, the
farmers are forced to work for 2 months every year at
public works free of charge. They have a heavy tax
burden – close to 20 taxes and commissions, like in
other regions with a better economic standing. According
to the Chinese official statistics, the average annual
income of a Barin inhabitant was at a meager level of
200 Yuan in 1990 when the Barin incident broke off.
The majority of the farmers had no choice but live on
state loans and grants. When the Chinese television
covered the “Barin incident” it demonstrated teenage
girls who were half dressed, barefoot and skinny from
hunger. Because of practically non-presence of the
Chinese migrants in this region the life became
extremely harsh for local people. The Chinese regime
took under strict political control the location
populated solely by Uighurs and restricted even their
religious freedom. According to our information, the
local farmers raised 7 rebellions since 1949 in Barin
region demanding better conditions and more rights for
themselves. However, the regime did not pay attention to
their needs. What is more, the regime crushed these
rebellions in blood. Many Uighurs were arrested,
imprisoned and executed. Such position of the Chinese
government raised deep concern and desire for revenging
the oppressive regime among the farmers of Barin. |
