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The Xinjiang (East Turkistan)
Problem
Recently I received a copy
of "The Xinjiang Problem" from Dr. Frederick Starr, a
leading scholar in the country on Asian studies
affiliated with Central Asia-Caucasus Institute, the
Johns Hopkins University. Xinjiang project was
coordinated by Frederick Starr, launched in 1998 even
before 9-11 tragedy occurred. The project involved 18
most competent specialists on Xinjiang, who
collaborated over four years to present a 3-D picture
of the current situation in Xinjiang (East Turkistan).
The project comes two major results, one is a book
entitled "Xinjiang: China's Muslim Frontier", which
will be published by M.E. Sharpe soon. Another one is
the geopolitical implications of the research, draw
conclusions and offer policy recommendations to the
Federal government and international bodies, entitled
"The Xinjiang Problem" co-authored by Both Graham
Fuller and Frederick Starr.
For them the Xinjiang problem is the conflict that
Uyghur increasingly self-consciousness and anxiousness
for their existential future against one of the
world's most powerful states whose leaders are equally
concerned to preserve the territory and administrative
integrity of the whole. It arises primarily from
economic, social, and cultural developments within the
borders of the PRC, but it is linked in complex ways
with currents beyond China's border.
They predict that as problematic as the Xinjiang issue
is today, it has the potential of growing worse over
time. The Paradox of Development, Chinese Partition of
Xinjiang, A Uyghur "Bantustan", Dived and Rule,
Worsening Crises over Water, are identified as
indicators for Xinjiang situation. They claim that the
Uyghur problem will not get away under present
circumstances as long as its basic roots---cultural
and existential threats to the Uyghur community remain
unattended. This is the part that I most agree with as
I have studied Xinjiang economical development and
Uyghur culture for quite a long time. Recently I
submitted a research project proposal on Uyghur
cultural rights, Dr. Starr and Dr. Gladney will serve
as the advisors for the project. I expected more
cooperation from Uyghur people overseas.
Fuller and Starr finally made some strategic
suggestions to Beijing, to Uyghur people, to
Neighboring states, and to the United States. Here I
mainly copy the suggestions they made to Uyghur people
for discussion purpose:
------- Recognize that the full independence of
Xinjiang under their control is extremely unlikely,
could only come about at the price of great blood shed,
and would have little if any international support at
the official level.
------- Recognize that the problems of Xinjiang, which
predominantly affecting the Uyghurs, also involve the
political rights of other minorities in the region,
and that even a genuinely autonomous Xinjiang would
have to address these.
------- Focus on attaining meaningful autonomy for the
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region within the People's
Republic of China, and in such a way as to provide
cultural security and preservation of the Uyghur
homeland and a major local voice in all policies
affecting the region.
------- Continue to make the case for genuine autonomy
in international for a in the context of the peaceful
resolution of issues. Uyghurs should continue to link
their own concerns for cultural security and autonomy
with the analogous aspirations of other minority
groups both with in the PRC and elsewhere.
------- Engage directly, actively, and positively with
other states, include the U.S. , European countries,
and Japan, that are actively fostering economic and
social development throughout the greater Central
Asian region, on the grounds that such development,
pursued in an equitable manner, is the best hope for
stability in the region of which Xinjiang is part.
I hope the above information is interesting to all of
you for further discussion about what we can do in
overseas.
Thank you.
--
Robert Guang Tian, Ph.D.
Professor/Director of Business Administration
Coker College
Hartsville, SC 29550
Telephone:(843)383-8391
Fax: (843)383-8138
Alternative email: rgtian@yahoo.com
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