Freedom, Independence and Democracy for East Turkistan !

E-mail: etic@uygur.org

Chinese migrants are the major problem of Eastern Turkestan

(Political discussion)

By Perhat Muhammedy

Looking at the history of the colonial oppression we can clearly observe that no nation being under the yoke did give up during a struggle for the independence but there are a number of nations, which are on the brink of disappearance. Looking at the ancient and modern world history we can observe that the most effective and reliable tool for the assimilation into one nation is to conduct settlers policy. Namely settlers penetrate to the vital spheres of live such as culture, education, trade, religion, history and actively thrust on their culture to the nations, which are under oppression thus eliminating religious and patriot feelings of the native nation. Forgetting religious and patriot feelings means extinction of native nation at all and is very desirable outcome of assimilation policy.

Speaking about China we can cite one example, Manjurs, who had been governing Chinese during many ages presently is the nation with the name only. Their culture and traditions had been lost due to the active assimilation policy of Chinese nation.  They could survive and remain as nations in Tibet and Eastern Turkestan did if they would not had accepted all traditions and customs of Chinese nation.   

In fact people in regions and areas, which are less influenced by the Chinese presence and governance have more strong patriot feelings.  

The most important thing is that presently there is a difference in patriot feelings between Uygurs with the massive presence of Chinese nation and visa-versa, for example among Uygurs in Urumchqi city in Eastern Turkestan , the most densely populated with Chinese young Uygurs are ashamed to wear national clothes and even they try to speak to each other in Chinese  and repeat all habits of young Chinese. Besides there lots of case when they try to push aside young Uygurs coming from eastern parts of Eastern Turkestan to earn for living and try to do their best to serve Chinese.  Most young Uygur ladies try to follow Chinese fashion and make-up that is why sometimes it is difficult to separate them from Chinese ladies. All above-mentioned factors are the most severe results of the Chinese assimilation. Analysing situation in Hotan and Kashgar less populated with Chinese we can say that old national and religious traditions still remain strong in these regions. 

Looking at the colonial history of Eastern Turkestan we can observe that the very first settlers tried to conquer Eastern Turkestan nation with brutal and eliminating policy but no efforts brought success to the migration policy of Chinese and colonists could remain in power due to their enormous military power.  Moreover Uygurs suffered and lost many of their compatriots during struggle with them but they did mot give up and lose their traditions and religion and furthermore they survived as a nation.  

Nevertheless situation radically changed at the time of Chinese Communists.  Soviet Union conducted settlers policy in Central Asia Republics, namely within these years thousands of Russian settlers moved to these republics, they tried to assimilated with native nations Inspired Chinese Communist authorities relaised that they could not reach theri target throuh military actions and besides world community will not allow to do so they have chosen the most right and sure way-assimilation. 

It is important to mention situation in neighboring to Eastern Turkestan countries such as Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, where we can observe the most colorful example of Russian assimilation.   Even these countries obtained their independence more than ten years ago they still did not get rid of Russian culture. Speaking about Kazakhstan, country that most of all suffered from Russian assimilation national traditions and customs of Kazakhs are on the brick of disappearance, most young kazakh people even have forgotten their mother tongue.   Russian culture penetrated deeply to the whole Territory of Kazakhstan and even after ten years of independence people of Kazakhstan still have colonial feelings inside.  Analyzing modern history of Kazakhstan we can say that Soviet Union conducted same migration policy as Chinese government does towards our regions in Eastern Turkestan. In the 2.717.300 square kilometers territory of Kazakhstan present population is about 16 million 646 thousand of people. Population consists of Kazakhs-39.7 percent, Russians 37.8 percent, Germans 5.8 percent, Ukrainians 5.4 percent, Belarussians 1.1 percent.

Not counting Uzbeks which make about 2 percent and Uygurs (1.1 percent), other Turk nations hardly make 2 percent of the whole population.

Number of Russians, Germans, Ukrainians, Koreans, Greeks, Moldavians, Armenians, Georgians make 53 percent while native Turk nations such as Kazakhs, Uygurs, Ozbeks, Tatars  make only 47 percent. 

If Chinese Communist authorities did not pay much attention to the settlers policy at first Russia conducted its planned migration policy in Kazakhstan starting from the middle of 19 century and which was conducted almost till 1952.  This policy was temporarily stopped in times of internal wars in Russia which took place from 1914 up to 1926 years but when Soviet authorities  came to power after Russian Tzar, the migration policy which was conducted before became much more massive and strengthened even harder than before. According to the historical statistics of Russia in 1897 population of Kazakhstan and Western Turkestan made  10 million 846 thousand and 800 hundred of people, Russians in these regions hardly made 7 percent, in 1926 number of Russian settlers made 20 percent and in 1956 this number reached 32.2 percent and now percentage of Russians make 53 percent. Most of Russian migrants were settled in northern industrial regions of Kazakhstan such as Torgay, Aqmolla, Semipalatinsk, Jetisy.  Other important thing to mention is that since obtaining by Kazakhstan its independence there were no national and racial contradictions between Russians and Kazakhs.

Moreover Russian settlers and native people hand in hand try to build new Kazakhstan. The main reason for it is that both Tzar Russia and Soviet Union stipulated the main factor for the settlers movement, namely they did not set their migrants to the thick populated areas and tried to set them in new virgin areas for the construction of new industrial centers, houses and other facilities for the satisfaction of their needs. They followed this policy in planned and step-by-step way.   First settlers prepared a ground and favorable conditions for the new settlers. Native people did not suffer and lose their land and jobs, they continued to occupy with land and cattle-breeding and they have not got any enemy feeling towards Russian settlers. Then, Russian settlers did not conduct any oppression policy towards native nations as Chinese migrants together with Chinese authorities actively conduct. Russian settlers simply remained as ordinary citizens. Even if we could observe attempts of Russian settlers to impose their traditions and culture on the native nations we can surely say that trade and economy policy conducted in these regions was equal both for the Russian settlers and native nations.  

Besides, high level of Russian culture had arisen great interest of native nations. These favorable reasons played considerable role and did not allow any tensions between Russian settlers and native people occur.

Analyzing Chinese migration policy such major conditions as quality, quantity of migrants, major factors in cultural, educational and economic spheres for the migration is completely different from those being conducted by Soviet Union. 

Massive migration policy to Eastern Turkestan by the Chinese government started since 1949, before 1949 total amount of Chinese was counted at 400 thousand (including soldiers) and presently this number reached more than 7 million.

Disagreements and tensions between native people and settlers are increasing as a consequence of accelerating migration policy. This is obvious for the people living in country as well as for the whole international community. 

This situation in Estern Turkestan is not only a great concern of Uygur organizations working abroad but also Chinese democratic organizations, which also actively work abroad. Remembering internal turmoil's and rebellions in Eastern Timor Iles the above-mentioned organizations strongly feel obliged to preserve situation with Chinese migrants in Eastern Turkestan.     

As you know people of Eastern Timor Iles declared its independence from Indonesia in accord with the United Nations but Indonesian settlers under the auspices of Indonesian government had arisen huge military actions against native people thus converting newly independent Eastern Timor Isles into one  big blood  river. During their actions even representatives of United Nations could not save their lives. Despite of small quantity of Indonesian settlers in Eastern Timor, they were supported by Indonesian government and army and were better equipped comparing to the native nations, who had not had anything in their arms.

During this actions even Eastern Timor leaders had to live the county and save their lives in Australia. In general Eastern Timor was a great and considerable lesson for the nations living in yoke.    

More and more increasing tensions between native people and Chinese settlers in Eastern Turkestan, gradual penetration of communistic ideology is a great concern of Chinese Democratic Party, which intends to overthrow present authority and is actively working on it in its organizations abroad. Comparing world outlook of Democratic Chinese working abroad and Chinese settlers in Eastern Turkestan we can observe great difference between them. Chinese settlers did not feel themselves as an ordinary citizens they are represented as part of Chinese Communist Party and Chinese authorities and they fully share all actions of the present government and even support them in their  brutal actions. In the beginning of 1990 there were rumours among Chinese that is Gomendang is  only in Shinjiang. Political leaders of Chinese Democratic movement's abroad such as Weijingshing, Wuhongda, Yenzhaqi, Qimo had rose this issue and met leaders of Uygur organizations for the discussion and elaborating measures for the decision of this problem.

During 56- meeting of United Nations Committee on Human Rights in Geneve, Mister Weijingshing met Uygyr representatives and discussed current situation in eastern Turkestan.

Following this meeting representatives of World Uygur Young's Organization  met Head  of Chinese Committee, Mister Weijingshing  and defined following reasons of strengthening tensions in Eastern Turkestan.

1. Increasing number of Chinese migrants

In 1949 before Chinese Communist Party came into power only 400 thousand of Chinese people lived in Eastern Turkestan and presently according to official data this number reached 7 million. With increasing number of Chinese settlers living standards of native people considerable decreased namely in all spheres starting from living space, jobs, trade and industry and the main reason is increasing number of Chinese settlers. Chinese government declared Eastern Turkestan as a wide territory with huge reserves of fossils , however such cities of Eastern Turkestan as Kashgar, Atush, Hotan has less than one mo (about 0,32 hectare) of arable land per uygur peasant, while Bingtunlik Chinese settlers address other Chinese from remote areas of China to come and help them in agricultural sphere.  Besides unemployment, salaries, allocations of Chinese settler's completely differ from those of native nations. It is vital that all above-mentioned factors promote discontent among native nations.

2.Great idea of  China- among Chinese settlers

Due to the active support of Chinese settlers by Chinese Communist Party they fell themselves privileged towards native nations and treat them unworthy. Moreover they underestimate traditions and customs of native people which also deeps and strengthen discontents among native nations.   

3. Elimination of native nations by Chinese settlers

Having strong support from the Chinese Communist party  Chinese settlers try not to live with native nations hand-in-hand moreover they try to conduct native nations. Thus when native nations try to rebel and protect their rights Chinese settlers together with Chinese army try to press this rebellions in very brutal ways, for example In "Barin incident", " Hotan incident", " Second Guldja incident" Chinese settlers played considrable role in blood pressing of this these rebellions.

Namely, Barin incident pressing Bing tuen, Agricultural division-5 soldiers and simple Chinese settlers of Kashgar region took active part.       In the pressing of "Culdja incident " Agricultural division-4 also took active part. During this rebellion, which took place on the 7-th of February 1997 soldiers equipped with modern extermination arms considerably harmed peaceful citizens. 

Such events are the major reasons for the strengthening of discontents among native nations. Moreover there are a lot of other reasons such as unequal rights of native nations and Chinese settlers in such vital spheres as education, culture, legislation, trade, which also promote disagreements between native people and Chinese settlers.

During a meeting with Uygur organizations representatives in Geneva Mister Weijingshing , Leader of Chinese Democratic Movement underlined main reasons for the strengthening discontents between Uygurs and Chinese settlers. He also called Chinese Communist authorities as the main source of these discontents. In his final speech he emphasized that Chinese Democratic Movement will actively work on the radical political changes in such regions as Eastern Turkestan and Tibet. He also positively estimated opposition movements in Eastern Turkestan.

During a  meeting with representatives of some Uygur organizations in Germany he also said that    in such areas as Eastern Turkestan opposition against Chinese Communist Government is divided into two parts into one group, which is struggles for the independence of and other group is represented by Chinese people   struggling for Chinese Democratic Party. He also underlined that there is a great difference between these two tendencies. Chinese democratic Movement is trying to eliminate this difference in order to concentrate two groups and co-operate together.  

Speaking about national rebellions in Eastern Turkestan he also mentioned that there are the same rebellions in deeper regions of China. He estimated them as a struggle against Chinese Communist authorities. He also said that the one of the basic principles of Chinese Democratic Movement is to grant every nation in China its independence. However,   Chinese Democratic Movement did nothing in order to prevent or help national movements in Eastern Turkestan and Tibet.

In our opinion Chinese Democratic Movement was to elaborate special program for those Chinese settlers in Tibet and Eastern Turkestan in order to deliver its democratic ideas to the people and declare human rights of native people and respect to their traditions and customs. All of us know that even democratic movements increase among Chinese they are not clear in regions of eastern Turkestan and Tibet. Moreover Chinese settlers in these regions promote Communist and Chauvinist tendencies. There is also great possibility of great rebellion in regions of Eastern Turkestan and Tibet in case of improper promotion of democratic movements' ideas. Uygur organizations working abroad had felt these tendencies and tried to take some measures in order to preserve it. Positive acts of Democrats was clear even from the beginning of nineties. There a lot examples when they tried to change enemy felling of Chinese settlers towards native nations. For example, in 1997 During Culdja incident thousands of uygurs died and till present many of remained are summoned to courts. But Chines government did not inform about Uygur victims while declaring everywhere about Chinese died. In reality number of uygyr victims reached thousands.

As to the data of international information agencies the number of victims of this incident hardly reach 400 people.

According to a uygur man named Abdushukur, who came to Germany as a refugee from Guldga seeking political harbor presently in Guldga region Chinese settlers together with Chinese soldiers are pressing native Uygurs. Moreover nobody calls them for responsibility and besides Chinese law enforcement agencies summon brave Uygurs. Making a conclusion we can say that Chinese settlers are the main source for contradictions and discontents. The assimilation policy of Chinese government is effected with rapid paces. Thus becoming dangerous not only for Eastern Turkestan security but for the whole Central Asia region.

Both Chinese Democratic powers and Eastern Turkestan National Struggle Movements strongly fell necessity of Chinese settlers issue regulation. Besides, the issue of Chinese settlers in Eastern Turkestan attracts attention of world community more and more each year.

© Uygur.Org  20/11/2001 04:51 A. Karakş