Produced by the Eastern Turkistan Information Center

14 October 1996

14 October 1996, CND-Global.

5 October 1996, Voice of America

4 October 1996, East Turkistan Information Center

4 October 1996, The Voice Of Eastern Turkistan

4 October 1996, The Motherland Messenger (September 15)

4 October 1996, Monitor - Vol.II, No.175

4 October 1996,OMRI Daily Digest

3 October 1996, CND-Global

2 October 1996, CND-Global

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(1) THE DALAI LAMA HAS ACCEPTED AN INVITATION TO VISIT TAIWAN.

14 October 1996, CND-Global.

Source: Taiwan's China News (10/10/96 - 10/13/96)

Contributor: Chang-Jiu Chen

The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, has accepted an invitationto visit Taiwan, the Independence Evening Post reported.

(2) RADIO FREE ASIA BEGINS BROADCASTING

5 October 1996, Voice of America

The voice of America presents differing points of view on a wide variety of issues. Next, an editorial reflecting American ideals and institutions.

This month, radio free Asia began broadcasting in the Mandarin language to China. The daily program is broadcast from seven to seven-thirty in the morning Chinese time, with a repeat during the following half hour. The same program with a news update is broadcast

At eleven in the evening. The mandarin broadcasts will eventually be expanded to five and a half hours a day. Later, radio free Asia will begin broadcasting in Tibetan and Burmese, and will eventually have regular programs in Lao, Cambodian, Vietnamese and Korean.

Radio free Asia was established in accordance with legislation passed by the united states congress in 1994. Like the voice of America, radio free Asia is required to provide accurate and timely information, news and commentary. But whereas V-O-A has the additional task of telling the world about American thought, institutions and policies, radio free Asia’s special mission is "to be a forum for a variety of opinions and voices from within Asian nations whose people do not fully enjoy freedom of expression."

Radio free Asia is overseen by a bipartisan broadcasting board of governors appointed by the president. This same board is responsible for the voice of America; radio and television Marti, which broadcast to Cuba; radio free Europe, which broadcasts to eastern Europe; and

radio liberty, which broadcasts to Russia and other countries of the former soviet union. As David Burke, chairman of the broadcasting board of governors, said, the first broadcast of radio free Asia "is a watershed event for the people of China, just as future R-F-A broadcasts will be for the peoples of other closed societies in Asia. Citizens of those countries will now be able to listen to the information that they should be able to hear from their own Governments, but do not."

As radio free Asia president Richard Richter said, "the people of China -- and eventually the peoples of other closed societies in Asia -- will now have. . .an excellent source of straight, credible news dedicated solely to their own countries."

That was an editorial reflecting American ideals and institutions. If you would like to be heard on this issue, please write to Editorials, voice of America, Washington, d-c, 20547 USA. You may also send us a fax at (202) 619-1043. Your comments may be used on the air.

(3) A BOMB EXPLODED IN CHINA'A SICHUAN PROVINCE, BEIJING.

4 October 1996, East Turkistan Information Center

A planted bomb exploded in a cinema theater of China's Sichuan province leaving 11 people dead and 97 wounded, 37 in heavy condition. (The Turkish Gazette, September 30) --Abduljelil

(4) URUMCHI RADIO BROADCAST.

4 October 1996, The Voice Of Eastern Turkistan

Following the "Strike Hard" campaign to fight crime, from July 2 the so-called "Sweeping out rotten things" campaign has been enforced, too.

From July 15 to August 15 in Kargilik, Karakash, Guma counties of Hotan district, Kashgar city, Poskam county of Kashgar there have taken place repeated searches of the Uyghur homes. Only in Kashgar 5300 books, thousands of magazines, newspapers, and other printed materials were confiscated and burn. In Kargalik 15 people were punished, in Kashgar

17 bookstores were closed, and in Karakash 30 "criminals" were arrested.

September 4. About 21 thousand new students entered 21 of Xinjiang's colleges and universities, 7 thousand of them are natives and the rest 14 thousand are the Chinese.

(5) NEWS FROM XINJIANG

4 October 1996, The Motherland Messenger (September 15)

The Gulja county government decreed to resettle against their will 1,500 Uyghur families from Karajilga village and to transfer their lands to the Chinese labor corps (bintuen). The Ili district authorities turned a deaf ear to the villagers' complaints. The protesters sent 3 people to Urumchi to search justice. This accident is causing strong discontents among many of the Ili Uyghurs.

In October 1994, the Chinese authorities confiscated lands of more that 3 thousand Uyghur farmers in Kizil Ag village of Kashgar's Saybag place. On May 15, 84 Uyghur families were forced to move from their homes near Urumchi city. The Eastern Turkistan Information center reported that on May 15 84 Uyghur families were forced to move from their homes near Urumchi city's Police school.

(6) TAJIK LEADERS OBTAIN CHINESE SUPPORT

4 October 1996, Monitor - Vol.II, No.175

.Tajik president Imomali Rakhmonov and a government delegation are completing today a five-day official visit to China, during which they conferred with President Jiang Zemin, Prime Minister Li Peng, and Parliament Chairman Tsiao Hsi. In the visit's most noteworthy event, Defense Ministers Chi Haotian and Sherali Hairulloev signed a military cooperation agreement envisaging Chinese assistance to the Tajik army free of charge. The sides also signed a protocol on Chinese financial aid to Tajikistan and discussed the construction of a Pamir highway to link the two countries. (Xinhua, Itar-Tass, September 16 through 20)

(7) DETAINED KAZAKSTANI JOURNALIST WINS COMPENSATION.

4 October 1996,OMRI Daily Digest

A suit brought by Batyrkhan Darimbet, RFE/RL stringer in Kazakstan, against the city of

Almaty police department ended on 18 September, RFE/RL reported the same day. The court agreed that Darimbet's human rights and professional dignity were violated when he was detained in early July en route to a press conference for visiting Chinese President Jiang Zemin. The presiding judge awarded 10,000 tenge (around $150) to Darimbet, far less than the 6 million tenge he demanded. Two activists associated respectively with the Azat and Jeltoksan nationalist parties were also detained at the same police station where Darimbet was held, evidently to prevent them too from attending the press conference. – Lowell Bezanis and Merhat Sharipzhan

(8) BEIJING STARTS CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE INTERNET

3 October 1996, CND-Global

Determined not to be left out of the ever expanding global information network, government launched an aggressive campaign in the capital city to promote the understanding and utilization of the Internet, Reuters reported. This is evidenced by large signs saying "Internet" at post offices, advertisements in newspapers and at entertainment and shopping centers, as well as various TV programs introducing Chinese residents to the Internet. Accompanied all this is the springing up of, and in some cases even the competition between, Internet Service Providers (ISP). Some ISPs worked with TV stations to film and air programs that educate lay-persons on how to set up hardware and software for gaining access to the Internet, some provide free training for their new subscribers, all in the hope to recruit more subscribers.

On the whole, however, individuals and institutions access the Internet through one of the three channels: ChinaNet (administered by the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications), CERnet (by the Education Commission), and CASnet (by the Chinese Academy of Sciences). Out of those three, only the ChinaNet is open to the general public, while the other two are mainly used by educational and research institutions.

(9) LAW TO RESTRICT POLICE POWER OF DETENTION IN EFFECT

2 October 1996, CND-Global

China puts into effect on Tuesday a law restricting police power to detain suspects without charge, Reuters reported. Under the new law, which was passed by the parliament in March, police cannot detain a suspect for more than 30 days without charge. Suspects are allowed access to a lawyer after being interrogated by police. In the past, suspects could be held without charge for months or even years and could not access a lawyer until shortly before trial. Prominent dissident LIU Xiaobo welcomed the law enactment but expressed doubt about its implementation. (Shiji SHEN, Leidong ZHENG)

Prepared by:

Abdulrakhim Aitbayev (rakhim@lochbrandy.mines.edu)

WUNN newsletter index

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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.

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EASTERN TURKISTAN INFORMATION CENTER

Director: Abduljelil Karkash

Lindwurmstr 99, 80337 Munich, Germany

http://www.uygur.com

Fax: 49-89-54 45 63 30 Phone: 49-89-54 40 47 72

E-mail: etic@uygur.com