An electronic newsletter Produced by the Eastern Turkistan Information Center No: 26 7 March 1997 In this issue: (1) BEIJING BOMB BLAST KILLS THREE
(2) EXPLOSION ON PUBLIC BUS IN CHINA INJURES AT LEAST 8
(3) GOVERNMENT SAYS XINJIANG BUS BOMBINGS CASE SOLVED
(4) TIBETANS WANT STABILITY , NOT INDEPENDENCE: TOP LEGISLATOR
(5) CHINA STRENGTHENS ANTI-TERRORIST LAWS TO CONTROL TIBET, XINJIANG
(6) CHINA URGES ETHNIC UNITY IN RESTIVE XINJIANG
(7) ISMAIL AMAT ON STRUGGLE AGAINST ETHNIC 'SEPARATISTS'
(8) NEW RULES TO MEAN SEPARATISTS FACE 10 YEARS IN JAIL
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=
BEIJING-- A bomb exploded Friday on a bus in Beijing, killing at least three people, Chinese sources said. The bomb exploded at one of Beijing's main traffic intersections, in the capital's western Xidan district. The Xidan public security bureau refused to comment on the incident. (2) EXPLOSION ON PUBLIC BUS IN CHINA INJURES AT LEAST 8
BEIJING (AP) - An explosion on a public bus injured at least eight people in a Beijing shopping district Friday, shaking a capital already jittery over a string of bus bombings in northwestern China. The cause of Friday's explosion was not known, but there was little precedent for such an attack in the Chinese capital. The three bombs last month occurred in the western Xinjiang region, whose large Muslim population wants more autonomy. Emergency room workers at Jishui Tan Hospital said many of the people injured Friday were burned all over their bodies. Police refused to confirm the explosion occurred but said they were investigating reports of a bombing. Witnesses interviewed at the Jishui Tan Hospital said the explosion happened when the route No. 22 bus opened its door after pulling up at a stop on North Xidan Avenue. A security guard on one of the avenue's shopping malls said it happened as the bus pulled away from the stop. Police closed off the street and ordered foreign reporters to leave the area. At least 100 police officers were on patrol. Shards of glass littered the street outside a large shopping complex near the bus stop. Security in the capital - normally tight during the annual session of China's legislature - was strengthened this year following the death of senior leader Deng Xiaoping on Feb. 19 and the bus bombings in the northwest province of Xinjiang. Three bus bombs exploded within minutes of each other in Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, on Feb. 25 - the last of the six days of official mourning ordered for Deng. Police blamed that attack - which killed nine people and wounded 68 - on terrorists. Xinjiang is populated mostly by Turkic-speaking Muslim groups who have grown increasingly resentful of Chinese domination. In the past year, Muslim separatist groups, mostly from the Uighur minority, have held gun battles with police and tried to assassinate pro-China officials. Foreign reporters have been barred from Xinjiang and stopped by police from doing interviews in a Beijing neighborhood where many Uighurs live. On Thursday, senior Chinese officials unveiled a revised criminal law and a new national defense law to provide legal backing for crackdowns against ethnic separatism. (3) GOVERNMENT SAYS XINJIANG BUS BOMBINGS CASE SOLVED
The official Xinjiang Daily said on Wednesday that the case of bus bombings on February 25, which killed 9 and injured 74 in Xinjiang's capital city Urumqi, had been solved, Reuters reported. According to the newspaper, police have arrested several suspects involving making and planting the bombs or selling explosive materials for the bombs, and are still hunting for the others at large. The government called the bombings a "planned and coordinated act of destruction by a terrorist group." Three of the four bombs planted in city buses went off within minutes at the time that coincided with Deng Xiaoping's funeral in Beijing. The fourth failed to explode. A source told Reuters that most of the victims were students on their way home from school. Separatists exiled in neighboring Kazakhstan claimed responsibility for the attacks on Tuesday, according to Reuters. Mukhiddin Mukhlisi, a spokesman for the exiles who want to set up an independent "East Turkestan" in Xinjiang, said in Kazakhstan capital Almaty that the bombings were set to retaliate Beijing for ist crackdown on the separatist movement over the past month, which, Mukhlisi claimed, had killed 127 Uighurs and detained hundreds. He also claimed that a bus bomb was set off on Monday about 75 miles east of Yining near the Kazakhstan border. However, a local official denied such a claim. Beijing is taking a hard line against separatism. In his annual report on Saturday to the People's National Congress, Premier LI Peng said his government would take a tough stand on the separatist movements. Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily reported on Wednesday that reinforcing security forces had been sent to Xinjiang and Tibet, and the Lanzhou Military Region was put on alert. Mukhlisi said Beijing had launched a "hundred days anti-separatist campaign" against Uighur separatists. Chinese government says there are about nine million Uighurs living in China, but separatists put the number at over 20 million. About 300,000 Uighurs are now living in the former Soviet Union, including 180,000 in Kazakhstan. Russia government said last month that it would remain neutral between the separatists and Beijing, and has rejected that it has the obligation, under a border treaty signed by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, and other Central Asia countries in the formal Soviet Union, to extradite Uighur activists to China and Kazakhstan. (Weijun LIU, YIN De An) (4) TIBETANS WANT STABILITY , NOT INDEPENDENCE: TOP LEGISLATOR
BEIJING - Tibet's top legislator rejected Friday the image of Tibet as a strife-torn region, blaming the Dalai Lama and anti-Chinese forces in the west for seeking to foment ethnic unrest there. "The vast majority of Tibetan people don't want independence. They want peace and stability," said the chairman of the regional parliament's standing committee, Raidi (eds: one name). While admitting that recent years had seen the emergence and growth of terrorist activity in Tibet, including a spate of bombings on Chinese targets, Raidi stressed that such acts were carried out by a tiny minority with overseas support. "According to out investigations, these premeditated acts carried out by separatists, helped by the Dalai clique and hostile western forces," he said, adding the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader had become a tool for foreign organisations seeking to undermine Tibet's social stability. "The Dalai Lama has displayed no sincere willingness to understand the true situation in Tibet, or to promote the development of the region." Nevertheless, Raidi reiterated Beijing's long-standing invitation to the Dalai Lama to return to Tibet and negotiate with the Chinese government -- provided he first renounce Tibetan independence and cease all activities aimed at "splitting the motherland." "He has often spoken of his desire to return, but we are still waiting some concrete affirmation of his sincerity," he added. Raidi also slammed the Dalai Lama's planned trip to Taiwan later this month as "an obvious act of separatism" that simply served to prove the Dalai Lama and the Taiwanese authorities "shared the same bed." Denying the existence of a Chinese government policy to flood Tibet with majority Han Chinese, Raidi also said reports of friction between Tibetans and Han settlers were exaggerated. "A small minority of Tibetans are hostile towards the Han, but generally we get along fine," he said, pointing to what he claimed was an increasing number of mixed ethnic marriages. "Tibet cannot develop without help and sacrifice of our Han comrades," he added. (5) CHINA STRENGTHENS ANTI-TERRORIST LAWS TO CONTROL TIBET, XINJIANG
By Lorien Holland BEIJING - China unveiled legal amendments Thursday which updated its Stalinesque counter-revolution offences and introduced harsh new laws targetted at terrorist control in Tibet and Xinjiang. In its first major modernisation of the 1979 Criminal Law, Beijing also announced plans to add money laundering, stock market manipulation and criminal syndicates to the statute books. While diplomats welcomed the draft legislation put before parliament as a necessary part of China's trek to modernity, they criticized changes to the counter-revolutionary offence as being no more than cosmetic changes. "Counter-revolution is now called endangering state security, but the new articles are even wider than the original and will not stop convictions for peaceful expression of opinion," a western diplomat said. "There is no effective change, despite the new wording," he added. Instead of 15 charges of counter-revolution, some 11 charges of endangering state security will be used, with additional clauses of "undermining national unification" and of accepting funds from foreign organizations. "New situations and problems have arisen with regard to conviction under the crimes of counter-revolution," Wang Hanbin, vice chairman of the National People's Congress, told parliament delegates. "For this reason, the chapter of crimes of counter-revolution has been revised as crimes of endangering state security," he said. China has made liberal use of its counter-revolution clauses, especially propaganda aimed at inciting the overthrow of the socialist system, to convict dissidents who have dared to express their own opinions about the future of China. The anti-terrorism provisions came in the wake of pro-independence bombings in Xinjiang and Tibet. "In some places offences in the nature of terrorist activities have been committed and caused enourmous harm making it necessary to include provision to deal telling blows at such offences," Wang said. He announced draft provisions that would add up to 10 years in prison to any sentence for homicide, explosion or kidnapping carried out as a terrorist act. In addition, offenders "taking advantage of national or religious problems to instigate the splitting of the State or undermine the unity of the State" will be charged under fierce State Security provisions. A third charge carrying a three-year term for "enciting ethnic hate" will also be added to the ammendment, Wang added. The changes, due to be passed next week at the closing session of the NPC, come after a spate of serious ethnic unrest in northwestern Xinjiang which led to the deaths of at least 10 in anti-Chinese rioting and another nine fatalities from bomb attacks on public buses. According to exiled separatist groups two further bomb attacks have been carried out in the past week -- one on Saturday in Urumqi at a meeting place for police, and another on Monday on a bus travelling from Yining to the capital. In neighboring Tibet, simmering anti-Chinese sentiment led to the bombing of central Lhasa on December 25 and a series of other, unconfirmed, explosive attacks. China's legislature meets for two weeks a year and is scheduled to pass the Criminal Law amendments in mid-March. (6) CHINA URGES ETHNIC UNITY IN RESTIVE XINJIANG
BEIJING - China on Thursday hinted at ethnic unrest in Moslem Xinjiang as a senior official called for unity in the western region that was rocked by separatist bomb attacks last week. "Xinjiang ...must further improve ethnic unity, protect social stability and do a better job of building up Xinjiang," the official People's Daily quoted Vice-Premier Li Lanqing as saying. Li made no direct reference to the series of deadly bombings in Xinjiang's capital Urumqi on Feb. 25, the day Beijing held funeral rites for late leader Deng Xiaoping. Li's remarks to Xinjiang delegates at the National People's Congress, or parliament, were one of the few signs in the national media that the region had once again been shaken by ethnic unrest. Three bombs hidden on public buses blew up within minutes of each other in Urumqi in an apparently coordinated attack. A fourth bomb failed to explode. The Xinjiang Daily said on Wednesday that authorities had arrested several people suspected of planting the bombs and of selling detonators used in the attacks that killed nine people and wounded 74. Police were interrogating the suspects and had launched a hunt for others still at large, the regional newspaper said. Official media outside the region ignored the incident. Parliament's vice-chairman Wang Hanbin on Thursday introduced revisions to China's criminal law setting stiffer punishment for stirring up ethnic hatred and making it a capital crime to use race or religion to endanger state security. "People in some places are stirring up hatred among ethnic groups in an attempt to undermine unity among them," Wang told parliament. In early February, an anti-Chinese riot erupted in Yining, about 50 km (31 miles) from Xinjiang's border with Kazakhstan. Chinese officials said nine people were killed. The riot was one of the largest, most violent demonstrations for independence in Xinjiang since the 1949 communist takeover. Moslem separatists say they want to set up an independent "East Turkestan" in Xinjiang, home to many Turkic-speaking people such as the Uighur ethnic minority. Exiled Uighur nationalists in neighbouring Kazakhstan on Tuesday claimed responsibility for the latest attacks. Beijing, unnerved by the spectre of turmoil along its borders, had put the Lanzhou Military Region, which oversees Xinjiang, on alert against further unrest, Hong Kong's Sing Tao Daily newspaper said on Wednesday. (7) ISMAIL AMAT ON STRUGGLE AGAINST ETHNIC 'SEPARATISTS'
Ismail Amat, state councillor and minister in charge of the State Nationalities Affairs Commission, came to the Xinjiang delegation to the Fifth Session of the Eighth National People's Congress during the meeting period, and joined the Xinjiang deputies in discussing Premier Li Peng's government work report. After listening to some deputies' speeches, Ismail Amat gave a speech on consolidating and developing the great unity among all ethnic groups. Extracts from Ismail Amat's speech: The unity of all ethnic groups is always a matter of great importance. At any time, close attention must be paid to this issue. The government work report to the current session particularly mentions the issue of consolidating the great unity of all ethnic groups, and also sets forth a series of concrete requirements. Through studying and implementing the government work report, we will further improve our work related to ethnic affairs, develop socialist relations among all ethnic groups, and create a favorable social environment and provide an effective political guarantee for reform, opening-up, and economic construction. There still exists a small handful of ethnic separatists inside and outside our country. This is an objective fact. They will certainly carry out splitting and undermining. Therefore, for the purpose of safeguarding national unity and longlasting stability, we must assume a clear-cut attitude and carry out resolute tit-for-tat struggle against ethnic separatists. In essence, ethnic splitting activities are aimed at splitting up our unified country and subverting the people's democratic government. In fact, this is a demonstration of class struggle at the current stage. This is not an ethnic problem, nor a problem with relations among various ethnic groups. Separatism is unpopular. It is the common enemy of the people of all ethnic groups. In the past, on the vast land of China, the farces performed a very small number of people to splitting up the motherland all ended up with utter failure. At present, in our unified country and under the powerful people's democratic dictatorship, separatist activities that go against the historical trend and against the wishes of the people of all ethnic groups will absolutely go nowhere, and will inevitably fail. In our work related to ethnic affairs, we should always put economic construction above anything else. In economic construction, we should pay close attention to enhancing and improving the living standards of the people of all ethnic groups, thus promoting their common prosperity. In particular, the work of supporting the poor should be strengthened. A comparatively large part of areas inhabited by minority ethnic groups remains in a poor condition, and the degree of poverty is comparatively serious. The tasks of supporting the poor are arduous. We should, according to the central leadership's requirements, mobilize and concentrate forces from all quarters to tackle the tough problems in supporting the poor. The Chinese Government has solemnly pledged to eliminate absolute poverty by the year 2000. We will never allow even one person to enter the 21st century in a poor condition. This is an arduous task. The efforts of all quarters are necessary. Minority ethnic groups need to pursue self-reliance and need to work hard. Tomur Dawamat, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, Han Zhubin, minister of railways, also joined the Xinjiang deputies in discussing the government work report. (8) NEW RULES TO MEAN SEPARATISTS FACE 10 YEARS IN JAIL
China is set to introduce tough new rules to crack down on separatist movements after a series of attacks in the restive Xinjiang province. National People's Congress members yesterday suggested beefing up the criminal code to outlaw "provocation of racial hatred, racial discrimination or violation of racial unity". Meanwhile, police and transport officials in Beijing have been put on full alert to prevent any attacks by Uygur Muslim separatists. The emergency decree comes after they warned that they planned attacks during the meetings of the country's top legislature and advisory body. Under the proposed amendment to the criminal code, a copy of which was seen by the Hong Kong Standard, offenders could be jailed for 10 years. Vice-chairman of the NPC's Standing Committee Wang Hanbin will tell the legislature today why he thinks the amendments are needed. Analysts say Beijing fears racial violence could shatter the stability which has followed the death of Deng Xiaoping. As part of the crackdown in the capital, police have declared Changan Street a security zone and all suspicious people from Xinjiang are banned from entering the area near the Great Hall of the People. Security also has been stepped up in the Beijing Hotel, where many of the legislators are staying. The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Government office in Beijing, which is considered a symbol of ethnic Han control over the ethnic Uygur, is being closely guarded around the clock by armed soldiers. Public Security officers yesterday told taxi and bus companies in the capital to be alert to possible trouble makers, such as people travelling alone with a parcel. They also were told to pay special attention to people from Xinjiang and report their suspicions to police. Police also kept an eye on activities in Xinjiang village in Beijing. Two police cars were patrolling the area. More guards have been deployed to public gathering places such as Tiananmen Square and railway stations. "The explosions that happened in Urumqi must not be allowed to happen in the heart of the nation," an internal police document said. In another National People's Congress panel, Gen Zhang Wannian made it clear the army would act swiftly against any activity that threatened order, whether it came from within China or from another country. "Any turmoil should be snubbed out in the budding stage", he said. An exiled Uygur group has threatened an attack in Beijing in revenge for the bloody riots in Xinjiang early last month in which at least 19 people were killed. The official Xinjiang Daily yesterday acknowledged three bus blasts last week and admitted nine people had been killed. Prepared by: Abdulrakhim Aitbayev (rakhim@lochbrandy.mines.edu) 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 |