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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
PRESS RELEASE
AI Index: ASA 17/011/2003 (Public)
News Service No: 024
4 February 2003
People's Republic of China: No justice for the
victims of the 1997 crackdown in Gulja (Yining)
Dozens of people were killed or injured when the
Chinese security forces reportedly opened fire on
ethnic Uighur demonstrators in Gulja (Yining) City, on
5 and 6 February 1997. The initially peaceful
demonstration on 5 February was followed by several
days of sporadic rioting in which both civilians and
members of the security forces were killed or injured.
Thousands of people were detained as the security
forces went systematically through the streets,
arresting suspected protestors and supporters,
including their relatives. Many of those detained were
reportedly tortured.
Today, on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the
demonstration, Amnesty International has written to
Ismail Tiliwaldi, the newly-appointed Chair of the
XUAR Regional Government, calling for an independent
inquiry into allegations of serious human rights
violations that took place during and after the
demonstration and requesting further information about
those who remain in prison.
"We fear that many have been imprisoned in violation
of their fundamental human rights or after unfair
trials," Amnesty International said, adding that it
had records of 20 people thought to remain in prison,
but believed the total to be much higher.
"In the interests of transparency, the authorities
must make public details of the whereabouts of those
detained together with their current legal status and
the charges against them," the international human
rights organization continued. "It must also address
other serious human rights abuses perpetrated during
the crackdown on the protestors."
A group of several hundred protestors were reportedly
hosed down with icy water after being detained in an
open public space on 5 February. Many contracted
severe frostbite as a result and had to have limbs
amputated. At least two people detained in connection
with the demonstration later died in custody,
apparently as a result of torture.
No independent investigation is known to have taken
place into these or other allegations of serious human
rights abuses perpetrated during that time.
"Six years on, the victims of these tragic events
continue to be denied justice," Amnesty International
said. "Impunity for those who perpetrated serious
human rights violations will only fan the flames of
further unrest and instability in the region."
The Chinese authorities have since claimed that the
demonstration and rioting was organised by "terrorists",
but have failed to provide any evidence to
substantiate these claims. Eyewitness accounts
indicate that the demonstrators were local people and
that the rioting was mainly provoked by the brutality
of the security forces.
"In the absence of any reliable or credible evidence
of 'terrorist' involvement in these protests, this
appears to be yet another example of the authorities
using the subjective yardstick of 'terrorism' to
justify repression and serious human rights violations
against people attempting to exercise their
fundamental human rights in the XUAR," Amnesty
International stressed.
Background
The demonstration of 5 February 1997 was organised in
response to increased repression, including a
clampdown on traditional Uighur cultural and religious
activities in and around Gulja over previous years.
This included the banning of "meshreps" - a
traditional form of social gathering revived by
Uighurs in Gulja in 1994 - and of a local Uighur
football league as well as the closure of independent
religious schools. Arbitrary arrests of Uighurs,
including local community and religious leaders,
increased over the following months exacerbating local
tension and discontent.
Hundreds of local people took part in the 5 February
demonstration shouting religious slogans and calling
for equal treatment of Uighurs. According to
eyewitness, demonstrators were unarmed.
The security forces used tear gas and water cannon to
break up the demonstration and violent clashes
occurred as news spread and more people came out into
the streets in various parts of the city. Some police
officers reportedly opened fire into the crowd. Dozens
are believed to have been killed or injured, but the
total number of casualties remains unknown. Thousands
of residents were detained during the two weeks which
followed the protests and many of them were reportedly
tortured. Some remained in custody for months on end
without charge.
Eyewitness reported that many of those detained during
and after the protests were treated with extreme
brutality. For example, a group of 300-400
demonstrators, including some children, arrested on 5
February 1997, were reportedly detained in a public
place, identified by some as a sports stadium, where
they were hosed down with icy water and kept in the
open air wet for two hours in the freezing February
temperatures. Many of them suffered severe frostbite
and some allegedly had to have feet, fingers or hands
amputated.
At least two people died in custody, apparently as a
result of torture, after being arrested in connection
with the Gulja demonstration. To Amnesty
International's knowledge, there has been no
independent inquiry into their deaths:
Salam Kari, a young man from Gulja, who had formed a
Uighur football team in the city in the mid-1990s, was
arrested in May 1997 in connection with the February
protests. A few days later he was dead. His body,
which was returned to his family, reportedly showed
marks of torture. The police reportedly claimed that
he had committed suicide in prison.
Abdulhelil, a 28-year old businessman and founder of
the 'meshreps', died in custody on 17 October 2000,
apparently as a result of repeated beatings and other
forms of torture. He had been detained on 5 February
1997 and accused of being a leader of the
demonstration that day. He was reportedly denied
access to his family following his arrest. After his
death, his body was reportedly buried in a shallow
grave under heavy police guard. The authorities
initially denied his death, but later claimed that he
died of a heart failure after contracting a
respiratory inflammation and myocarditis in prison.
Those who are believed to remain in prison include:
Ablat Patar, a surgeon from Gulja military hospital,
reportedly detained in early July 1998 and accused of
giving medical treatment to "nationalist separatists",
including people injured during the 1997 Gulja
incident. Unofficial sources suggest that he may be
held in Yengi Hayat Prison in Gulja. Further details
about his conviction or his current legal status
remain unknown.
Iminjan, a 28-year-old teacher, reportedly detained
during the February 1997 protests and tortured in
detention. This included being made to stand barefoot
in the snow and having cold water poured on him,
causing severe frostbite of both feet. He was
reportedly accused of 'illegal religious activities'
and sentenced to ten years in prison in a secret trial
in March or April 1998. His current whereabouts are
unknown.
Kasim Haji, Hamit Mejit and Shevket Sakhal (or Shevket
Tursun), three businessmen arrested in March or April
1997 for allegedly passing information about the
February protests to a group of foreign journalists.
Unconfirmed reports suggest they were subsequently
sentenced to 15 or 18 years in prison, but their
current whereabouts are unknown.
In an official report, published in the People's Daily
(Renmin Ribao) on 21 January 2002, the Chinese
authorities described the 5 February incident and its
aftermath as a "serious riot" organised by the "East
Turkestan Islamic Party of Allah". During a press
conference on 12 September 2002, Kong Quan, a
spokesperson from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, stated that this was another name for the
"East Turkestan Islamic Movement" (ETIM). ETIM had
been listed as a "terrorist organisation" by the UN
Security Council the day before after intense lobbying
from China.
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