Muslim Xinjiang: China's Wild West

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Now_a_rebellion_in_Chinas_west/articleshow/2921322.cms#write

This is not the first instance of Muslim trouble in Xinjiang Province in North West China. The Province borders Pakistan and has active sympathisers and assistance from across the border in fomenting secessionist ambitions. With 26,700 mosques in the Province, the Uighur Muslim have historically been the predominant ethnic group in Xinjiang, which is officially known as the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, also known as the 'wild west of China'. The Uighurs have often accused China of conducting a campaign of repression against its Sunni Muslim minority. China's war on terror is concentrated on Xinjiang. Pakistan Army is known to have trained the Uighurs along with other jihadi groups in a camp near Mirpur in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. A radical Islamic independence group, the East Turkistan Islamic Movement is active in the area and has active support from Pakistan’s ISI created terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Toiba, Jamaat-e-Tablighi and Jamaat-e-Islami.

The Muslim protest in Xinjiang is indicative of China’s problems with ethnic and religious minority groups in the country’s vast western regions, where there is a long history of unhappiness with Chinese rule. Beijing has sought to pacify them with economic development programs and suppress dissent with heavy police presence. According to Chinese official version, the Uighurs are using the Beijing Olympic Games as an opportunity to attract international attention to their causes.

The province borders eight separate countries. Foreign fighters, including members of the Taleban, have been captured here. There is a sudden influx of Arabic grammar books in the region so that the people can read the Koran better. The resident Uighurs discreetly disclose to outsiders that they are not afraid of the communist Chinese, that they are only afraid of Allah.

Officially, the Chinese loudly proclaim that they hope to keep all their heritage and customs alive, like ethnic cuisine and dress. But one part of their heritage is actively discouraged in school: Islam. It is clear authorities seek to contain religion within tight parameters. Sermons that advocate behavior that contradicts Chinese law or Communist policy are banned. Government-approved Muslim clerics, or Imams, are not allowed to criticize the Chinese government's family planning policies, for example, if they want to keep themselves and their followers out of trouble. The Uighurs are encouraged to join the Communist Party, a prerequisite for career advancement, and are required to disavow religion and declare themselves atheists.

Northern Xinjiang is rich and fertile, and it has known oil deposits. In 1940, Uranium deposits were located in Bortala, Daladi, Kashgar and Altay Shan in Xinjiang. The region’s importance for China can also be gauged from the fact all of China’s nuclear weapons were tested in Xinjiang. China has flooded the province with Han Chinese. In 1950 Uighurs were 94% of the population - they are now less than half. The indigenous Muslims resent large scale influx of Han Chinese in the area and accuse China of deliberately disturbing the region’s demographic balance.