Xinjiang and Uighur independence

Last week, 17 Uyghurs were released from Guantanamo Bay. These men had been imprisoned there for six years after declared innocent. Only China wanted to take them in, but it was probable that they would torture and imprison the men upon return, since the government views these men as terrorists. Finally, after six years of unjust imprisonment, the men were sent to Bermuda and Palau.

So who are the Uyghurs, and what relation could they possibly have to the "War on Terror"?

Uyghurs make up one of the largest ethnic minorities in China. Most Uyghurs (pronounced "WEE-gurz", and also spelled "Uighurs") live in Xinjiang province, a huge, western province bordering several 'Stans. They speak their own language (Uyghur), historically written in Arabic script (now sometimes written in Cyrillic or Latin script). Uyghurs are Muslims (Sunni), but not very religious comparatively- many drink alcohol.

After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Central Asia broke up into several countries representing the different ethnicities of the region- Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, etc. There was no Uyghurstan, as the Uyghurs are fully aware. Today, there are over half a dozen seperatist groups, many of them considered terrorist groups, fighting for a "Uyghurstan" or, more commonly, "East Turkestan". China claims that many of these groups are working with Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, though there is not much evidence of this publicly available. China has been conducting its own "War on Terror" in Xinjiang since 1999, trying to root out these organizations. In the weeks leading up to the Olympics, several terrorist attacks occurred in the region, most of them claimed by Uyghur separatist groups. While China must protect its own citizens, some outsiders claim that the threat is exaggerated in order keep the region quiet, so the government can have access to the mineral wealth throughout the province.

China, officially an atheist state, recognizes Islam as one of its five official religions. Mosques, however, must be "patriotic," and sermons are limited to half an hour. No public prayer is allowed, and children under 18 may not go to religious schools (this is true of all religions). Uyghurs also aren't allowed to entirely express themselves culturally. Xinjiang University, the largest and best university in the area, no longer teaches any courses in Uyghur, and even Uyghur literature courses must be taught using Chinese translations of texts. Only "Minzu" (ethnic) schools may teach in languages of ethnic minorities, and these are often poorly funded. This has created a dichotomy between the "Min kao Min" and "Min kao Han" Uyghurs- those who were brought up speaking Uyghur and those brought up speaking Mandarin, respectively. Those who speak Mandarin do far better than their Minkao Min counterparts.

It's not all bad. Uyghurs (and other minorities in China) are mostly exempt from the one-child policy. They benefit from affirmative action when applying to universities and government jobs. But the bad tends to outweigh the good, and there is much improvement needed in Xinjiang.

In many ways, the Uyghur situation is similar to the Tibetan one. Both are ethnic minorities in China that have clashed with the Han majority; both have historical claims to an independent nation; both are very religious; and both groups want more autonomy or even independence. But while the cause of the Tibetans has been taken up by many in the West, most have not even heard of Uyghurs. There are a few reasons for this. First of all, many Westerners are infatuated with Buddhism and consider it to be a "religion of peace." People have romanticized Tibet and imagine it to be a beautiful, peaceful, mystical kingdom in the Himalayas, a la "Lost Horizon." This isn't at all true of course-- the Tibetans have a brutal and bloody history (more on that to come). By contrast, Americans are much less likely to identify with the plight of a Muslim people. Secondly, the Dalai Lama has great recognition outside China and even won a Nobel prize. The Uyghurs don't have such a high-profile leader to make their case to the West.

Recommended reading:

Under the Heel of the Dragon: Islam, Racism, Crime, and the Uighur in China by Blaine Kaltman. A political history of modern Xinjiang.

Dragon Fighter: One Woman's Epic Struggle for Peace with China, by Rebiya Kadeer. Xinjiang's most prominent dissident tells of her life and struggles for Independence.