Published by: THE WORLD UYGHUR NETWORK NEWS May 7, 1997

CND-Global, May 7, 1997 (GL97-067)

[CND, 05/04/97] Twelve Chinese Moslem youths were deported to Xinjiang

province by Pakistani authorities, AFP reported. A Chinese source

confirmed that the youths entered Pakistan by road last December

"without visa and without passport." The youths, aged between 17 and

20, were taken into custody by Pakistani police in the northern town of

Gilgit. Since then, the Chinese government has sought to repatriate

them, maintaining that "they violated both Pakistani and Chinese

immigration laws." Pakistan local news agency PPI had reported that

the youths fled China fearing "threats" in the Xinjiang region. China

diplomatic sources rejected concerns raised by Pakistani human rights

activists for the safety of the Chinese Moslems upon their returning to

China, and labeled them "mere speculation." (Ray ZHANG, Guochen WAN)

[ETIC remark] Eastern Turkistan Information Center was informed that 13

Uyghurs, in fact, saught polytical asylum in Pakistan escaping from

persecutions from the Chinese government. The lifes of these people might

be in danger, and the Pakistani atuthorities could be responsible if the

young Uyghurs are persecuted.