Published by: China News Digest, Monday, June 30, 1997

[CND, 06/28/97] Two hundred and sixty grassroots officials in Muslim region were fired, affecting 35 Communist Party heads of villages and towns in Yili district in Xinjiang region and 19 village mayors or factory managers, Reuters reported quoting the Xinjiang Daily.

Authorities launched a crackdown on underground religious activities in Yili. Unauthorized construction or renovation of 133 mosques were stopped, said the newspaper. About 40 core participants in illegal religious activities had been arrested. No further further details were available. The newspaper did say, however, that "Illegal religious activities were cleaned up in Yili district village by village, hamlet by hamlet."

According to the paper, 105 illegal classes teaching the Koran were broken

up by authorities and 499 students were dispersed. Police officers and militias were increased by 459 and 266, respectively. Five proindependence school officials were fired and are facing dismissal for stirring up separatist sentiment.

According to state media, nine people were left dead during the riots last

February that involved Muslim separatist. (Ray ZHANG)