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

Hong Kong Tung Fang Jih Pao, 10/03/97

Armed Rebellions Reportedly Occur in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, Killing Nine Officials and People's Congress Deputies

Reliable well-informed sources reveal: Just before National Day, comparatively large-scale armed rebellions occurred in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Regions, killing nine government officials and people's congress deputies. The authorities called out troops and police to put down the rebellions, and a number of participants were arrested. Several leaders who had plotted the rebellions succeeded in escaping. They are trying to flee China.

Due to the fact that the authorities suspect that those leaders of the Xinjiang and Inner Mongolian rebellions have gone south to try to leave the country through Shenzhen port, administrative organs of several ports in Guangdong have issued internal circulars to all working personnel, urging them to be on full alert and double their efforts to carry out a close search to prevent those instigators of rebellion from fleeing the country. Relevant precautions taken have not yet been lifted.

Anti-government rebellions in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia occurred after the convocation of the 15th Party Congress, and the date was very close to National Day on 1 October. The rebellions were engineered by Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia independence elements who sneaked into China from foreign countries. The specific places where the rebellions occurred and numbers of participants are unknown. It has been learned that the rebels used firearms to attack local township and town government organs, killing government officials and people's congress deputies. It has been learned that a total of nine officials and people's congress deputies in the two regions were killed. Some officials and civilians were injured, and a number of shops were damaged or burned.

THE AUTHORITIES PUT DOWN THE REBELLIONS IMMEDIATELY

Shortly after the occurrence of the rebellions, the authorities called out large numbers of troops and police to suppress them, and the situation was under control within a very short time. After the suppression of the rebellions, a number of participants were arrested. It has been learned that the main instigators succeeded in escaping. They are attempting to leave China via the borders in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia or Guangdong. In view of the fact that Guangdong could possibly be one of the places from which rebellion leaders try to flee the country, and that quite a large number of Xinjiang residents are living in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, frontier personnel in the two cities and Zhuhai have received urgent orders from the central government on casting an escape-proof net. Last week, responsible persons of several port management departments in the above-mentioned three cities gathered together to attend an emergency meeting. An order proclaiming a state of emergency has been issued to all working personnel.

It has been learned that at the emergency meeting, the central authorities reiterated that duty officers must heighten their vigilance to keep close watch over persons leaving the country, especially those who came to the south from Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, or those who had the appearance of minority nationalities coming from the north. If they spot any doubtful person, they must report the case to the higher authorities, and carry out a close search in order to arrest and bring to justice those rebellion leaders who try to escape via the south. It has been learned that the above-mentioned escape-proof net has been cast in airports, railway stations, and ferries, involving such departments as border defense, frontier inspection, public security, state security, and customs. Port management personnel have also been advised "not to go onto the streets unless it is necessary," because those Xinjiang and Inner Mongolian rebellion leaders might be carrying antipersonnel weapons with them. They might even have

received military training. They are extremely dangerous people.

In a telephone interview, although a border inspection officer in Shenzhen refused to confirm the report, he admitted that it was true port inspection work had been strengthened recently. He added that it was normal to strengthen exit and entry control around National Day. He stressed: Some people in foreign countries, who do not want China to be do well, might come to carry out sabotage and make trouble. There is nothing new in it. If they come, we will definitely arrest them.

[Description of Source: Hong Kong Tung Fang Jih Pao in Chinese--non-PRC-owned daily newspaper ("Oriental Daily News"); targets a mass readership with emphasis on local and south China news but takes no strong political stands]