Published by: THE WORLD UYGHUR NETWORK NEWS November 3, 1997

10/30/97, Hong Kong Wen Wei Po, PTS Translated Text for FBIS [Description of Source: Hong Kong Wen Wei Po in Chinese--PRC-owned daily newspaper]

Dispatch by Staff Reporter Tseng Shu-wan:

"Xinjiang To Resolutely Crack Down on Riots, Stop Illegal Religious Activities Detrimental to State Security, and Give Play to Role of Production and Construction Corps"

Urumqi, 29 Oct (Wen Wei Po) -- In an interview with our reporter, a responsible person of the Xinjiang autonomous region stated:

Xinjiang's important work in the future is to strengthen nationality solidarity, maintain stability, and take more rapid and decisive measures to resolutely crack down on riots provoked by nationality splittist elements. Nationality splittist elements in Xinjiang have caused a series of terrorist events since last year. They have resorted to such means as explosions, homicide and robbery to harm patriotic religious personages, grassroots cadres, and innocent masses.

This responsible person pointed out:

It has been verified after a thorough investigation that those nationality splittist elements who have incited terror have harbored political motives of splitting the nation. They are attempting to create confusion, subvert the government, and seize state power through violence.

If we turn a blind eye to riots wantonly provoked by them, we cannot begin to talk about economic construction, stable social order and nationality progress in Xinjiang. Therefore, Xinjiang's important task in the future is to maintain social stability and strengthen nationality solidarity. Organizations at all levels in the autonomous region have reached a consensus on not tolerating riots caused by the splittist elements.

They will take decisive measures to resolutely crack down on them. While talking about how to prevent nationality splittist elements from provoking riots, the responsible person stated that in the future, they must pay attention to the following work:

Striking blows at illegal religious activities. Under the cloak of religion, those nationality splittist elements advocate pan-Islamism with an aim of eradicating pagans and establishing the so-called Islamic kingdom. Since their illegal religious activities are detrimental to state security and the highest interests of the state, they must be resolutely cracked.

Further doing well in comprehensive management of social order to promptly stop all acts of sabotage which harm social stability and social order.

Giving play to the role of the Production and Construction Corps as a combat team, production team, work team and propaganda team. Practice has proved that the Production and Construction Corps is an indispensable and stabilizing force.

Strengthening friendly and cooperative relations with neighboring countries to jointly attack terrorism and splittist activities. Strengthening control over publications.

The responsible person stressed:

Terrorism of a tiny number of nationality splittist elements does not enjoy popular support. It can never affect the situation in Xinjiang. Proceeding from the general situation of upholding nationality solidarity, and making joint efforts to promote development and progress, people of various nationalities in Xinjiang are resolutely fighting against those nationality splittist elements to consciously defend national security and ensure social stability. At present, economic construction and social development in Xinjiang have been the best since the founding of the people's republic.