Published by: THE WORLD UYGHUR NETWORK NEWS December 15, 1997

November 15-21, 1997, The Economist

"Railways, roads and pipelines are vulnerable to guerrilla attacks. At the congress of China's Communist Party in September, the situation in Xinjiang was said to be grave. The large garrison that China keeps there is a deterrent to dissent, but, as other countries have discovered, force alone may not be enough to repress deeply felt demands for independence."

Kashgar. When President Clinton appointed a special representative this month to keep an eye on Tibet, he might also have given some thought to another discontented Chinese region, Xinjiang. Although the Tibetans' demands for independence are well known, the growing rebellion in Xinjiang could eventually haver a greater impact on the area.

Indigenous Uighurs in Xinjiang want independence for the land they call East Turkestan. Although formally "autonomous", Xinjiang takes its orders from Beijing. The 6m Han Chinese immigrants have reduced the Muslim Uighurs to 54% of the population. The Uighurs fear that, if the influx continues, they will become the minority. As it is, the Chinese get the best-paid jobs, while about 25% of adult Uighurs are believed to be unemployed. Hundreds of mosques have been closed. Uighur schools are neglected.

This year, thousands of angry Uighurs have taken to the streets to protest at repressive Chinese rule. The protests started in Yining in February. Since then, according to Uighur sources, there have been about 40 uprisings. In late September, it was recently disclosed, Uighurs chanting anti-communist and anti-Chinese slogans occupied government offices in half a dozen towns, among them Shanshan, Hoxud and Hutubi. According to a Hong Kong newspaper with links to the region, troops were met with home-made bombs and machinegun fire. Some Uighurs held out for six days. Buildings were destroyed, 80 people were killed and more than 200 were injured; 800 separatists were arrested. Past experience suggests their fate will be execution or the labour camps. The Uighurs seem undeterred. The latest exploit by Uighur guerrillas is to set fire to an oil refinery at Maytag.

Oil and minerals are among the reasons China values Xinjiang. The Chinese have ruled it on and off since 1759. More significantly, it borders Central Asia, through which China could import Middle Eastern oil in relative safety should there ever be war in the South China Sea. With this in mind, China is building new roads, railways and pipelines westward from its heartland. The Central Asian states themselves have oil and gas reserves. China recently won a contract to develop Kazakhstan's second-largest oilfield, a deal that American oil firms were after, strongly supported by the American government. China also eyes Uzbekstan, America's favoured ally in Central Asia. A railway through Kirgizstan(eager for Uzbek gas) across the Chinese border Kashgar would give landlocked Uzbekstan a route to a seaport and East Asian markets.

Such plans depend on keeping Xinjiang secure. Railways, roads and pipelines are vulnerable to guerrilla attacks. At the congress of China's Communist Party in September, the situation in Xinjiang was said to be grave. The large garrison that China keeps there is a deterrent to dissent, but, as other countries have discovered, force alone may not be enough to repress deeply felt demands for independence.