Economic, cultural support will mend ethnic rifts

• Source: Global Times
• [21:56 July 16 2009]
• Comments

GT: Was it related to the armed clash between the Han People and Uygurs in Shaoguang, Guangdong Province on June 25?

Jiang: The Shaoguang incident triggered the Xinjiang riot. Just like the World War I was triggered by an assassination, the Shaoguang incident was taken advantage of for political ends, to create a popular narrative of ethnic oppression.

Compared with Tibet secessionists, those seeking the independence of Xinjiang have a more concealed, but more violent system that creates terror. With the prevalence of pan-Turkicism and pan-Islamism, three forces in Xinjiang, separatists, Islamic fundamentalists and terrorists, have been coordinating with each other, and used the Shaoguang incident as an outlet to mobilize. One should always distinguish relatively small violent factions from the rest of the Uygur.

GT: Should the central government reconsider its policy in ethnic minority areas?

Jiang: Ethnic issues are complicated and tricky. If the central government doesn’t change its existing thinking to address urgent conflicts, problems may accumulate and threaten overall stability and fast economic growth.

First, emphasis should be laid on economic construction, especially economic support for border regions inhabited by ethnic minority groups, when cracking down on terrorists.

The level of economic development in most ethnic minority areas is approximate to that of the inland in 1980s. In the rural areas of Kashgar, the annual income of some people is lower than 1,000 yuan ($146.40). Terrorist groups hire some poor Uygurs as mercenaries. The central government should stress both material and cultural input. It should emphasize the overall economic and social development, rather than merely focusing on a few development projects. Public services, such as healthcare and social insurance, should be further improved in ethnic minority areas.

Second, always distinguish those three forces from the entire ethnic group. General social problems and criminal cases should not be raised to the political level. Mass disturbance incidents in minority area should be handled flexibly. The political wisdom of officials sent to ethnic minority areas should also be improved.

Last but not least, the central government should encourage the Han people to take the initiative in honestly engaging with minorities. After the violence, both Han and Uygur people need to work together to heal the damage done. Since the two still need to live and merge together, the government should help eliminate ethnic rivalries in minority area.