Sources in Urumqi? They’re (very) hard to come by.
Given political sensitivities and a Stalinist grip on the region's population, no one – from Uighurs on the street to Beijing intellectuals – appears willing to talk.
By Peter Ford | Staff writer 07.06.09
BEIJING –Trying to work out what on earth happened Sunday night in Urumqi, where the government says that at least 140 people died in a riot, is proving about as hard as getting an interview with President Hu Jintao.
The key question is: Who died? Muslim Uighur demonstrators, cut down by the police, as Uighur exile groups claim? Or innocent Han Chinese bystanders, butchered by a mob of Uighurs, as the government-owned media are making out?
Getting any Uighurs in Urumqi to talk on Monday was impossible. Their Internet access had been cut off, most of their phones, too, and those whom foreign journalists reached were too terrified of the government to say anything.
Xinjiang, an allegedly autonomous region, is the hardest place I have ever worked. The atmosphere of repression is Stalinist. For a week last year I tried to gauge ordinary people’s feelings there about the authorities. Not one person I spoke to would give his real name, and most whom I approached wanted nothing to do with me.
They knew I was being watched by the Chinese secret police, and they knew they would get into trouble for talking to a foreign reporter. Frankly, I did not call any Uighurs anywhere in China on Monday, for fear of the repercussions they would face for even getting a call from me.
But what was really astonishing was the reluctance of Chinese scholars to say anything about why they thought the riot had broken out. Perhaps because they did not want to diverge from the party line, perhaps because they did not yet know what the party line was, none of the local Xinjiang experts whom I called Monday would talk to me.
One simply hung up when I announced who I was. Another – a scholar of China’s border territories – said that he was working only on Tibet, not on Xinjiang. (When I called him last March to talk about Tibet, he told me that he had nothing to say because he was working only on Xinjiang….)
A third, his wife said, had been unexpectedly detained at a conference out of town and was mysteriously unreachable on his cellphone.
So, faced with a sensitive political issue, defenseless Uighur men-in-the-street and well-placed Beijing intellectuals all found themselves in the same boat: voiceless.
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2. Don Macdonald | 07.06.09
I was in Urumqi in 2001 as part of a Canadian delegation “prospecting” for climate change projects with China. Westerners were still a very rare site in Xinjiang at this time and during a trip to the local market one day in Urumqi, we were swamped by well meaning locals to have their picture taken with us - which we obliged. They seemed like very friendly people. However, there are very large oil and gas operations and refineries in this region and the economic disparity between the indigenous Muslim native peoples in this region and the Han Chinese who worked in the oil and gas sector was striking. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that this economic divide is part of the current rioting.
3. Steven Meiers | 07.06.09
When my son, two friends, the son of one and I were in Tibet four years ago, we had essentially the same experience — Tibetans were fearful of speaking with us, unless we were with Tibetans only and then only after getting to know something about us (such as being sure we were Americans).
The Han Chinese myth about autonomous regions is just that — myth. The Han Chinese are there in force, and brutal is not nearly an adequate description of how they treat minorities. In the Muslim areas of China, sooner or later, the Chinese will face a rebellion by a populace that is culturally very different than the majority Han. The Han, in turn, flood minority areas with Han immigrants in an attempt to be the majority population, as they may be in Tibet, and make every attempt to destroy the local culture and religion.
As they say, “thems the facts,” part of the underside of the Chinese economic miracle, with part of the underside also being millions of Han Chinese working in sweat shop conditions to produce cheap goods that have fueled that economic miracle.
So, if you were setting policy for the United States government, given where we are today, what if anything would you do differently than we are currently?
4. Shawn | 07.06.09
You are trying to frame a neat story of repression of Han Chinese against Urghur. The riot happoening in Xingjiang is no diffferent from the 1992 LA riot. The only difference is that there is a jihadist agenda now. Has anyone wonder why the Muslims minority seems to have a tendency to use violence as a way of venting their “anger?” It is not just in China; it happened in Philipines, France, Spain, Russia, Thailand, Australia, India, Israel, and countless other places!
5. Livin The laowai life | 07.06.09
Wow, I love how Google News offers the world Christian Science Monitor as an objective source of truth and diligent reporting. I wonder, how does Christian Science Monitor feel about the Taliban? and if there was a significant population of Taliban supporters in the United States how would they treat them?
While the Uighur cause has been a long ongoing process, their methods of dissent have often been cruel and inhumane. This does not mean I do not realize a problem with Urumqi, a historically prominent Muslim area, being strategically han-ized, but the level of objective reporting in this article is comical. I could learn nearly as much about the situation by reading Calvin and Hobbs this Sunday.
I am not denying the fact that the government has made it more difficult to interview the Uighur population, but did America provide much time for the plotters of 9/11 to explain their reasons???? Of course not!!! No country wants to promote dissent!!! Yet Christian Science Monitor would have us feel that China is some Stalinist State acting differently than the rest of the world…. WAKE-UP AND SMELL THE PROPAGANDA!!!!!!
6. Livin The laowai life | 07.06.09
I also love your statement regarding comments!!!! Seems like censorship to me… maybe even stalinist
“We do not publish all comments, and we do not publish comments immediately. The comments feature is a forum to discuss the ideas in our stories. Constructive debate - even pointed disagreement - is welcome, but personal attacks on other commenters are not, and will not be published.
Tip: Do not write a novel. Keep it short. We will not publish lengthy comments. Come up with your own statements. This is not a place to cut and paste an email you received. If we recognize it as such, we won’t post it.
Please do not post any comments that are commercial in nature or that violate copyrights.
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7. yantaq | 07.06.09
The article that is trying to reveal the pressure and silent pain that The Uyghurs are suffering resonated with what is in my heart as a Uyghur who lived with Han Chinese and have gone through their tyranny. Anyone with a sound mine can deduce that just in a few hours time ,where the information is strictly controlled and harsh treatment on demonstrators, how come so many (from 1000 to 3000) Uyghur people in a town with majority Han population come together and demonstrate against oppression and injustice regardless of their own life?
We feel defenseless, how long do we have to swallow the humiliation of Chinese Communist Regime’s dictatorship in favor of Han Chinese in ethnic region? with Chinese continuing their tyrant policy, we might become another faction to ignite the sparks of unrest in central Asia and it is only a matter of time.
8. Peng | 07.06.09
Want to help these poor people?
Common people in China have always been leading a life similar to those of slaves or any domestic animals.
The differences are
Unlike domestic animals, Chinese people could be taught to serve the Chinese upper-governing class right. Homo sapiens could follow orders and do have a better productivity than animals. Historically, all existing cultures on Earth have been through similar primitive stage of raising Homo sapiens/slaves.
Unlike slaves, most Chinese people are brain-washed and content with what they are. The rest of Chinese are scared to say anything. Brave, Honest and smart Chinese are like weeds. Chinese government is diligent to remove these out.
In essence, Chinese mainstream culture has always been a well-refined huge national-scale slave system. Look from another angle, the life of Chinese governing class is QUITE GOOD at the cost of the common Chinese people.
9. chris | 07.06.09
The Han-muslim conflicts in China never stopped and will keep coming. During Qing (daoguang emperor) dynasty, about 3 million died from side. Nowadays, the death was only in the range of tens to hundreds.
10. frank | 07.06.09
Even there is video, some westerners may try to ignore the facts and try to believe their brainwashed story “the police kill minority”. I tell you, please upload some picture before you put some much biased information.
After the last olympic “protest”, i know some dark side of western politicians. I do not care, however, the war on mouth is no war at all. I do not think China will be splitted only by your biased mass media. I warn you, do not forget that China is a nuclear power who can destroy this planet in seconds. Even we disclose some weapons to some Muslim extremists, it will bring great great trouble to you. So take my advice, do not play the fire.
The end
11. Livin The laowai life | 07.06.09
P.S. the reason the riot broke out was because of a dispute in Guangdong between Uighur and Han workers, and the news that a Uighur man had been killed earlier in the day by a Han. But, if you had done any serious reporting you would have known this!!!
12. frank | 07.06.09
This is my last try to post my comment. I just want to say that if you publish such news while ignoring innocent Han Chinese’s blood, you will lose all readers from China.
Please, unbiased, unbiased, … the golden law of a free media.
13. Elizabeth | 07.06.09
Interesting facts I just picked up from the British press:
The Uighurs have an ancient ethnic identity going back to the days of the Silk Road, and China has long feared an independence movement from them. The Uighur land is a desert region with vast oil reserves, and millions of ethnic Han Chinese have moved there to extract it.
In the aftermath of 9/11, China asked the USA to add Uighur Muslims to our list of known terrorist groups. We have consequently imprisoned several Uighur Muslims without trials at Guantanomo Bay at the behest of the Chinese government. I never knew that before today. Sometimes I wish Nixon had never gone to China.
14. beancube2008 | 07.06.09
This is called unreliable journalism. This guy found nothing then explained the reason that it is his job. Anybody would believe Peter Ford could collapse White House.
15. WilliamL | 07.06.09
Some of the Muslim groups originated from Xingjiang are regarded as terrorist groups by Chinese, the same as Al-Qaeda in US. The western reporters are really doing a bad service in this.
16. Jack | 07.06.09
To the person “12. frank”:
do you think that “The Christian Science Monitor” was not exist before they had chinese readers ?
17. Jeffrey | 07.06.09
1. it was caused by the canton incident
2. demonstration turn riot
3. whoever made comment about muslims are peaceful need to rethink 9.11, by religion they tends to destruct. and yes, this is a regious/racial clash, just look at how messed up mideat is.
4. if you have been to china, shanghai or beijing, and you will know there are a lot of thieves in beijing and shanghai who are from xinjiang and tibet. and because they just get sent back if they get caught without being prosecuted, they really openly steal ppl’s cellphones and wallets.
i dont know the truth of this incident, but i read the comment and couldnt help to tell u my experience.
18. tony | 07.06.09
Uh…It’s not that hard to find sources if you can speak Chinese. I am getting regular updates via text message from Chinese friends in Turpan and Urumqi. CSM should probably start looking for a better reporter, one that has local connections.
20. William | 07.06.09
The killing started from 19:00, more than 140 people (Han and Uighur, but mostly Han) were killed by those Uighur mobs, just in a few hours. Armoured Police came in midnight, the blood was already everywhere. People uploaded pictures, videos - it’s a massacre…
21. Anne | 07.06.09
If the Uyghurs attacked innocent Han Chinese and killed them, why in the world does the chinese government shut down all the communication including phones, and internet? You know what are they afraid of? They are afraid of the outside world knowing the truth. Yes, maybe some innocent chinese may have been killed, but what about hundreds of Uyghurs including women and children who were run over by the police truck and shot to death on the streets???
Chicoms ONLY let the outside world see what THEY want them to see. They say foreign reporters are allowed to come in to the region and report freely. But strictly restrain reporters’ activities - they tell them when to do what, where they can go, and what issues they can report and what not. Is it considered real, unbiased, investigative journalism???
Regarding claims about Uyghur terrorism, there is no solid evidence to prove any of the so-called “terrorist activities” was actually liked to the Uyghur organizations. So-called terrorist camps actually do not exist according to many Uyghur scholars and local residents in the region. The Chicoms provided no photos, no documents, whatsover. Nothing! Their motive is clear - to use the war on terror as an excuse to crack down Uyghurs and keep the region under its control. Deep inside they know Uyghuristan/East Turkistan was not theirs, just like Tibet and Mongolia were not parts of China before 1949.
We all know there will be resistance wherever there is an oppression. Until Uyghurs get their homeland back, and regain their legal and human rights they deserve, their resistance will continue, and will grow stronger.
22. Thomas | 07.06.09
Randomly killing passer-bys just because they are Han Chinese is not right, even though the demonstration may be justified.
23. ZQ | 07.06.09
Anne you need to get your facts straight, Tibet and Mongolia were territories/vassals of China long before 1949, with the former going back way before the Angles and the Saxons invaded the British Isles.
The way forward is not to split empires, but to make sure institutions are sound, uncorrupt and just. You wouldn’t advocate giving back the U.S. to the native Americans, would you?
24. Uncle Sam | 07.06.09
The reason communicationis being surpressed is to stop communications between organizers. This region is a part of China wether the minorities there like it or not. As long as it is part of China then the Chinese government has the right to handle what goes on in thier own country as they see fit. Or shall we be the world police? Shall the citizens of other countries who also have flawed governements push their version of rule on other countries?
The real crime here is the lack of acurate reporting by the western media. My girlfriend is from Urumqi and her family is still there. What has happened is the the rioters began attacking the police and citizens during their protest. If this happened in your country I wonder how many of you uninformed bleeding hearts would reject the idea of a harsh lockdown to stop the violence. I think most of you would be happy to see a swift response to violence that is endangering your family friends in your own hometowns. But because it is a half a world away in a country you real don’t understand then it is a huge political injustice.
25. rory | 07.06.09
the chicks have come home to roost. since they block the internet, distort the media and censor emails and webpages, now no one believes them anymore, except, of course, a handful of han chauvinists.
26. Poor Anne | 07.06.09
“We all know there will be resistance wherever there is an oppression. Until Uyghurs get their homeland back, and regain their legal and human rights they deserve, their resistance will continue, and will grow stronger.”???
—– I guess it was a good decision for the white people killed everybody in America, Austria and South Africa so there is no resistance nowadays. There are other people leave in Xinjiang region, Uyghurs were also migrants and Muslim was imported. They were both the invaders not long ago. I think you can keep your resistant thing between US and Al-Qaida if you agree that violence can solve conflicts.
“Deep inside they know Uyghuristan/East Turkistan was not theirs, just like Tibet and Mongolia were not parts of China before 1949″
Your confidence of this statement shows exactly how ignorant you are. A simple example: there is a notice board in the entrance of Forbidden City, it is written in 5 different languages to remind the officers from different region. Tibetan and Mongolia are among these 5 languages. There are no other languages like Korean, Japanese, French or Italian because they were considered visitors from outside the country. The notice board has been there for hundred of years. Year 1949 is a peanut compare with the history.
The thing is in Western media 10 years ago, you can say whatever you want to say about China and nobody will correct you. Nobody knows the country, and not much Chinese goes outside. Some of the so called scholars were telling people imaginary story about the country for hundreds of years. They say whatever the politicians want to hear to keep their job. The lies were repeated enough times to it becomes knowledge and the imaginary story went into history book. I feel really bad because you were educated base on this and it is really not your fault.
However, your knowledge about China is fundamentally wrong. China is a country has very rich history and very diversified culture which may beyond your imagination. We are neither white nor black, we just a little different. We are not evil.
I disagree with cutting off the internet and telephone. But it is better to have a tough daddy rather than have bloody fights between the brothers. And you better keep the gossip and gloatingly neighbors away when it happens.
27. Malaysia Han Chinese | 07.06.09
12. frank | 07.06.09
This is my last try to post my comment. I just want to say that if you publish such news while ignoring innocent Han Chinese’s blood, you will lose all readers from China.
Please, unbiased, unbiased, … the golden law of a free media.
============
This is a product of communist brainwashed education. I am a han descandant is too shame to be associated with this bigot.
28. Malaysia Han Chinese | 07.06.09
To Anne
Xinjiang was conquered by Ching Dynasty under the Manchurian emperor. Han Chinese invaded Tibet and Xinjang under the name of national unity is not different with the colonization by westerners.
The world political sphere is still dominated by Westerners who are conquerers in many countries like in America, Mexico, Brazil, etc. Western world definitely would accept Tibet and Xinjang as parts of China for an obvious reason, they are also conquerers as Han Chinese in many countries. Mongolia could free from the grip of China for its smart move to align with Russian before WW II.
I cannot buy in both Chinese police shooting peaceful protestors and Uighur mobs killing Han bystanders. Both reports cannot be verified by independent media.
Lack of transparency and media freedom in mainland China can make any rumour spreading like wildfire. A brawl between Han and Uighur workers in a factory in Guandong is blown out to a racial issue. The Chinese communist government fails miserably in handling ethnic relations.
29. Sherlion | 07.06.09
I want to address to those who are supporting China.
Yeah, if you if you see the video of Urumchi protest, they showed only Uighur people making violence, and Chinese injured. I do condemn these violence of protesters of course. But the events were reported form one-side only. How Xinhua news agency should clarify the events when it works for government? And the reporter of CNN was also a Chinese woman. I’m sure there have been brutal attacks by the police against protesters. Moreover, if plenty of people killed had been Chinese, they government would have certainly mentioned that, again accusing the protesters. And no one can’t deny the repression and discrimination towards ethnic Uighurs in Xingjiang.
31. OZ | 07.07.09
The reason in my view that government is controlling the news about the murder is because once the Han people know the whole truce about the atrocity, the blood of the revenge will be shed on Uighur. You really think Uyghurs are the only people who can mob up, rampage and kill people. They should be very thankful the leniency the government is exhibiting so far on them.
Anybody who does not stand up and condemn the violence by these rioters, instead of finding other excuse to justify this atrocity is as hypocritical as the author of this article. Shame on you!
32. Nightwatch | 07.07.09
Ha. Chinese readers, we are nothing. We are not common human b eing as people in states or in Europe. We don’t know about peace and love, wealth and freedom. We even don’t work for our family. When we are written in these kind of reports, we are just something boring, evil and aggressive.
I just think some reporters in free countries has too many opinions before they realize something different.
It’s hard time for us all, people in this planet. Please.
33. Kristin | 07.07.09
Thank you for exposing the challenges with reporting from a State controlled area. It made me remember to continue to be skeptical about the sources used in reporting - because the people who really know what is happening may not be the ones commmunicating the information.
Great insight!
34. amigo | 07.07.09
TO those who insult China:
This fact shocked me also frightened me,though i don’t know how others think about it.Frankly,things about religion always seems to be complicated.
China gov really need the nerve to face the fact and then publish it .
But why people always attack China?China is too merciful to every country.you see, mercy is useless.
you guys always see the nagitive part of China ,seems evey action from China is wrong.China only let every parent have one child.You guys say that make people lose one’s own rights. whatever, things are always happening,not just this one.
So,first learn how to respect others then have your comments!
35. Matt | 07.08.09
Many of the comments so far seem to be from Chinese nationalists affected by hostile media syndrome. Most of the remaining comments are from Uyghur sympathisers. Both groups are reading what they like into an essentially unbiased report.
Try to step back a little: realise that communist governments (and, to a lesser extent, all governments) routinely present a censored, managed form of the “news” (and all other information) to best promote the political stability of their states. This report does not point a finger at either Han Chinese or Uyghurs as the cause of the violence, it merely describes the difficulties faced in divining “truth” when all reporting is micromanaged by self-interested dictators.
Criticising the policies of an oppressive deceptive communist government is not the same as accusing Han of slaying an ethnic minority: if this is your interpretation of this piece, it can safely be assumed that you have a strong sympathy with one ethnic group or the other.
36. yantaq | 07.09.09
As a Uyghur Who grew up and lived in East Turkistan ( Now Xinjing) I have better claim than anyone here debating against ethnic tension and consequent riots.
As to General Han Chinese, they are all brainwashed as you can see from their responses in this forum while it is historically proven that Xinhua news agency owned by state media controls all media outlets and it is only reported that 140 were killed and didn’t elaborate on ethnicity. those responses by Han Chinese assuming most of them Han. well, Xinhua news displayed only few Pictures of Han Chinese body. where are the Majority body? who are they? if you claim most of them Han, Xinhua would jump on the chance to showcase them on their media.
37. yantaq | 07.09.09
When I grew up, I seldom see Han Chinese in my City. Now Han Chinese presence grew from 4% percent in 1949 to 47% in Uyghur land. this is a blatantly government sponsored ethnic cleansing.
I was educated in Uyghur language until late 90s Chinese government abolished Uyghur language as a education language by mandate.
I had to spend extra 2 year at college in addition to four years B.A while Han Chinese only need to spend 4 years.
After school, A lot of companies or government institutions explicitly post job requirements listing No ethnic minorities or only Native Han speakers in Xinjing.
an ordinary Uyghur at least have to bribe and spend half to one year to get a passport if they have connections.
governmnet workers,women and children under 18 year old are banned from entering mosque.
When Chinese immigrant comes to Xinjing, they are granted free cultivating land and jobs. if you cruise through those korla (Kuerle) plain, you will not fail to encounter Immigrant workers who owns huge grape land, once I talked to them and learned that a Han immigrant was there for only five years and now sending his son to abroad for studying, which is impossible for even a wealthiest Uyghur. those are just few instances.
thousands of Uyghur were forcibly transffered to inland, Kanton was on of them where Han mobs brutally killed Uyghurs.
there are so much that I had to write a book to describe all the nuances that
accumulated in me which apply to Uyghurs in general.
38. yantaq | 07.10.09
now it has been few days I have been trying to call my family, but I can reach none of them, I am so concerned. cell phone, home phone, none can be reached.I don’t know what to do. now Chinese police along with local Han mob overrun the Uyhgur land, I am so afraid. Please help the minority! at least let the world know the true story. I welcome the true story, even if it is to our disadvantage, I want to know true story and not afraid to know the real situation!
39. Angie | 07.11.09
yeh this is not right. Both Chinese and Uyghur people need to contact their love ones. I feel for you Yantaq and hope your family is safe. I am sorry for your people. I am sure most cultures around the world have had similar feeling of another culture taking over and moving in on their home land. I like multicultural cities but Governments around the world should take steps to ensure that the natural culture of that city is dominant and others are made to feel perhaps like guests of that city. We all know where our roots lye and if it is not the country you reside in then have some respect for the people of the land. It is obvious that Tibet is for the Tibetan and Xingjiang region is home of the Uyghur otherwise where else would the Uyghur people belong. I don’t accept what I hear that Uyghur people should be grateful for what the Chinese have created in Urumqi unless I see the Uyghur having a good quality of life like the Chinese people have. I would rather travel by Donkey along a fresh country road than have to walk along a dirty polluted street and suck up the filthy air created by the Modernisation. Nothing to be grateful for there. I really hope your language and culture is encouraged as from what I see is actually very beautiful. Even the Chinese Government knows that as they often use the beautiful traditional Uyghur dancers to show off to overseas visitors.
Thank God we have seen alot of constraint by the Chinese Army and police this time for what ever reason and it seems they may be even protecting the Uyghur people at the disgust of the Han. If that is the case maybe we will see the Uyghur men who have been taken away from their homes returned to their homes ones the tempers have died down.
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1. akira | 07.06.09
You don’t have to have someone to tell you what has happened. The news report on CNN may tell you whether the protest was peaceful or voilent and who are the victims.