By Yang, Jianli and Caylan Ford
The endless carousel of repression and recrimination in Xinjiang Region of China must be replaced with more responsible actions that address the underlying tensions between the Uyghurs and the Han Chinese.
In this regard, as the de facto and self-proclaimed sole rulers of China, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) bears a great responsibility for resolving this conflict. Less than one year ago, China dazzled the world with an Olympic spectacle under the theme of “One world, One Dream.” “Social Harmony” and “Stability” are frequently touted goals of the Chinese Communist Party. The world community must now consider the words and actions of the Chinese government in the context of these noble goals.
On July 6, 2009, In the midst of this regrettable violence, Chinese State TV broadcast graphic videos that showed protesters throwing stones at police, vehicles on fire, and two young girls with bloodied hands comforting each other. Commentary accompanying the video claimed that the rioting was “a planned and organized violent crime”.
According to the commentator, the violence was orchestrated by Ms. Rebiya Kadeer, head of the World Uyghur Congress, who now lives in exile in the United States. “This was an incident remotely controlled, directed and incited from abroad, and executed inside the country.” Such allegations, particularly without the slightest fragment of proof, are divisive and only serve to promote the very instability the CCP claims its leadership prevents.
Most unfortunately, this action fits into an inflammatory pattern of recrimination and demonization that defines the Chinese government’s approach toward citizens who have disagreements with their government. As with the Uyghurs, the Tibetans are labeled as”ingrates” and His Holiness The Dalai Lama is a “terrorist”, Falun Gong Practitioners are “subversive”, Underground Christians are the “tools of foreign instigators.” Liu Xiaobo, a lead signatory to Charter 08, a document that outlines specific recommendations for political reform is arrested for “inciting subversion of the State”. The list goes as the pattern of behavior reveals a government whose actions do not speak of harmony and stability but of disdain and hostility. These actions speak of a government who is not a protector of its people but a repressor.
The time has come for the Chinese leaders to back up its words of harmony and stability with responsible actions that address the legitimate grievances of its citizens. At the very least, world leaders must press the Chinese leaders to replace their counterproductive assignations of blame with the establishment of an impartial citizens’ commission to establish the facts behind the violence in the Xinjiang Region. Based on the facts, a fair and open trial of those responsible for the violence should be conducted. The trial should be broadcast over the Internet, so the Chinese people can see justice being served. Finally, based on the facts surfaced by the citizens’ commission the Chinese government should then engage in a truly constructive dialogue with the Uyghurs to address their grievances and to relieve the underlying tensions.
Such actions will send a welcome message to the Chinese people and earn for the government, a respect it so clearly desires but is unable to gain through its divisive strategies. This will be a large step toward transforming the what is now the nightmare of the Uyghur people into the “dream” of which the Chinese government spoke during the Olympics.
It is also in the best of the world community to press the Chinese government toward these actions of reconciliation. Only by working constructively with its citizens can the Chinese government truly create a society that is stable and harmonious. Only by working with its citizens is such an harmonious way can the Chinese government earn its position as a trusted partner in the world community. To paraphrase the words of the Soviet dissident and Nobel Laureate, Andrei Sakharov, the world community cannot rely on governments who do not rely on their own people.