DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS IN XINJIANG

(Part Four)

　　VI. Protecting Citizens’ Rights of Freedom of Religious Belief

　　Since ancient times, Xinjiang has been a region with a number of religions coexisting. Its major religions now are Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Catholicism and Daoism. The Chinese government has a policy of freedom of religious belief, and the government of Xinjiang implements this policy thoroughly, protects its citizens’ rights of freedom of religious belief in accordance with the law, safeguards the legitimate rights and interests of religious circles, and promotes healthy and orderly development of religion.

　　Freedom of religious belief is a basic right bestowed by the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China on all its citizens. According to the Constitution, “Citizens of the People’s Republic of China enjoy freedom of religious belief. No state organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion. The state protects normal religious activities.” In addition, according to the Regulations on Religious Affairs promulgated by the State Council, “Citizens enjoy freedom of religious belief. No organization or individual may compel citizens to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against citizens who believe in any religion or citizens who do not believe in any religion. Citizens who believe in religions and those who do not shall respect each other and coexist in harmony, so shall citizens who believe in different religions.” Other relevant Chinese laws and regulations have specific provisions on the protection of citizens’ freedom of religious belief. The state emphasizes that all citizens are equal before the law; that the citizens have the freedom to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion; that the citizens enjoy the rights of freedom of religious belief and at the same time must carry out corresponding responsibilities; that anyone who violates others’ rights of freedom of religious belief shall bear legal liability; and that both religious and non-religious citizens shall bear the same legal liability for breaking the law.

　　People of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang fully enjoy the right of freedom in religious belief. The people’s freedom to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion is protected by law, and no state organ, public organization or individual may interfere with their choice. By the end of 2008, the autonomous region had had 24,800 venues for religious activities, including mosques, churches and temples, in addition to over 29,000 clerical personnel, 91 religious organizations and two religious colleges. Since the 1980s, more than 50,000 people in Xinjiang have made pilgrimages to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. In recent years, around 2,700 people in Xinjiang have made the pilgrimage a year on average. By 2008, over 1,800 religious personages in Xinjiang had been elected to posts in people’s congresses and committees of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference at all levels. They have actively participated in deliberation and administration of state affairs on behalf of religious believers, and in exercising supervision over the government in respect to the implementation of the policy of freedom of religious belief.

　　The central government and the autonomous region’s government administer religious affairs and protect the legitimate rights and interests of believers, religious organizations and venues for religious activities in accordance with the law. Over the past years, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on Religious Affairs, the Standing Committee of the People’s Congress of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region formulated and promulgated the Regulations for the Administration of Religious Affairs in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and the government of the autonomous region formulated the Provisional Regulations for the Administration of Religious Activity Venues in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, the Provisional Regulations for the Administration of Clergy in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and the Provisional Regulations for the Administration of Religious Activities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. These regulations further clarify that citizens enjoy the right of freedom in religious belief, and the state protects normal religious activities, as well as the legitimate rights and interests of believers, religious organizations and venues for religious activities in accordance with the law; that believers, religious organizations and venues for religious activities should abide by the Constitution and related laws and regulations, and safeguard national unity, ethnic solidarity and social stability; that no organization or individual may make use of religion to engage in activities that disrupt public order, impair the health of citizens or interfere with the state educational system, or in activities that harm state and public interests, as well as citizens’ legitimate rights and interests; and that no one should use religion to intervene in the state performing its administrative and judicial functions.

　　According to corresponding laws and regulations, the autonomous region protects all normal religious activities held either at venues for religious activities or in believers’ own homes in accordance with customary religious practices, such as worshipping Buddha, reciting scriptures, burning incense, worshipping, praying, preaching, attending Mass, being baptized or ordained, celebrating religious festivals, observing extreme unction, and holding memorial ceremonies, which are all protected by law as the internal affairs of religious bodies or believers and may not be interfered with. However, the autonomous region shall ban, in accordance with the law, activities that make use of religion to intervene in the state performing administrative and judicial functions, as well as education, marriage or civil lawsuits.

　　Religious affairs are developing in a normal and orderly manner in Xinjiang. Religious classics and books and magazines have been published, including the Koran, Selections from Al-Sahih Muhammad Ibn-Ismail al-Bukhari, Koran with Annotations and Selected Works of Waez in Uyghur, Han, Kazak and Kirgiz languages, as well as the New Collection of Waez’s Speeches series and the magazine Muslims in China in Uyghur and Han languages, with the later having a circulation of over one million. Large numbers of mosques in Xinjiang have been designated as key cultural relics sites under the protection of the state, the autonomous region and the counties where they are located. In 1999, the central government allocated 7.6 million yuan for the reconstruction of the Yanghang Mosque in Urumqi, the Baytulla Mosque in Yining and the Jamae Mosque in Hotan. The government has also, on several occasions, allocated special funds for the maintenance and repair of the Idkah Mosque in Kashi and Tomb of the Fragrant Imperial Concubine (Apak Hoja Mazzar), and Sulayman’s Minaret in Turpan. In 2008 alone, 33 million yuan was allocated by the state for the maintenance and repair of the Idkah Mosque and the Tomb of the Fragrant Imperial Concubine.

　　Most people of Xinjiang’s 10 major ethnic minority groups, with a total population of over 11.3 million, believe in Islam. The number of Islamic mosques has soared from 2,000 in the early days of the reform and opening up drive to 24,300, and the body of clergy from 3,000 to over 28,000. Since its founding, the Xinjiang Islamic Institute has offered lessons in Uyghur and other minority languages and trained 489 Imams, Hatips or other teachers for religious schools in the autonomous region. The institute currently has 161 students. From 2001 to 2008, the Xinjiang Islamic School trained more than 20,000 clerics. In addition, 3,133 Talips were trained by religious personages and in Islamic schools and classes operated by Islamic associations in prefectures and prefecture-level cities. Among them, 1,518 have graduated and 803 taken up clerical posts. Since 2001, the regional government has sent 47 clerics for training in colleges and universities in Egypt and Pakistan in order to cultivate high-caliber clerical personnel of Islam.

　　Historically, Xinjiang witnessed many conflicts between different religions and between different sects of a religion. In the mid-10th century, the Islamic Karahan Kingdom waged a religious war against the Buddhist kingdom of Khotan, lasting for more than 40 years. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, religious battles continued for several hundred years within Islamic circles. These wars between and within religions seriously jeopardized the unity between different religions and between different sects, as well as general social harmony and stability. Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the implementation of the policy of freedom in religious belief and the administration of religious affairs in accordance with the law have promoted peace and harmony between religions in Xinjiang, as well as mutual respect and understanding between religious and non-religious citizens and between citizens believing in different religions, and there have been no modern conflicts or clashes caused by differences in religions or religious sects.

　　VII. Safeguarding National Unity and Social Stability

　　Xinjiang’s development and progress are achieved in the People’s Republic of China, a unified multiethnic country, in a stable social environment, and are the results of concerted efforts of the people of all ethnic groups. All this would have been impossible without national unity, social stability and ethnic solidarity. For years, the “East Turkistan” forces in and outside China, without any regard for the wellbeing of the peoples of Xinjiang, have been trumpeting national separatism, and plotted and organized a number of bloody incidents of terror and violence, seriously jeopardizing national unity, social stability and ethnic solidarity, and disrupting Xinjiang’s development and progress.

　　Over a long period of time, the “East Turkistan” forces have unremittingly instigated separatist activities. The term “East Turkistan” first appeared in the late 19th century. In the early 20th century, a tiny number of separatists and religious extremists in Xinjiang further politicized the term “East Turkistan,” and fabricated an “ideological and theoretical system” about the “independence of East Turkistan.” Separatists of different shades in Xinjiang raised the banner of “East Turkistan” and formed “East Turkistan” forces, trying to establish a so-called “East Turkistan” separatist regime. From the early 1930s to the mid-1940s, with the instigation and support of foreign hostile forces, the “East Turkistan” forces shouted slogans like “Kill the Han and annihilate the Hui” and “Oppose and expel the Han,” creating many disturbances and even wantonly slaughtering innocent people in their attempt to split the motherland and set up an illegal regime. What they did met strong opposition from people of all ethnic groups.

　　Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Xinjiang has entered a new stage, enjoying ethnic solidarity and social stability. However, the “East Turkistan” forces have persisted in their clandestine actions. With the support of foreign hostile forces, the “East Turkistan” forces both inside and outside China created many riots and launched armed insurrection in their attempt to split the country. In the 1990s, influenced by terrorism, separatism and extremism, they turned to terrorist violence as the chief means of their separatist activities. The terrorist nature of the “East Turkistan” forces was eventually recognized by the whole world. In 2002, the United Nations Security Council added the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) to its sanction list of terrorist groups. In recent years, the “East Turkistan” forces have continued separatist activities under the banners of “democracy,” “human rights” and “freedom,” trying to escape strikes against them or clear themselves of the name of terrorism. In 2004, they patched together the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) outside China. Since then, they have plotted and organized a number of separatist and sabotage actions. On the one hand, they have stepped up infiltration to the ideological field by preaching separatism and “holy war”; on the other, they have intensified their efforts in the acts of terror and violence, organizing and instigating some individuals within China to go abroad to receive training in religious extremism, separatism and terrorist skills, and openly calling on extremists inside China to create terrorist incidents, including bombings and poisonings aimed at kindergartens, schools and the government institutions, or attacking China’s military forces and government departments.

　　Since the beginning of 2008, the “East Turkistan” forces have started a new round of sabotage activities, and created a number of bloody incidents of terror and violence aimed at the Beijing Olympics. In particular, the seriously violent incident of July 5, 2009, which erupted in Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, was masterminded by terrorist, separatist and extremist forces both inside and outside China. The violence caused great damage to the lives and property of people of all ethnic groups, seriously jeopardizing the normal order and social stability of the region. After the eruption of the riots, the central government, the regional government of Xinjiang, relevant departments of the central and state organs, the military and armed police force relied firmly on the cadres and masses of all ethnic groups to safeguard social stability, the socialist legal system and the fundamental interests of the people, and took decisive and powerful measures to stop the violence in accordance with the law, quickly bring the incident to an end and restore social stability in Urumqi.

　　The “East Turkistan” forces pose a severe threat to the development and stability of Xinjiang.

　　These forces have seriously violated the basic human rights to survival and development of all the people of Xinjiang. Since the 1990s, they have organized large numbers of acts of terror and violence, seriously jeopardizing the security of lives and property of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang. According to incomplete statistics, from 1990 to 2001, the “East Turkistan” forces both inside and outside China created more than 200 bloody incidents of terror and violence in Xinjiang, by means of explosions, assassinations, poisoning, arson, attacking, riots and assaults. As a result, 162 citizens of various ethnicities, cadres at the primary level and religious personnel, lost their lives, and over 440 others were wounded. In 2002 they again organized several bloody incidents of terror and violence in Xinjiang. The most recent July 5 riot in Urumqi caused huge losses in lives and property of the people of various ethnic groups. By July 17, 2009, 197 people had died (most of whom were innocent victims), over 1,700 had been injured, 331 shops and 1,325 motor vehicles had been destroyed or burned, and many public facilities had been damaged.

　　The “East Turkistan” forces have seriously interrupted the economic development of Xinjiang. First, they have seriously undermined the investment environment, as evidenced by the drastic reduction in investment from other parts of the country. From 1997 to 1998, when crimes of terror and violence were frequent in Xinjiang, the region suffered a remarkable slowdown in its economic development. Primarily, outside investment declined as foreign investors withdrew their funding, thus depriving Xinjiang of many development opportunities. After the eruption of the February 5 riot in Yining in 1997, the economy of Ili Prefecture suffered a prolonged slump, with a depression in the real estate market and drastic reduction in tax revenues. Many investors developed a doubt about Yining’s investment environment, and the newly developed Yining Economic and Technological Zone grinded to a half-standstill. Second, tourism suffered as a result. Tourism is an important industry in Xinjiang. The July 5 riot in Urumqi produced a serious adverse impact on Xinjiang’s tourism, causing a sudden drop in both the number of tourists and revenue from tourism. Third, precious resources have been dispersed. Plenty of human, material and financial resources have had to be put to guard against and combat crimes of terror and violence in order to safeguard the security of the country and social stability. Fourth, exchanges between Xinjiang and foreign countries have been interrupted. The development of international thoroughfares and foreign trade in Xinjiang has been seriously affected.

　　In addition, the “East Turkistan” forces pose a threat to regional security and stability. “East Turkistan” terrorist organizations, mainly ETIM, have carried out actions in Central and South Asia over a long period of time, creating many bloody incidents of terror and violence, including assassinations, arson and attacks on police. They also secretly participated in terrorist activities plotted by international terrorist organizations, posing a threat to the peace and stability of all countries concerned.

　　Conclusion

　　Xinjiang’s development and progress are there for all to see.

　　The people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have become more soberly aware that national unity, ethnic solidarity, social stability, plus the coexistence and development in harmony of all people who share good and bad times are the lifeline for the region’s development and progress. They cherish dearly this hard-earned remarkable situation. They will keep taking economic development as their central task, while safeguarding social stability and working together with the people of all ethnic groups in China to strive for common prosperity. They will share in a common destiny, and consolidate and develop socialist ethnic relations characterized by equality, unity, mutual assistance and harmony, to unremittingly advance Xinjiang’s development.

　　With its beautiful and fertile lands, Xinjiang enjoys an elevated place in the Chinese people’s hearts. The people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang who protect and develop the land are great and honorable. The Chinese people are working hard to build a modern socialist country that is prosperous, democratic, culturally advanced and harmonious. With the solicitude and support of the Communist Party of China and the central government, and thanks to the country’s development and progress, all the people of Xinjiang, united as one through common efforts, will ensure a brighter future for the region.