（Part three）
V. Upholding Ethnic Equality and Unity
The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is multiethnic region. According to the fifth national census in 2000, it is home to 55 ethnic groups including the Uyghur, Han and Kazak. In 2008, it had a population of 21.308 million, 12.945 million of whom were of ethnicities other than the Han, representing 60.8% of the total. In 2007, three ethnic groups in the region had a population over one million each. They were the Uyghur with a population of 9.651 million, the Han, 8.239 million, and the Kazak, 1.484 million. Three other ethnic groups had a population between 100,000 and one million each. They were the Hui with a population of 943,000, the Kirgiz, 182,000, and the Mongolian, 177,000. Six other ethnic groups had a population between 10,000 and 100,000. They were the Tajik with a population of 45,000, the Xibe, 42,000, the Manchu, 26,000, the Uzbek, 16,000, the Russian, 12,000, and the Dongxiang. The population of all the other ethnic groups in Xinjiang is less than 10,000.
Xinjiang has been inhabited by many ethnic groups since ancient times. Its inhabitants all migrated from other areas historically. According to historical records, in 101 BC the Han Dynasty (206-220 BC) began stationing garrison troops to open up land for crop cultivation in Luntai (Bugur), Quli and other areas. Later, it sent more troops to all other parts of Xinjiang for the same purpose. After the Protectorate of the Western Regions was established in 60 BC by the Han central government, the inflow of Han people to Xinjiang, including officials, soldiers and merchants, never stopped. By the end of the dynasty, Han residents could be found in scattered settlements in Xinjiang, with garrison reclamation points forming compact communities. The Han thus became one of the earlier peoples who inhabited Xinjiang. After 1759, the government of the Qing Dynasty sent Manchu, Mongolian, Xibe, Daur (Suolun), Han and Hui troops to Xinjiang in order to strengthen the frontier defenses of the region, and encouraged the Uyghur to move from southern Xinjiang to Ili in the north, as well as Han and Hui people from inland areas to migrate to Xinjiang to promote production there. From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, a great number of Russian, Uzbek and Tatar people settled down in the region. When the People’s Republic of China was founded in 1949, Xinjiang was comprised of 13 ethnic groups, with Uyghurs as the majority. Each ethnic group was characterized by living together or mixing with other groups, or in compact communities. The majority in southern Xinjiang were Uyghurs, while northern Xinjiang was mainly inhabited by Han and Kazak peoples. The Kirgiz, Xibe, Tajik and Daur peoples mostly lived in compact communities, while most of the remaining ethnic groups reside scattered among other groups.
Since the founding of the PRC, an increasing number of people have moved to and from Xinjiang, making it more prominent the phenomenon of a multiethnic population living together. Especially since reform and opening up in 1978, many people, guided by market forces, have frequently moved spontaneously and on their own will between Xinjiang’s rural and urban areas, between northern and southern Xinjiang, and between Xinjiang and other parts of China, for the purposes of education, employment, business or job opportunities. In 2008, about 240,000 surplus laborers in Xinjiang sought work in China’s economically developed coastal region. In addition, there are large seasonal flows of people moving within Xinjiang or between Xinjiang and other parts of China. Each year from late August to November, hundreds of thousands of people from China’s provinces and municipalities help pick cotton in Xinjiang.
The economic and social development in Xinjiang has given rise to a recurrent inflow of labor, leading to a series of changes in the population and ethnic distribution in the region. First, the number of ethnic groups living in the region has increased. In 2000, except for the Jino, Xinjiang was inhabited by 55 of China’s 56 ethnic groups. Second, the population of almost every ethnic group in Xinjiang has increased. From 1978 to 2007, the population of the region’s four largest ethnic groups – the Uyghur, Han, Kazak and Hui – increased by 74%, 61%, 81% and 78% respectively. Third, the percentage of the population of each minority in their traditional settlements has decreased. For example, the ratio of Uyghurs in southern Xinjiang’s three prefectures, namely, Kashi, Hotan and Aksu, to the total Uyghur population in Xinjiang fell from 84.6% in 1944 to 71.5% in 2007. The percentage of Kazaks in the Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili to the entire Kazak population in Xinjiang decreased from 83.4% in 1944 to 76.8% in 2007. Fourth, cities and towns in Xinjiang have become more multiethnic, and the population of ethnic minorities has increased in cities. Urumqi, the capital of the autonomous region, is home to 52 ethnic groups, and the percentage of minority residents in the city increased from 18% in 1978 to 27% in 2007.
The people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have lived together for generations and developed deep friendship. Over the last 60 years, they have established, developed and consolidated strong ties of mutual respect, trust, support and harmony. All this serves as an important aspect of and a fundamental guarantee for the advancement of Xinjiang.
Recognizing the existence of each ethnic group and guaranteeing its equal rights in every aspect is the basic principle and fundamental policy of the Chinese government for addressing ethnic problems. It is also the foundation of all other policies concerning ethnic issues. The Constitution of the PRC stipulates: “All ethnic groups in the People’s Republic of China are equal. The state guarantees the lawful rights and interests of all ethnic minorities and safeguards and promotes relationships of equality, unity and mutual assistance among all ethnic groups. Discrimination against and oppression of any ethnic minority are prohibited; all acts that undermine the unity of the ethnic groups or creates dissension among them are prohibited.” In Xinjiang, citizens of every ethnic group enjoy the rights prescribed by the Constitution and law, including freedom of religious belief, and rights to vote and stand for election, to equally administer state affairs, to receive education, to use and develop their own spoken and written languages, and to preserve and advance their own traditional culture.
Over the past 60 years, the central government and the local governments in Xinjiang at all levels have made tremendous efforts to protect equal political rights and social status for each and all of Xinjiang’s ethnic groups, and achieve their common development and prosperity. Before the founding of the PRC, there were still remnants of feudal serfdom in southern Xinjiang, and in certain individual areas serfdom was even found intact. In the 1950s, democratic reform was carried out in Xinjiang. The old system was abolished so that minority peoples could enjoy basic human rights, with their rights to participate in the administration of state affairs under special protection. In the previous terms of the National People’s Congress (NPC), deputies were selected from minority communities in Xinjiang for proportional representation. All 60 deputies in the Xinjiang delegation to the Eleventh NPC represent 11 ethnic groups, and 60% of them are ethnic minorities. At present, some members of the NPC Standing Committee and the leadership of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference are from Xinjiang’s ethnic minorities. In local people’s congresses in Xinjiang, there are deputies from each ethnic group who live in compact communities. In the Ninth People’s Congress of the region, the 542 deputies were comprised of 13 ethnicities, and the proportion of minority deputies accounted for 65.5%, four percentage points higher than the ratio of the minority population to the total population of the region.
In Xinjiang, political equality for ethnic groups is realized mainly through the system of regional ethnic autonomy. Under the unified leadership of the state, implementing regional ethnic autonomy in places where ethnic minorities live in compact communities to allow them to manage their own internal affairs is a basic policy China uses to resolve its ethnic problems; it is also an important political system of the country. Founded in 1955, the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region is an ethnic autonomous region with the Uyghur as the majority of the population. Within the territory of the region, there also exist areas where other minorities live in compact communities. Thus, five autonomous prefectures for four ethnic groups – the Kazak, Hui, Kirgiz and Mongolian – have been established, in addition to six autonomous counties for five ethnic groups – the Kazak, Hui, Mongolian, Tajik and Xibe, and 43 ethnic townships. Xinjiang is the country’s only autonomous region with autonomous areas at all three administrative levels (region, prefecture and county). When it comes to the composition of deputies to the people’s congresses and the appointment of cadres, the region’s autonomous organs at each level have adhered to the principles of equal participation and common management, so as to ensure that all peoples become masters of the country. In light of actual conditions, these organs shall formulate and implement autonomous laws, local laws, and decisions of legal force, to safeguard their rights of autonomy in accordance with the law. By the end of 2008, the people’s congress of the autonomous region and its standing committee had altogether enacted 127 local laws and regulations, and approved 28 statutory resolutions and decisions, and approved 100 local laws and regulations formulated by Urumqi and autonomous prefectures and counties.
The state and the region have always considered the selection, training and placement of cadres from among ethnic minorities as a key to carrying out the policy of regional ethnic autonomy. A large number of outstanding cadres of minority origin have been trained and fostered by studying in other parts of the country, receiving training, working at the primary level, or at different places through job exchanges or on rotation basis. In this way, the number of cadres has increased, and their overall quality has improved, thus ensuring corresponding percentages of such cadres at various levels and categories. The number of Xinjiang’s cadres from minority ethnic groups was 46,000 in 1955, 67,000 in 1965, 93,000 in 1975, 202,000 in 1985, 272,000 in 1995, 340,000 in 2005 and 363,000 in 2008. The last figure accounts for 51.25% of the total number of cadres in Xinjiang. In today’s Xinjiang, the heads of the autonomous region, prefectures and counties, as well as the heads of the standing committees of local people’s congresses, the presidents of the people’s courts and the procurator-generals of the people’s procuratorates at the same levels are citizens from the ethnic group(s) exercising regional autonomy in the areas concerned. An overwhelming number of the heads at the prefecture and city levels are from ethnic minorities.
The government of Xinjiang has adopted special policies and measures to implement and protect all its peoples’ equal rights in political and social life. Promulgated in 1993 and revised in 2002, the Regulations for Work Concerning Spoken and Written Languages in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region enshrines in legal form the equal rights of all peoples in terms of their own spoken and written languages, encouraging people to study the spoken and written languages of other ethnic groups. Enacted in 1996, the Measures Concerning the Implementation of the PRC Law on Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region stipulates that all commodities produced and sold in the region should have both the relevant minority and Han Chinese languages written on their packaging and users’ manuals; that business operators who have the Muslim phrase “halal” or its symbol visible on their business premises or on food packaging or labeling, shall be approved by ethnic administrative departments of the people’s government at and above the county level.
The state adheres to the principle that the spoken and written languages of all ethnic groups are equal, and opposes linguistic privilege in any form. In light of actual conditions in Xinjiang, the government of the region promulgated in 1988 and 1993 respectively the Provisional Regulations of Administration for the Use of Minority Languages in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and the Regulations for Work Concerning Spoken and Written Languages in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, which legally enshrine the freedom and rights of ethnic minorities to use their own spoken and written languages. Xinjiang has 13 ethnic groups inhabiting there for generations and using ten spoken and written languages. The government organs of the autonomous region, prefectures and counties use the language of the ethnic group exercising autonomy in that particular area as well as the Chinese language to handle handling public affairs. Spoken and written languages of the minority peoples are widely used in the press, publishing, radio, movies, and television programs. The Xinjiang Daily is printed in the Uyghur, Han, Kazak and Mongolian languages, while the Xinjiang Television Station broadcasts in these languages. The Xinjiang People’s Publishing House uses these languages plus the Kirgiz and Xibe languages for its publications. Over 70% of the books and audiovisual products published in Xinjiang use minority languages.
Respecting ethnic minorities’ folkways and customs is an important aspect of ensuring equal rights for them. The state and local governments in Xinjiang have formulated a number of policies and regulations to show respect for and protect the customs of minority peoples in terms of food, attire, festivals, marriage and funerals, while acknowledging that all peoples have the freedom to maintain or reform their own folkways and customs. Every year the government of the region makes specific arrangements to guarantee the production and supply of meats and other foodstuffs consumed daily by ethnic minorities in order to ensure the production and supply of special foodstuff for all communities, especially the ten groups believing in Islam. In Xinjiang, during the Ramadan and Kurban festivals, all Muslim communities enjoy statutory holidays, while people of Russian background observe their own statutory holidays such as Christmas and Easter.
Ethnic unity is guarantees ethnic equality. The state protects the legitimate rights and interests of ethnic minorities, while opposing estrangements, discrimination, hatred and conflicts between ethnic groups, as well as big-ethnic chauvinism, especially Han chauvinism, and local nationalism. In Xinjiang, striving for ethnic unity is of specific significance, because it is an important guarantee for all work in the region. Over the years, the government of the region has strongly promoted the idea that “Everyone treasures ethnic unity, understands the ethnic policy, and strives for and contributes to ethnic unity.” Through their experience, the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang have come to the conclusion that “the Han Chinese cannot live without the minority groups, and vise versa, and no one minority group can live without the other minority groups (known as the ‘three inseparable ties’).” In 1982, Xinjiang took the lead in China to launch a campaign to commend endeavors towards ethnic unity. So far, the region has held five conferences commending 862 model organizations and 1,520 exemplary individuals. Since 1983, the government of the region has launched an “ethnic unity month” in May throughout the region, carrying out intensive and extensive public education concerning ethnic unity. Now this work has been ongoing for 27 years. All schools in Xinjiang from primary schools to universities offer courses concerning ethnic unity and information about other ethnic groups. Through constant education, people of all communities in Xinjiang have been suffused with the concepts of equality and unity, and the idea of “three inseparable ties,” and treasuring mutual support, respect and love has become a common practice in the region.
In Xinjiang, ethnic relations of equality, unity, mutual assistance and harmony are reflected in every aspect of social life. Thanks to their traditional ways of production and life, the Uyghur and Hui people focus on business and food services, while the Han people grow vegetables, and the Kazaks are more inclined towards pasturing. With their respective strengths, they have cooperated with each other, aiming at common development in a unified market and with the same production objectives. The unified social system, common political and economic organizations as well as shared community living have all helped form stable cooperative relationships between different communities and have made them become closer comrades, colleagues, neighbors or friends, thus greatly enhancing their mutual understanding and friendship. According to a questionnaire survey conducted in more than ten counties or cities in 2004 and 2005, urban Uyghur and Han residents who had more than two friends from other ethnic groups accounted for 65% and 61% of the total. Those who had no friends outside their own ethnic group made up 30% and 29%. In recent years, intermarriages have increased between people of different ethnicities in the region. In Urumqi, the percentage of intermarriages in the city’s marriage registration was 2.1% (218 couples) in 1980, while the figure rose to 5.9% (811 couples) in 2003. In Tacheng, the percentage of intermarriages in the city’s marriage registration was 5.5% in 1995, and rose to 39.5% in 2003. According to a 1987 survey of a neighborhood of people from four ethnic groups, among 141 who had linguistic abilities, 48 people used two languages, 16 used three languages, six used four languages, and one person used five languages. Each time Muslim communities, such as the Uyghur, Kazak and Hui, celebrate the Ramadan and Kurban, or when the Han and Mongolian people celebrate their Spring Festival, friends and colleagues from other ethnic groups send their best wishes and share in the festive celebrations.(To be continued)
