‘A better life for all’

The International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (IDCPC) and the CPC Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee co-hosted the “Stories of CPC” Thematic Briefing on Xinjiang on 22 February in Urumqi. The event had a large participation, with a total of over 310 leaders and prominent personages representing more than 190 political parties and organizations from 80 plus countries, among which over 100 were from Islamic countries. The participants engaged in an in-depth discussion on the theme of “A Better Life for All” and reached a broad consensus on ways to tackle the various challenges to humankind.

There is a background to this extraordinary event. In the near past, there has been a series of accusations on China alleging the maltreatment of its ethnic Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. It reached a crescendo in the final throes of the Trump administration. His Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, went to the extent of delisting the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a Muslim separatist group founded by militant Uighurs. This may provide encouragement to separatists. The US Treasury Department had listed ETIM as a terrorist organization in 2002 during a period of increased Sino-US cooperation on antiterrorism in the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Unfortunately, the US bears some responsibility for the 9/11 attacks as well as the rise of terrorism in various parts of the world, including in Xinjiang. Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the CIA invited Muslims from various parts of the world to wage a holy war against the Red Army. CIA trained them in the art of guerrilla warfare, distributed Jihadist literature, funds and weapons. The jihadists fought alongside the Afghan Mujahedeen, forcing the Soviet Union to retreat in 1989. At that stage, the CIA too, departed after accomplishing its mission but without de-indoctrinating or disarming the Jihadists. Thus the highly trained warriors, armed to the teeth, were left to seek fresh targets to fight. Al-Qaeda is a creation of the same era. Some of the volunteers returned to their homeland to resume normal life, while others turned to militancy. A number of them stayed back in Afghanistan and wreaked havoc with internecine warfare in the inter-tribal civil war. The Taliban emerged from this chaos to take control of Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden, 9/11 and numerous other terror attacks around the globe are the direct responsibility of these militants. The Uighurs too, who had participated in the Afghan jihad, returned to Xinjiang and observing the disparity in the development of China’s Eastern and western regions, decided to activate the ETIM and commenced terror attacks in Xinjiang. Some detractors of China, perhaps alarmed at its meteoric economic rise, allegedly backed the militants to destabilize China, considering Xinjiang to be a soft underbelly of China.

The terror mongers, like the Islamic State and TTP, distorted the teachings of Islam to exploit innocent Uighurs and persuade them to commit acts of terrorism. The biggest Uighur mass uprising came in 2009, followed by sporadic attacks in 2013 and 2014. Reacting to the alarming situation, the Chinese government adopted a two pronged policy to meet the challenge head on. It apprehended the ring leaders and after trying them for their crimes against humanity, punished them. Simultaneously, the causes of deprivation were addressed. Xinjiang was brought into the mainstream of development and at par with the Eastern region. The advent of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by President Xi Jinping made a direct impact on the quality of life of the Uighurs, as they were the main beneficiaries of the mega project. Vocational training was provided to them so that the Uighurs could occupy the slots of higher management and handle the technical responsibilities in the burgeoning industrial, construction and development projects. Uighur children have been enrolled in middle and high school boarding systems where they can be imparted the best of education to acquire higher education and achieve better positions.

To address the sensitive but vital issue of distortion of Quranic verses to exploit the simple minded Uighurs to commit acts of terrorism, a number of major steps were taken. Xinjiang Islamic Institute, established 30 years ago, whose President is AdudulrekepTumniaz has been moved to modern premises at par with any western university, where young Islamic scholars are imparted training in religious jurisprudence and the correct teachings of Islam along with the disciplines of modern science. After graduation, the scholars are deputed as Imams of mosques to lead prayers, deliver sermons preaching peace and love. Thousands of mosques with state-of-the-art amenities have been built to cater for the need of the faithful and there is no restriction on the practice of religious rituals.

Minor offenders, who had been led astray by the terror mongers, are sent to re-indoctrination centers where courses in Chinese Constitution, Law, and vocational training for adopting a profession or practice to lead a more meaningful life are imparted.

Unfortunately, some vested interests have launched a campaign to besmirch the Chinese government, labeling the re-indoctrination centers as concentration camps, accusing them of committing genocide of the Uighurs, forcing them into slave labour, ethnic cleansing through forced sterilization, curbing religious freedom and a plethora of other lies.

The Chinese government has bent backwards to present the factual picture. Since 2018, more than 1,200 people from over 100 countries have visited Xinjiang including this scribe. The visitors comprised UN officials, foreign diplomats posted in China, some countries’ permanent representatives to Geneva, journalists and religious groups. We personally observed a region thriving with stability and prosperity and commended China’s exemplary counter-terrorism and deradicalization efforts.

Statistics of the rapid growth in population as well as increase in the GDP and per capita income of the Uighurs themselves refute the baseless propaganda. In this backdrop, the thematic briefing of “A better life for all” was very timely. The participants took cognizance of the various challenges facing the world, including COVID-19, climate change, poverty, hunger, malnutrition, unemployment, growing acts of terrorism, extremism and intolerance.

Under the circumstances, the best solution for achieving lasting peace and prosperity, is for the two leading global economies—USA and China—to pool resources and promote the deepening of mutually beneficial cooperation among countries towards building a community with a shared future for mankind.