Skip to main content

China’s Xinjiang Problem: The 2009 Riots and its Aftermath

The 2009 riots occurred because of the deep-rooted ethnic biases prevalent in Chinese society, coupled with the state’s hard handed approach and the sense of deprivation among Uighurs. Perceptive to the problem and alert to the situation, the Chinese government has introduced more economic incentives for the local population. However, the deep-rooted causes of the tension remain unresolved and repeated instances of violence only show that some of the policies may be backfiring. In a year in which China will see a political transition, Xinjiang is marked by an uneasy peace. Chinese leaders will be hoping that there is no more trouble at a time when stability remains their paramount objective. All the same, they will leave no stone unturned in their search for what is proving to be an elusive stability in the region.


Summary of the Issue Brief published yesterday on IDSA, the full article can be accessed here
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Having known south Mumbai in minute details and knowing this area well, having walked around extensively to be at the Gateway to inhale a sense of freedom that the air in this part of country gives, I, a diehard Mumbaikar, am particularly disturbed by the war that these terrorists have waged on my city and my country. I just keep getting the feeling all through these times that I am in deep sleep and this is one of those nightmares I will forget after waking up. I wish. The pain of the victims’ families and the destruction are heartbreaking but what bothers me more is the shallowness expressed by some of our citizen, who are famous for being famous, in this hour of serious contemplation. I am talking of the Suhel Seth phenomena. He was loud and clear in his criticism not just of the terrorists but also equally of government mechanism and apparatus. The problem I have in this is not just that his criticism of the system in the situation is unfair, but he was jumping the guns too early....
Post a Comment
Read more

Alienated People and an Overcautious state in China’s Xinjiang

The People’s Republic of China continues to give out contradictory signals on the question of ethno-religious identity among its minorities. While its desire for economic prosperity in Xinjiang may be achievable, it has not seemingly found any solution to the sense of alienation felt by the local Uighurs. In yet another instance that demonstrates this dichotomy clearly, the provincial authority in Xinjiang has advised some sections of the ethnic Uighur Muslim citizens of the province, including Party cadres, civic officials and students, to “eat properly, study and work” during the holy month of Ramadan. This order remains in place in Hotan and Kashgar, which had witnessed ethnic violence in the recent past. The instruction proffering this advice also goes on to clarify that it is only a directive and that the authorities are not forcing the people to eat during Ramadan.  However, other reports suggest that a statement in this respect urges the “party leaders to bring "gifts...
Post a Comment
Read more

ग्रंथविश्व : पर्यावरणवादाच्या ‘बायबल’ची पन्नाशी महत्त्वाची कशी?

‘सायलेंट स्प्रिंग’ या रॅशेल कार्सन यांनी लिहिलेल्या पुस्तकाची पहिली आवृत्ती अमेरिकेत २७ सप्टेंबर १९६२ रोजी प्रकाशित झाली. म्हणजे आता या पुस्तकाला ५० वर्षे पूर्ण झाली आहेत. गेल्या अर्धशतकात या पुस्तकाचे अनेक भाषांमधील अनुवाद प्रसिद्ध झाले, इंग्रजीत तर अनेकानेक आवृत्त्याही निघाल्या. त्याहीपेक्षा महत्त्वाचे म्हणजे, ‘सायलेंट स्प्रिंग’मध्ये मांडलेल्या संकल्पनांवर आणि त्यामागल्या तत्त्वज्ञानावर आधारलेली अनेक पुस्तके पुढल्या काळात लिहिली गेली. आजच्या लोकसत्तेत प्रकाशित लेख . याची मूळ इंग्लिश आवृत्ति लवकरच ब्लॉग वर टाकेन! My article in today's Marathi paper Loksatta. It is on the 50th anniversary of Rachel Carson's seminal book Silent Spring. I will publish the English version of this article on this blog asap!
Post a Comment
Read more