August 1, 2011, 2:45 pm EST

Contact: Uyghur American Association +1 (202) 478 1920



Attacks that occurred over the weekend in Kashgar, together with recent unrest in the city of Hotan, have punctuated an

atmosphere of fear, repression and conflict that has permeated East Turkestan in recent months. According to media reports, the

attacks took place in the southern city of Kashgar on July 30 and 31, resulting in the deaths and injuries of a number of people.

Details of the attacks remain unclear, and no independent sources have confirmed the details of the incidents. The Uyghur

American Association (UAA) is concerned that Uyghurs detained in connection with events in Kashgar will be subjected to torture

and a lack of due process, and cautions that Uyghurs will likely be vulnerable to arbitrary detention as a massive security

presence envelops the city.



UAA unequivocally opposes any form of violence. Violent incidents in East Turkestan will only serve to heighten ethnic tensions

and increase the suppression of the Uyghur people. UAA mourns the loss of all victims in the attacks in Kashgar.



UAA also urges the international community to afford the utmost skepticism to Chinese government claims associating terrorism

with the reported attacks in Kashgar. Chinese authorities consistently issue accounts of events involving Uyghurs in East

Turkestan that are not substantiated by compelling evidence. The Chinese government follows a pattern of issuing such accounts

accompanied by accusations of terrorism and charges that outside forces were to blame for orchestrating violence. It also has a

record of failing to allow journalists to freely report on such incidents.



The attacks that took place in Kashgar on July 30 and 31 took place against a backdrop of heavy-handed repression of Uyghurs

carried out by the Chinese government.



“Chinese officials have sown the seeds of instability in East Turkestan through the repressive measures they have enforced since

the unrest of July 5, 2009”, said Uyghur American Association president Alim Seytoff. “The killings and detentions of Uyghurs

carried out by Chinese security forces, and the relentless atmosphere of fear and hopelessness that has existed throughout East

Turkestan since July 2009, have pushed many Uyghurs to extreme desperation. This situation serves no one in the region, be they

Uyghur or Han Chinese. The Chinese government must take responsibility for creating this climate of fear, and must take steps to

end its brutality against Uyghurs in order to create peace in the region.”



The Chinese government issued a “White Paper on Development and Progress in Xinjiang” in 2009, declaring that ethnic harmony in

East Turkestan has made great strides, and the only factor inhibiting social harmony and economic prosperity in the region is

that of “East Turkestan terrorist forces” supported by “hostile foreign forces”. The document represents Chinese officials’

failure to investigate flaws in official policies, including a reliance on brute force to maintain “stability”. Incidences of

unrest, often referred to as “mass incidents” by Chinese officials, have been on the increase throughout China in recent years,

but outside of East Turkestan, these events are rarely labeled as terrorist acts.



Recent unrest in Hotan



Chinese officials provided unsubstantiated accounts regarding deadly unrest that took place in the city of Hotan on July 18.

Until such time as officials in Hotan allow independent journalists and international observers to freely investigate the

accounts of local residents, UAA urges the international community to view Chinese accounts of the Hotan unrest with caution. As

with those Uyghurs detained in connection with events in Kashgar, UAA is concerned about the detention of Uyghurs in the wake of

the unrest in Hotan. UAA urges the international community to demand a full, independent investigation into the unrest and the

deaths reported to have occurred in Hotan and Kashgar.



Accounts provided by Uyghur residents of Hotan to the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and Radio Free Asia (RFA) regarding July 18

events detail deadly force used by Chinese security forces against Uyghurs, and describe a peaceful demonstration that took place

in a local bazaar. Uyghurs in Hotan told WUC that local Uyghurs had gathered on July 18 to protest a security clampdown in the

city, arbitrary detentions and the confiscation of land. Uyghurs have also told WUC that more than 70 people have been arrested

in connection with events in Hotan, and roadblocks have been implemented on all roads leading to the city.



Chinese state media has said that the incident in Hotan on July 18 was a terrorist attack orchestrated by “religious extremists

”. However, as stated above, Chinese officials have frequently issued allegations of terrorist involvement in events involving

Uyghurs, with little documentation and without allowing independent scrutiny of such claims.



A similar lack of transparency was exhibited by Chinese officials regarding attacks that reportedly took place between August and

November 2010 in the cities of Aksu, Hotan and Kumul. In addition, while Chinese state media reported in February 2011 that the

reported attacks were terrorist in nature, reports they issued in the wake of the fall 2010 attacks did not include any mention

of terrorism, and only mentioned one attack that had reportedly taken place in Aksu. A lack of details and corroborating evidence

necessitates skepticism regarding China’s claims about the reported attacks.



http://www.uyghuramerican.org/articles/6203/1/Kashgar-attacks-expose-deep-wounds-in-East-Turkestan/index.html



See also:



China’s Xinjiang Region Hit by More ‘Terrorist’ Attacks



http://www.voanews.com/english/news/China-Blames-Pakistan-Trained-Extremists-for-Latest-Xinjiang-Violence-126508918.html



Police kill 4 after blasts, attacks in China’s west



http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/31/us-china-attack-idUSTRE76U0AD20110731



China says Xinjiang attack killed 18; Uighurs dispute account



http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/china-says-xinjiang-attack-killed-18-uighurs-dispute-account/2011/07/20/gIQAR6ViPI_story.html



Uyghur accounts cast doubt on Chinese report of Hotan clash



http://uhrp.org/articles/5294/1/Uyghur-accounts-cast-doubt-on-Chinese-report-of-Hotan-clash/index.html



Alleged Uyghur Terrorism Information for the Press



http://docs.uyghuramerican.org/Information-on-Alleged-Uyghur-Terrorism-for-the-Press.pdf





World Uyghur Congress

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