CHINA: Muslim Uighurs deny Beijing's accusations that they are using religious schools to forment separatist terrorism

Every Friday afternoon when people in Beijing preparing for their weekend, 4000 kilometres away from the national capital, China's Uighur people are carrying out their most important and sacred activity - prayer. The Uighur are an Islamic people who share linguistic and cultural bonds with China's neighboring Central Asian countries. But their religion is under attack from Chinese authorities, who claim that in recent years separatists are using their Muslim faith to forment terrorism in an attempt to break away from China. Xinjiang, China's most remote northwestern province, is home to more than eight million Uighurs, a people who have been living there for hundreds of years. The province also has a fast growing Han population, the ethnic group forming the majority of the Chinese. Many of the Muslim Uighurs living side by side with the Han, resent their growing presence, saying it has bought more controls on religion and culture. Juma Damolahaji, Imam of the Id Kah Mosque, denies Chinese government accusations that religious schools are being used as breeding grounds for terrorism activities. "I can say there is no underground religious school or activity place in Kashgar," Imam Juma said, "In every county and every city, including prefectures, we have religious schools. If people want to study religion, they are encouraged to go to those schools to study," Juma said. Many human rights organisations have been very concerned about the Chinese government crack down on Uighurs and the freedom of speech. In private, Uighur residents complain that their children are not allowed to receive religious education - even at home. Students at school and employees of some companies cannot show any visible signs of religious affiliation, such as beards or headscarves. They are too frightened to complain in public. Raxat, who runs a shop selling handcrafts in the 2,000 year old city of Kashga, was put on a spot by a Reuters television crew. He nervously denied any problems in pursuing his Muslim faith. "All of the religious places are open to public. We can enter and pray anytime without any time restrictions. There are policemen protecting us when there is a huge event going on," he said. Perhaps the world's most famous Uighur is Rebiya Kadeer, a 58-year-old human rights activist, who left for the United States last year after spending more than five years in jail in China. She'd been charged with providing state secrets to foreigners. She has become a major force in the Uighur community overseas and was recently nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. But Chinese authorities deny cracking down on the Uighur way of life. They say they are focusing on separatists and not Uighur culture. When questioned about the ethnic culture protection and religious freedom in Xinjiang, Wang Lequan, the Communist Party leader in the oil-rich region said the the government's main concern was poverty in the region. "We think the most important issue to be resolved at the moment in Xinjiang is to be able to offer food to our people, give them enough clothes to wear for four seasons and live in a warm and secure house. We think this is the most important." Wang said. Wang said that any crackdown was solely targeted against Muslim Uighur activists. He accused them of using religion as an excuse to foment separatism. "Over the past few years in Xinjiang, some of the separatists and terrorists are using religion as excuses to pursue damaging activities. They use religion as a disguise and to brain wash and organize people together. They are not the faithful followers of Islam." Wang said. China has been waging a campaign against such activists -- many of whom chafe at central government controls on religious freedom. Some of the activists advocate an independent East Turkestan -- leading the authorities to label them foreign-backed terrorists.

ITN Source | October 18, 2006

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