Following violent attacks in Xinjiang over recent years, many measures have been taken by Chinese authorities to improve security in the area, but little has done to build trust among its different ethnic groups.
By Jeremy Koh, Channel NewsAsia
POSTED: 30 Sep 2015 13:58
XINJIANG, China: The far-flung region of Xinjiang in western China has witnessed in recent years an upsurge of violence that left hundreds dead, prompting authorities to blanket it with such heavy security that parts of the region resemble a police state.
Although the government is pumping in billions of dollars on development, the situation in the Uighur heartland remains tense and security officers there are on high alert.
According to the Chinese government, the country faces a serious threat from Islamist militants and separatists in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region.
“Out of 100 people, maybe one or two are terrorists but we are all against them," said Gulnur Amati, an ethnic Uighur living in Aksu, south of Xinjiang. "We also hope for stability in Xinjiang and that it can develop harmoniously. Our lives can only improve when it’s stable."
In Aksu, propaganda slogans condemning extremism also line many of the city’s streets, while some restaurants prohibit people with veils and long beards from entering their premises.
There is also an overt troop and police presence, making it one of the most heavily guarded areas in the region.
“A crackdown will improve public security, and it’s something that you can see. If not for the crackdown, we wouldn't dare come out,” said Zhuo Zexue, a Han Chinese resident.
In fact, the security crackdown has ramifications beyond southern Xinjiang. Hotels in its capital of Urumqi saw their earnings drop, following the introduction of a convenience card to residents in the south of the region.
Without the card, the residents will not be able to travel outside their hometown for more than two weeks.
Some political watchers said a crackdown is necessary to maintain security in Xinjiang but admitted more needs to be done to build trust among its different ethnic groups.
“It’s not just against the Uighurs," said Prof Wu Chuke from Minzu University of China.
"There are the Mongolians, for instance, and another big minority groups in northern China. They have countries where they are the majority, and they were independent once. So we have to trust them even more, understand and support them."
However, such trust could take a long time to rebuild given that several violent incidents in Xinjiang in recent years have pitted ethnic groups against one another.
– CNA/pp
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