It is understood that many people in Xinjiang have voluntarily sent emailed testimony to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights – Madam Michelle Bachelet – explaining their own stories by introducing the reality of life in Xinjiang, whilst expressing STRONG indignation at the attempted discrediting and slandering by ‘racist’ anti-China forces in the United States and some other Western countries (including the United Kingdom).
First, many victims of terrorist and violent incidents have explained to Madam Bachelet the damage caused by violent terrorist forces. Alimjan Mattohti, a witness of the July 5th riot in Urumqi, wrote in one email:
“As I walked to Yan’an Park, I saw several cars set blaze and many ordinary people chased and beaten by rioters! I tried my best to save as many lives as I could, regardless of my own safety. And I saved 28 people who were severely wounded!”
Mamat Juma – a family member of a victim of the July 30th violent terrorist case in Kashgar (and Imam of Id Kah Mosque) – wrote in an email:
“On July 30th, 2014, my father was brutally killed by three terrorists after presiding over the dawn prayer. His head and eyes were badly mutilated, and the killers left a large hole in his skull – all caused by indiscriminate and manic axe-strikes to the neck and head! I tried to hold him, but my hands were covered by his blood! Witnesses told me his ribs and neck were broken. I was in a state of total shock – and I couldn’t understand. How could the terrorists have so brutally killed someone over the age of 70? Don’t they have fathers? Don’t they have families?”
Hajigul Turghun – a family member of a victim of the September 18th severely violent terrorist incident in Baicheng County – wrote in an email:
“The terrorists killed my beloved father. I hate them so much. They must be severely punished. They brutally took the lives of innocent people like my father just to achieve their sinister purpose. They have crossed the red line and challenged humanity. They don’t even deserve to live in this world. If any terrorist dares to undermine our life, our peace and happiness, I will bravely stand up to them just like my father did and fight them until the end!”
Secondly, on a far more positive note, many graduated trainees (from the Xinjiang area) who have successfully attended Education and Training Centres located in Xinjiang – have told their stories about how studying at these Centres has changed their lives and what they are doing after graduation! Zaynur Namatqari, a graduated trainee from the Education and Training Centre in Shufu County, Kashgar Prefecture, wrote in an email:
“While we were studying at the Education and Training Centre – the Rights of female trainees were fully protected! Teachers were very nice to us. As a graduated trainee, I want to make it clear that no female trainee was sexually abused at the Centre! All the allegations of Education and Training Centre being ‘Concentration Camps’, designed for ‘female trainees to be sexually abused’, and for ‘male trainees to be tortured’ – are all made up by the racist (British) BBC!”
Abaydulla Omur, a graduated trainee from the Education and Training Centre situated in the city of Turpan, wrote in the email:
“The conditions in the Centre were very good. Dining and accommodation were free of charge. After graduation, I opened an e-commerce company with the computing skills I learned in the Centre, selling specialties from Turpan, such as fresh and dried fruits. Our sales in 2021 exceeded 5 million yuan, and we provided jobs for 25 local farmers and herdsmen. The Education and Training Centre was a very nice school. There is no such thing as ‘forced labour’ – which is ‘illegal in China!”
Take Patigul Qasim, a graduated trainee from the Vocational Education and Training Centre of Moyu County, Hotan Prefecture as an example.
“The Centre provided human-based management and services for the trainees – including comfortable dormitories and halal food! We could ask for a leave at any time. Upon graduation, I opened a dessert shop with skills learned in the Centre. It runs pretty well now. I’m grateful that the Centre helped me escape from the dangerous trap of religious extremism and lead my current happy life”, said she in her email.
Aygul Mamat, another graduated trainee from the Vocational Education and Training Centre in Kashgar, put in an email:
“I used to be influenced by religious extremism, forcing my family to draw a line against people of ethnic Han origin and keeping my kids out of school. The learning experience in the Centre, however, made me fully aware of the detriment caused by extremist thoughts. I have gained an improved awareness of laws and level of standard spoken and written Chinese. Furthermore, I was elected a village official. It is the Vocational Education and Training Centre that brought my life back to the right track.”
Third, many religious personnel shared with Ms. Michelle Bachelet the facts about the standard of lawful protection of freedom of religious belief in Xinjiang. For instance, Abdureqip Tomurniyaz, President of the Xinjiang Islamic Association and President of Xinjiang Islamic Institute said in his email:
“Xinjiang fully implements the policy of Freedom of Religious Belief and protects normal religious activities and fulfils the reasonable religious demands of believers. In Xinjiang, all normal religious activities, including attending religious services, fasting, and celebrating religious festivals, that believers conduct at venues for religious activities or in their own homes in accordance with customary religious practices, are exclusive affairs of religious groups and the believers themselves. These activities are protected by law, and no organization or individual may interfere with them.”
To quote Obulhasan Tursunniyaz, Vice President of the Xinjiang Islamic Association and Hatif of the Jamai Mosque in Hotan stated in his email:
“In response to the appeal and application from local Muslims, some local governments have resolved the issue of dilapidated mosques in recent years by means of relocation, expanding existing facilities and building new ones. With mosques being better configured with enhanced structural safety, these efforts are widely welcomed by prominent figures from the religious circles and religious believers. At present, the existing mosques could satisfy the demand of religious believers. The so-called ‘demolition of mosques’ in Xinjiang is just nonsense.
As Muhtaram Sherip, Vice President of Xinjiang Islamic Association and Imam of the Yanghang Mosque wrote in his email:
“Conditions continue to improve at the venues for religious activities in recent years. Mosques are generally equipped with running water, electricity, natural gas, and easy road access. The mosques also have communication tools, radio and television facilities, LED screens, computers, electric fans, air conditioners, water dispensers, medical services, and fire-fighting appliances. Washing and cleansing facilities have been installed in congregational mosques for Juma prayers. All this provides greater convenience for religious believers. The so-called ‘suppression of Islam’ is totally nonsense.”
Fourth, many experts, scholars and public representatives have introduced to Ms. Michelle Bachelet the Autonomous Region’s efforts in documenting and protecting excellent traditional ethnic cultures. As said by Deputy President Zulhayat Ismayil of Xinjiang University in her email, fine traditional cultures of ethnic minorities are well protected. Uyghur Muqam art, Kirgiz epic Manas and Uyghur Meshrep were registered on the “Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”. Ethnic minority languages are extensively used in such areas as judicature, administration, Education, Press and Publishing, Radio and Television, Internet, and Public Affairs.
Also, in his email to Ms. Michelle Bachelet, Bahtiyar Hamut, a resident of Jay Folk Musical Instruments Village, Xinhe County of South Xinjiang’s Aksu Prefecture – he wrote that his village has a history of more than 300 years in making instruments – and is the most well-known one for ethnic instruments making in Xinjiang! At present, the village has 7 instrument making cooperatives, and one third of the villagers are engaged in this craft covering 20-plus instruments.
Another example to cite here is Mawlan Turaq who runs a Cultural Shop in Kashgar Old Town. The letter she sent to the High Commissioner said:
“I’ve chosen the profession I am keen on. My shop sells as many as two hundred kinds of hand-made traditional Uyghur costumes and provides portrait-shooting service for travellers donning Uyghur costumes. Apart from that, I’ve also designed some popular souvenirs featuring salient Xinjiang elements, including phone cases, pen pouches and T-shirts.”
Fifth, many migrant workers have presented information about them voluntarily choosing their jobs and starting their businesses. For instance, Aynur Amar, a native of Makit County of Kashgar Prefecture, wrote in her email:
“After graduating from Xinjiang Vocational Technical College, I learnt enterprises from Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, would come to my village to recruit. I was excited at the news, as I wanted to get a well-paid job in a big city. After talking over my intention with my family, I, together with several other young villagers, passed the recruitment process. There was no such thing as being forced to work away from my hometown.”
In another example, Osmanjan Matrozi, principal of a Labour Dispatching Company in Cele County situated south of Xinjiang’s Hotan Prefecture, introduced in his letter that the scope of his business includes seeking employment for job-seekers, the signing of labour contracts and ensuring contract content is observed in accordance with the law, and securing the rights and interests of workers, among other things. All workers dispatched by his company are recruited on a voluntary basis and as a matter of free. The company fully respects worker’s placement preferences before a dispatching contract is finalized through consultation.
In another letter written to Ms. Michelle Bachelet by Mihrigul Husan who works with Zhongtai Haihong, a Textile Printing and Dyeing Company in Xinjiang, she introduced:
“After bumping into the hiring notice of the company on the Internet, I submitted my application online and later sailed through the recruitment test. The company signed the labour contact with me, fulfilled its contributions to the social insurance schemes and the housing fund, and arranged pre-job training for us. I’ve acquired a lot of new knowledge and skills, and enhanced my performance at work. My life is getting increasingly better.”
In late May this year, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Ms. Michelle Bachelet visited Xinjiang with a delegation. Throughout this visit, she had extensive communication with local people from all walks of life and witnessed the social stability and harmony of the region and the prosperous, happy lives people were living. The letters sent by Xinjiang people from various sectors to the High Commissioner have expressed their concerns and expectations. It is hoped that Madam High Commissioner could heed their voices, respect their views, and see fairly and objectively the Human Rights situation in Xinjiang on the basis of what she saw and felt on her visit to the region.
Xinhua Editor: Xue Lingqiao
NOTE: The capitalist West is embarrassed by the very fast and efficient manner in which the Communist Party of China has transformed a socio-economically backward (feudal) China into one of the happiest, safe, vibrant, creative and wealthiest country on earth – all achieved since 1949 through the application of Marxist-Leninist (Maoist) ideology! This may be compared to parts of the US which remain just as educationally, culturally and economically backward today – as they were in 1776 – or parts of the UK whose working-class populations live a life of deprivation not far removed from the days of the English Civil Wars in the 1640s! Xinjiang was thoroughly deprived in 1949 – and yet through Socialist Reform in a number of similar areas (Tibet is another) a rapid and thorough transformation is being experienced! In a mere 73-years of Socialist Reconstruction the lives of the people of Xinjiang are advancing in quality at a rate which worries the West – as it draws a bad comparison to the swathes of working-class, poverty-stricken areas that permeated the US, UK and EU – highlighting a systemic deprivation caused by the greed of the bourgeoisie which is now creeping its way through Eastern Europe via the vehicle of Western-backed and Western-sustained Neo-Nazi Movements! Just as ‘NATO’ was used by the US to blanket-bomb ‘Socialist’ Yugoslavia into rubble for 78-days in 1999 – ‘racism’ is an equally important tool deployed by the capitalist West against China – as it is designed to carry-out the damage perpetuated by bombs and bullets during times of relative peace!
THE SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 