I have
one weakness: whenever I visit a place, its memories get firmly
embedded in my mind and eventually I develop an affinity for that
place. Take for example, Cambodia. I made a short visit there in 2010
to see the famous Angkor Wat temples. Yet, Cambodia has now a special
place in my mind. It is true that I had long chats, during my
journeys to many temples with my guide in Cambodia, Mr. Bunla, who
was well informed and shared his knowledge about his country, its
politics and social set up and problems. The result is that, whenever
any new news appears in media about Cambodia, I read it with great
interest as if it is my own country.
Surprisingly,
something similar has happened about a region, where I have never
been and can not even hope to visit, in my life time. This place is
none other than the famed Silk route of China. My love for all things
connected with Silk route really began when I read a book titled as
“The Great game” by Peter Hopkirk. I was absolutely fascinated.
In later years, not only I read other books by this author, but many
other accounts of travellers and adventurers, who led expeditions to
this inhospitable desert region. The top honours would naturally go
to the fantastic travelogues written by Sir Aurel Stein: Innermost
Asia, Serindia and Ancient Khotan. Many modern European and American
travellers also have written good accounts of their travels and it
should suffice if I say that I have read many of these books and have
thoroughly enjoyed them.
This
armchair travelling, has given me a great insight about ancient Silk
route and the region, through which, this route passed once: the
region what was called as Chinese Turkmenistan and what is known
today as Xinjiang. The Geography of this region is quite peculiar to
say the least. Central to the region is a huge and most formidable
desert called Taklamakan. On southwest of this desert lies the
Karakoram mountains which form the natural border with India. On
southeast lies another great mountain range of KunLun mountains. On
north lies another mountain range known as Tianshan mountains. On the
periphery of the desert,and between foothills of these mountain
ranges, most of the cities and towns of Xinjiang such as Kashgar,
Yarkund and Hotan are located on desert oases. The ancient silk
routes passed along the desert peripheri and through these oasis
towns.
The
original inhabitants of this region known as Uighurs are of Turkic
origins and follow Islam. They have their culture, which is more akin
to central Asian culture. Uighur's separate identity from the
mainstream Han Chinese, remains the bone of contention for decades or
even centuries. Chinese have been trying to steam roll their standard
formulated culture and lifestyle on Xinjiang and Uighurs apparently
do not like this and there are periodical clashes like eruptions of a
dormant volcano.
Last
week, as reported by Chinese news agency Global Times, trouble brewed
again in the township of Lukqun, Shanshan county, Turpan district in
eastern Xinjiang, when police apprehended about nine suspects, most
of whom are aged 18 or 19, including some Lukqun locals. Next day a
mob attacked and set fire to a government building, a local police
station, a nearby construction site and more than 10 government
vehicles, and stabbed both police officers and civilians
indiscriminately. The casualty figures reached 35, which included
police officers and civilians. Police shot dead 11 attackers and
caught four at the scene. Police later blocked all roads to Lukqun at
highway exit to Changji, a city some 36 kilometers northwest of
Urumqi (Capital of Xinjiang), there were many armed police and
special police officers holding guns, in addition to many police
vehicles. In the city, police vehicles were parked at intervals along
the roads, with police officers patrolling nearby.
Within
few days of the incident, trouble flared again in the island city of
Hotan, which is on the other side of Taklamakan desert and more than
a 1000 Kms from Lukqum. A mob of more than a hundred people, riding
motorbikes and wielding knifes, attacked a police station here after
after gathering at local religious venues. In a separate incident, on
the same day, some 200 people attempted to "incite trouble"
at a major shopping area in Hotan. Global times says that the
situation was diffused quickly by local police with no casualties.
Police,
said Global times, are checking if there is connection between two
riots by checking vehicles and passenger IDs on the highways from
Turpan to Urumqi, the regional capital. Chinese are calling all these
attacks as terrorist attacks. However Radio Free Asia has reported
that the trouble started when police in Hotan opened fire on Uighurs
as they left a local mosque. The report said: “ Young Uighurs on
motor cycles were leaving the mosque. They were shouting religious
slogans...The police were frightened and started shooting at them...
At Least two died and one was injured.”
To
calm down fears, Chinese staged a large military exercise with about
1000 soldiers in Urumqi with tanks, military vehicles and armoured
personnel carriers blocking all access to the capital and also
blocking many streets. However, local residents were apprehensive and
said that the exercise was done to caution people, as anniversary of
large scale riots of 2009 falls on 5th July.
Recently
I have read books of two authors, one British and one American living
in Moscow, describing an almost identical journey from Russia to
China passing through Xinjiang. Both these authors have described in
details, how even their short and casual travel through Xinjiang have
made them realize the ethnic division and resentment of Uighurs
against local administrations controlled from Beijing and how
Uighur's old life style and cities were being destroyed by
standardized planning controlled from Beijing.
It is
obvious that Uighurs have a different culture and way of life than
that of Han Chinese. The peace in this region of China is likely to
remain illusive unless this ethnic diversity is recognized and given
its due respect.
30
June 2013
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