Chinese news agency Xinhuanet earlier reported that more that 156 people on Sunday had lost their lives in Urumqi, the capital of China’s autonomous province Xinjiang where ethnic violence erupted. Hundreds are reported injured. Global media coverage shows that the bloodshed in Urumqi is really serious and worth heeding.
The same news agency has quoted Communist Party Chief of Urumqi Li Zhi as saying, "The rioters violated laws and harmed the fundamental interests of all Chinese ethnic groups." Xinjiang police is reported to have arrested 1,379 men and 55 women suspecting them of having conducted violent acts of killing, beating, smashing, looting and burning.
Chinese officials believe the riot was premeditated and organized by World Uyghur Congress led by Rebiya Kadeer.
Meanwhile Xinhuanet on Tuesday reports Yughurs have also attacked the Chinese embassy in the Netherlands. The Holland police is reported to have arrested some separatist Yughurs.
The number of deaths and the cases of injuries in Urumqi suggests that the violence is a major disaster for China to make out the meaning of. The incident indicates how serious ethnic tensions modern China goes through. Since the nature of violence sounds more ethnic than politics, the divide-and-rule formula, adopted globally from ancient times to date, is worth considering.
Any incident like Urumqi bloodshed must torture us all, though this is one of the innumerable incidents of similar nature throughout the world. In this context, seriously worth considering is the fact that the Urumqi bloodshed has happened at a time when the world in general is going through ethnic politics and civil wars in the name of independence and resources.
Huge UN budgets consisting of grants from UN members are spent on the conflict management through reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction in different countries that go through civil wars to monitor which not only the UN agencies but also other INGOs and NGOs spend considerable amounts.
The Urumqi incident has also made many think that the Chinese government elected by the Han majority does not meticulously treat the sensitive Yughurs marked by a great deal of ethnic mindset, extremely vulnerable to brainwashing from forces other than who would like to keep China united.
There are contradictions among communities. But the way they are managed or handled makes a difference as to the prevention of ethnic bloodsheds.
Of course, inspiration for a certain positive or negative activity comes from somewhere or someone. The very idea of creating a separate nation and becoming its commander or head is the dream of many ambitious and power-thirsty leaders in the world. For instance, the Nepalis have also faced threats of division from ethnic political gamblers, who dream of separating different parts of the country and becoming their chiefs. Previously ruling royal gangs, who have amassed huge wealth, do dream of creating dozens of separate states for them to continue their royal kingdoms in different forms. This threat of ethnic division, Nepal faces this threat of ethnic division. However, the Nepalis are determined to make Nepal the country with an inclusive democracy to be redefined by incorporating the elements from both the Market Economy ideology and the Marxist dialecticism.
Nepal doubts that the separatist armed activities in the plains of the country are ignited by the expansionist Indian forces that have an unchanged desire of annexing Nepal to India. Such a desire has been overtly and covertly expressed in different circumstances. The most blatant violation of the international laws and treaties on the side of India can be seen in the open encroachment of Nepali territory by India time and again. Of course, the Nepali slave-minded leaderships are the ones to blame the most for this. On the one hand border encroachment threatening Nepal’s sovereignty has been going on as usual, and on the other, separatist forces have been working hard to disrupt the ongoing peace process and development pace.
As to separatist trends, China has also mainly blamed outside forces for staging the Urumqi bloodshed. In today’s sophisticated and detective era, even NGOs or INGOs may be operating openly with an underground mission. The past has taught us clearly that even many religious institutions are political organizations (in many cases even armed forces) working under a religious veil.
While many countries, not only China, face ethnic separatism, violence and even large scale civil wars, the best approach to cope with such problems would be to win ethnic community’s hearts and minds by implementing universal human rights commitments—especially food, shelter, clothing, education, health and employment—while not curtailing individual freedom. The implementation of human rights commitments also concerns creating a sense of human dignity and co-existence. As the availability of social justice in a country also to a greater extent determines the harmony and unity, separatism and extremism do not get a fertile soil.
Ethnic violence is something that damages humanity. Be it anywhere in the world, it does not do good to mankind. Indeed (experience has already proved) ethnic politics makes human society more narrow-minded. It means ethnic communities must be involved in politics but ethnicity must not be at the center of politics. Equality, freedom and brotherhood must be at the center of politics.
Globally, phony and disguised democracies (ideologically bankrupt and morally corrupt) have misguided the world peoples, who ultimately become prepared to detonate their frustrations. Miseducation and misorientation have contaminated the mindset of the younger generations. Consequently, they become unable to nurture their wisdom and moral conscience to a level required for understanding and analyzing their society. Misunderstanding is a form of conflict in human society. It has the tremendous potential of growing into a full-scale war. Thus, misunderstanding among various ethnic communities is a dangerous thing to be treated in a serious manner. At present, we take ethnic misunderstanding lightly. While political, socio-economic and ethnic discriminations remain in society, violence (ready to go off) lies there in a latent form. Yet, modern educational systems are less capable of addressing this serious issue of ethnic misunderstanding.
This, perhaps, would be more relevant for expensive think tanks to brainstorm on the mission of human education that could humanize the de-humanizing society through the construction of a sense of equality, freedom and brotherhood.
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