But in all seriousness, I would like to talk about this so-called terrorist organization that is threatening the Olympic Games in Beijing. I know a bit more about this subject than most people, because Peter Hessler dealt with it at length in the book Oracle Bones. The Chinese government has
labeled the East Turkestan Islamic Movement a terrorist organization and encouraged the United States and the United Nations to do the same, which they have. Now, what the Chinese government is basically doing is calling this organization a terroristic threat, so that they can crack down on the movement without drawing international concern. The aim of the movement is to create an Islamic state where the current autonomous region of Xinjiang (in the northwest corner), in China, is located. China gained this land in what was essentially a land grab in 1949, when the PLA marched in and claimed it as part of the new People's Republic of China.
labeled the East Turkestan Islamic Movement a terrorist organization and encouraged the United States and the United Nations to do the same, which they have. Now, what the Chinese government is basically doing is calling this organization a terroristic threat, so that they can crack down on the movement without drawing international concern. The aim of the movement is to create an Islamic state where the current autonomous region of Xinjiang (in the northwest corner), in China, is located. China gained this land in what was essentially a land grab in 1949, when the PLA marched in and claimed it as part of the new People's Republic of China.
In Xinjiang, the dominant ethnicity is Uighur. They are a darker skinned people of Turkic descent, and are not Chinese by any stretch of the imagination. Most of them are Moslems, and most are not thrilled that their land is being virtually invaded by Han Chinese who seek to exploit the rich natural resources and booming economy. Their capital city is Urumqi, which is incidentally considered to be the major city that is farthest away from a significant body of water. Anyway, if by some wild chance the ETIM were to succeed, China would lose 1/6 of it's total land, and loads of oil that is pumped from the region every day. Needless to say, the Communists aint havin' none of that, so 
they are doing everything in their power to discredit the movement. They claim that the organization is behind numerous terrorist attacks in the last decade or so, but when it comes to giving concrete evidence, um..., must have misplaced that file...The way I see it, they are using the world's phobia of terrorism to mask the treatment that the Uighur people, in general, receive. It would be roughly comparable to the United States labeling the NAACP as a terrorist organization as an excuse to mistreat African Americans. I believe I read that the Chinese government has arrested some 88 Uighurs who they claim were planning terrorist attacks. I would almost bet that most of them are were political dissenters who opposed Chinese control of Xinjiang. I understand this is a nice story for the press in light of the upcoming Olympics, but I doubt many people take this threat seriously, considering the PRC's track record when it comes to, um, not telling flat out lies. Thats my opinion on the subject, but you can think what you like.
they are doing everything in their power to discredit the movement. They claim that the organization is behind numerous terrorist attacks in the last decade or so, but when it comes to giving concrete evidence, um..., must have misplaced that file...The way I see it, they are using the world's phobia of terrorism to mask the treatment that the Uighur people, in general, receive. It would be roughly comparable to the United States labeling the NAACP as a terrorist organization as an excuse to mistreat African Americans. I believe I read that the Chinese government has arrested some 88 Uighurs who they claim were planning terrorist attacks. I would almost bet that most of them are were political dissenters who opposed Chinese control of Xinjiang. I understand this is a nice story for the press in light of the upcoming Olympics, but I doubt many people take this threat seriously, considering the PRC's track record when it comes to, um, not telling flat out lies. Thats my opinion on the subject, but you can think what you like.
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