Editorial: Post-riots, mend ethnic unity

• Source: Global Times
• [01:17 July 08 2009]
• Comments

Mentioning Xinjiang inspires a beautiful picture of grasslands, snowy mountains, natural lakes and the Gobi desert. But the serenity was broken by brutal riots in Xinjiang’s capital city, Urumqi, and other cities during past days. The latest figure puts the death toll at 156, with more than 1080 people injured.

Order has been restored in most parts of the city after the prompt action of the local government. Throughout the country, though anger toward the rioters is felt everywhere, normal life hasn’t been disturbed.

Lengthy video footage, supplied by both domestic and overseas media, has helped bring forth the facts of what happened. The unrest resembled the March 14 protest in Tibet last year, though it was more violent and organized. Of the 156 people killed, some were defenseless women and children. They were cruelly murdered on a weekend evening. The victims included children just 5 years old.

The brutality couldn’t possibly be condoned in any country. The mobs are expected to be brought to justice and will face due punishment.

This unfortunate event could sow seeds of distrust between different ethnicities. People must not overreact. Mistrust will only produce hostility and lead to a vicious cycle of retaliation, a disastrous result that nobody will benefit from.

While the government was quick to calm down the unrest, the task of mending ethnic relations, seriously undermined by the riots, remains an important long-term challenge.

Ethnic unity is crucial to Xinjiang, home to 47 ethnicities following different religions. Throughout history, Xinjiang has been a hotbed for separatist activity. Though small in number, separatists have been adept at instigating ethnic hatred to produce social unrest.

The prosperity of Xinjiang hinges on ethnic unity. As Nur Bekri, Chairman of the Xinjiang regional government, pointed out, Xinjiang underwent fast social and economic growth at a time of ethnic unity, which brought wealth to people of all ethnicities.

The latest unrest serves as an example of how critical maintaining that ethnic unity and social stability really is to Xinjiang.

The government has invested enormous resources for the development of the region and has made substantial progress.

Economic growth has helped improve living standards among ethnic minorities. Now the annual per capita GDP of Xinjiang has neared $3,000, much higher than the level of most neighboring nations.

It’s a hard-earned achievement, and a result of the political stability and fast growth of China. Maintaining this progress is the task of all of China’s 1.3 billion people, including the 21 million who call Xinjiang home.