East Turkestan independence movement

Flag of the East Turkestan Republic. It was reportedly established in Kashgar, China in 1933.

East Turkestan Independence Movement is a broad term that refers to rightful advocates of an independent, self-governing Xinjiang, also referred to as East Turkestan. Currently the area is an autonomous region in the People's Republic of China.

Historical Background

Prior to the 20th century, the cities of East Turkestan held little unified nationalistic identity. Identity in the region was heavily "oasis" based, that is, identity focused on the city, town and village level. Cross-border contact from Russia, Central Asia, India and China was significant in shaping each oasis' identity and cultural practices.

Under Manchu and Republic of China rule, a largely Uyghur, but also multi-ethnic Turkic, based identity began to coalese. A rebellion against Chinese rule led to the establishment of the short-lived, Turish Islamic Republic of East Turkestan (1933-1934). With the aid Soviet and Hui forces (a muslim ethnic group in China), the Republic of China reestablished control over the region.

During the Chinese civil war, East Turkestan once again rebelled and establish an independent republic called the East Turkistan Republic (1944-1949). After winning the Chinese civil war in 1949, the People's Liberation Army invaded East Turkestan, ending its independence.

Argument for East Turkestan Independence

Many Uyghurs feel they are forced to assimilate to a Chinese way of life and feel threatened by the spread of Chinese culture. In East Turkestan, school instruction is in Chinese and very few pieces of literature are published in Uyghur or other Turkic languages. The Chinese government gives economic incentives for Han Chinese to move to East Turkestan. In 1949, 75% of East Turkestan was Uyghur. By 2003, this percentage dropped to 45%.

Many Uyghurs feel they face religious persecution and discrimination at the hands of the Chinese authorities. Uyghurs who choose to practice their faith can only use a state-approved version of the Koran; men who work in the state sector cannot wear beards and women cannot wear headscarves. The Chinese state controls the management of all mosques, which many Uyghurs claim stifles religious traditions that have formed a crucial part of the Uyghur identity for centuries. Children under the age of 18 are not allowed to attend church or mosque. Religious figures may not hold high-level state positions or be school teachers.

Many Uyghurs claim that a large number of individuals have been arrested by the government as political dissidents and that a large number have been executed.

Argument against East Turkestan Independence

China claims it has an historic claim on Xinjiang dating back two thousand years. It claims that independence movements are largely funded and led by outside forces that seek to weaken China. It claims many of the seperatist movements are connected to terrorism and the drug trade. It claims that they hide behind banners "human rights," "freedom of religion" and "interests of ethnic minorities" to escape blows dealt by the international struggle against terrorism. China points out that under China, Xinjiang has made great economic strides, building up its infrastructure, improving its education system and lengthening its people's life expectancy.

Groups

In general, the wide variety of groups who seek independence for Xinjiang can be distinguished by the type of government they advocate and the role they believe an independent Xinjiang should play in international affairs. Groups who use the term East Turkestan tend to have an orientation towards western Asia, the Islamic world, and Russia. These groups can be further subdivided into those who desire secularity, and identify with the struggle of secular Kemal Atatürk in Turkey, versus those who want an Islamic theocracy and identify with Saudi Arabia, the former Taliban government in Afghanistan, or Iran. In many cases the latter diminish the importance or deny the existence of a separate Uyghur ethnicity and claim a larger Turanian or Islamic identity. These groups tend to see an independent East Turkestan in which non-Turkic, and especially non-Islamic minorities, such as the Han Chinese would play no significant role.

Uyghurs

Those that use the term Uyghuristan tend to envision a state for the Uyghur people. Those groups that adopt this terminology tended to be allied with the former Soviet Union while it still existed. Since then some of the leaders of these groups have remained in Russia, Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan, or have emigrated to Europe and North America. It is worth noting that none of these identities are exclusive. Some groups support more than one such orientation. It is common to support both an Islamic and Turkic orientation for Xinjiang, for example, the founders of the Turkic Islamic Republic of East Turkestan (also known as the East Turkestan Republic).

Since 1995 the Chair of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization has been Erkin Alptekin, the son of the Uyghur separatist leader Isa Yusuf Alptekin.

Outside of the region

Some of the groups that support independence for East Turkestan have been labeled a terrorist organization by both the People's Republic of China, the United Nations and/or the United States. Many Uyghur organizations overseas are known to have small memberships of fewer than a dozen.

• The World Uyghur Congress (Munich, Germany)
• Uyghur Canadian Association (Toronto, Canada)
• East Turkestan Information Center (Munich, Germany)
• East Turkestan Foundation (Istanbul, Turkey)
• East Turkestan National Freedom Center (Washington, DC)
• East Turkestan Culture and Solidarity Foundation (Kayseri, Turkey)
• East Turkestan Islamic Movement (Formerly Afghanistan)
• East Turkestan Liberation Organization
• East Turkestan Islamic Party
• The Liberation Organization East Turkestan (Transnational Hizb ut-Tahrir) [1]
• East Turkestan Solidarity Foundation (Istanbul, Turkey)
• East Turkestan Union (Munich, Germany)
• Kazakhstan Regional Uyghur (Ittipak) Organization (Almaty)
• Kyrgyzstan Uyghur Unity (Ittipak) Association (Bishkek)
• United Revolutionary Front for Eastern Turkestan (Unknown)
• Uyghur Association (Moscow)
• Uyghur Liberation Organization
• Uyghur Netherlands Democratic Union (the Netherlands)
• Uyghurstan Freedom Association (Almaty)

See also

• East Turkestan Islamic Movement
• East Turkestan Liberation Organization

External links

• Uyghur American Association
• Uyghur Human Rights Project
• World Uyghur Congress
• The Turkistan Newsletter
• The Uyghur Information Agency
• East Turkistan Information Center
• East Turkistan National Freedom Center
• Swedish Uygur Committe
• Terrorism - In the Spotlight: ETIM
• US Treasury Dept. on Addition of ETIM to Terrorist List