What tragic events in Xinjiang mean to Kazakhs?

Analytical Informational Bureau (AIB) PIK (Political Information of Kazakhstan)

During the his speech in Aytpark discussions club, politologist Konstantin Syroezhkin stated about his solidarity with Kazakhstani government position concerning recent events in Xinjiang. According to him, hushing up and lack of official comments about situation, which developed in Urumchi as the result of the conflict between Uyghur and Han parts of XUAR (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region), are witnessing the fact that the highest powers of the state find themselves in difficult situation. From one side, Uyghurs are related to Kazakhs. We have common Turkic roots, similar language and the same religion. From the other side, China, where Han is the main part of population, is happened to be important strategic partner of Kazakhstan, which connected by the number of agreements. This situation, according to Mr. Syroezhkin, is forcing the government of the Republic to choose the words carefully in assessment of the current situation. And it is hard to disagree with him.

There are lots of reasons why Kazakhstan can’t argue about recent events in neighbor country. One of them, besides noted by Mr. Syroezhkin, is that Kazakhstan too has the options to beware spikes on ethnical violence. Only two years ago in Shelek village near Almaty, the confrontation between resident Uyghur group and Kazakhs happened. Precisely that’s how this drunken hooligans fight was represented by one of oppositional newspapers. However, the journalist investigation later showed that in the confrontation, which happened in one of cafés owned by ethnical Uyghur in Shelek, people of different ethnicity were participated; and initial aggressors were Uyghurs, emigrated from China to Kazakhstan. Along with this, both Uyghur and Kazakhs, and even Russians were participated in fighting from the locals’ side.

Obviously, it can’t be argued strictly about inter-ethnical confrontation, but of difference in mentality common to Uyghur emigrants from China and local natives. However, because there was no trustworthy information of this event for a long time, the rumors about Uyghur beaten the Kazakhs were spread quickly. As the result, the curfew was established in the village, and elders of Uyghur Diaspora had to spend almost every day to convince youth not to allow further conflicts. Then any massive conflicts were managed to avoid. Along with that, the nasty taste left, since neither Uyghur organizations, nor authorities, drew any conclusions from it. Instead of paying more attention to ethnical Diasporas and promote successful experience of cohabitation of people of different ethos’s and faiths, the authorities were preferred to hush up these problems. It can’t be unmarked, that in comparison with other Central Asian states, where Uyghur are living, there’s a lot done in Kazakhstan to Uyghur, which are almost 300, 000 in the country, to keep their language and culture. “Uyghur Ayvazi” newspaper and national theatre were established for that matters.

Until recent time also Uyghur of Xinjiang couldn’t repine at their unhappy lot. They had their own schools and they could do whatever they want. Even the law on child-bearing was acting not so hard on them. However, in recent two years, according to Kaharman Kozamberdiev, one of Uyghur chieftains in Kazakhstan, the situation changed. Studying of Chinese language was implemented in schools from first form, and control on child planning in families become harder. All this measures, according to him, spark anger of Uyghur because of the ethnos assimilation threat. At the same time, Mr. Kozamberdiev declines inter-ethnical disposition of July’s confrontation in Urumchi. He insists on the matter, that Uyghur overt actions were aiming against Chinese authorities and not against Han. Kaharman Kozamberdiev isn’t denying that Urumchi events can ricochet to Kazakhstan. To prevent any disturbances, says Mr. Kozamberdiev, the elders must again speak to youth and call all Uyghur to peace and calm. In the same time Kaharman Kozamberdiev stated in Aytpark discussions club that he doesn’t expect any reaction from Kazakhstani government on Chinese authorities’ actions. Along with that the politologist (Kaharman Kozamberdiev is Candidate of Political Science and uyghurologist) hopes on international response. Particularly, he is expecting United Nations Security Council session on this problem. These expectations were appeared after the Recep Erdogan, the prime-minister of Turkey, stated that events in XUAR are touching upon genocide. However, no Muslim state yet expressed strong protest against actions of Chinese authorities on riots suppression in Urumchi. International Muslim organizations were too didn’t support Erdogan, apart from al-Qaeda, which launched threats against Chinese workers in the whole world and particularly in Africa.

Many analysts are gathering nowadays, that the recent confrontation of Uyghurs in XUAR is connected to Beijing’s spurted Han resettlement to other territories after the fall of Soviet Union. Konstantin Syroezhkin, one of the leading sinologists of CIS, is particularly agreed with this. By his opinion, expressed in Aytpark, USSR tracing is in progress. And precisely that’s why PRC government, anxious of country’s dissolution, taking so drastic measures aimed to keep country’s territorial integrity and boost assimilation process of other ethnos’. The Uyghur disturbance is dangerous by question of independent country establishment, a new Eastern Turkestan. However, the same threat stands before Kazakhstan, where Uyghur are tenth times more than in other Central Asian states. That’s why this question is extremely sensitive to us too. Along with this, we connected to China by the number of agreements, including SCO’s. Chinese companies are proactively operating on Kazakh hydrocarbons market. Only in April China obligated to devote $5 billion to our country in exchange of market share gains in energetic sector of Kazakhstan.

Recently the information agencies were diffused allegation of SCO members-states. It says: “in connection to events in Urumchi city, the provincial capital of Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of PRC, we are sympathizing to near and dears of innocent victims and those who suffered from initial aggressors”. Member-states of SCO are regarding XUAR as the integral part of People’s Republic of China and considering that events happening are exclusively internal matters of PRC. We hope that actions of Chinese authorities, taken within the law, to support public policy will allow to restore peace and ensure return to normal life and working”.

The statement underlines, that “the member-states of SCO are willing to further practical cooperation in struggle against terrorism, separatism, extremism and cross-border organized crime in the interests of safety and stability of the region”. There’s no doubt that the Kazakhstani authorities are supporting this text. We remind that nowadays the SCO Secretary General post is holding by Bolat Nurgaliev, representative of our country. In present conditions it is probably the best commentary.