Page 144 - Communist Chinas Policy of Oppression in East Turkestan

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Indeed, those same developments were experienced in East
Turkestan. At the 7th Congress in 1945, before coming to power, Mao
declared that when the communists did come to power, they would
allow different ethnic groups to determine their own futures and estab-
23
lish their own administrations. As soon as they came to power, how-
ever, they ignored those promises and declared: "For two thousand years
Xinjiang has been an inalienable part of an indivisible China; therefore, there
would be no sense in dividing China into federated republics; this is a demand
hostile to history and socialism…" 24
Cruelty and oppression followed. First, the leaders of the Republic
of East Turkestan were martyred in a mysterious plane crash on their
way to a meeting with Chairman Mao. Later, the Red Chinese govern-
ment, which regarded East Turkestan as part of its own territory (and
was unwilling to let it go) set about ruthlessly martyring the Muslim
population. The first war was waged against the Muslims' beliefs.
Schools providing religious instruction were closed, religious leaders
were arrested, and the majority of them were martyred. Portraits of
Mao and Communist Party flags were
hung up in mosques, and Muslims were
ordered to show them due respect. Some
Muslims were arrested and executed on
the pretext of being pan-Turkish,
others of being pan-Islamic. An-
other aspect of the repression
was forced exile. Many Muslims
who were forced off their lands
died en route because of the
weather conditions. Between 1949
and 1952, 2.8 million East
Turkestan Muslims were mar-
tyred by various means. The fig-
ure was 3.5 million between 1952
and 1957, 6.7 million between 1958

Communist China’s Policy
of Oppression in East Turkestan