Page 222 - Communist Chinas Policy of Oppression in East Turkestan

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ECONOMIC PRESSURE IN EAST TURKESTAN

Despite all its underground wealth and fertile land, East Turkestan
is currently one of the poorest regions in China. This contradiction can
be easier understood by bearing in mind that East Turkestan is a sup-
plier of raw materials for the Chinese economy. Such underground re-
sources as uranium, natural gas, oil, and gold are transferred from East

Turkestan to China, and all aspects of the use of these resources are
under central government control. The Muslims of East Turkestan, to
whom those resources actually belong, cannot even find out the pro-
duction levels, nor what their share of the profit actually is.
A brief look at the statistics will suffice to demonstrate the vital im-
portance to China of East Turkestan's natural resources. In the first
quarter of 1989, East Turkestan sent 7.68 million barrels of crude oil, 906
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thousand tons of coal, and 444 thousand tons of raw salt to China. In
1993, 10.4 million metric tons of crude oil were extracted in East
Turkestan, yet all the profit went to China. 69 China exploits East
Turkestan's resources for its own economy and citizens, and condemns
the Muslim population to poverty and hunger.

Economic oppression is an important part of the genocide that
China is carrying out in East Turkestan. Most of the East Turkestan
population are today living in poverty, and more than 80 percent sub-
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sist below the minimum dietary threshold. On account of the discrim-
inatory policies that are also pursued in the field of education, Muslim
Uighurs are unable to educate themselves to find better employment.
Since almost all areas of employment in East Turkestan are in
Chinese hands, the Muslim population is facing a severe unemploy-
ment problem. Yet despite this, the Chinese government still keeps
transferring people from the west of China to work in the region. In this

Communist China’s Policy
of Oppression in East Turkestan