Page 26 - Communist Chinas Policy of Oppression in East Turkestan

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WHY IS

THE FOUNDING OF

THE TURKISH-ISLAMIC

UNION A MATTER OF

SUCH URGENCY?

Many thinkers today describe the future of the
Turkish-Islamic world as something having a

direct impact on world peace and security. With
its population of some 1.5 billion, its under-
ground wealth and strategically important loca-

tion, the Turkish-Islamic world is a great power.
Most Muslim countries were under colo-

nial occupation until World War II, and became
independent only after it. This led to important
changes in global politics. The real change in
the Turkish-Islamic world began with the end-
ing of the Cold War. The Turkish-Islamic world
came to represent a Eurasian expanse of land
stretching from Albania and Bosnia to
Chechnya and Tajikistan. The change in
Muslim settlement patterns also affected the
Turkish-Islamic lands.

Communist China's Policy
of Oppression in East Turkestan