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Fighting Against Terrorism
A recent white paper outlines ongoing anti-terrorism efforts in Xinjiang
By Yuan Yuan  ·  2019-03-22  ·   Source: NO. 13 MARCH 28, 2019

Two craftswomen in Hami City, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, discuss embroidery skills on March 6 (XINHUA)

A white paper on the fight against terrorism and extremism and the protection of human rights in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was issued by the State Council Information Office on March 18.

Titled The Fight Against Terrorism and Extremism and Human Rights Protection in Xinjiang, the white paper, consisting of seven main sections, states China's firm stand against all forms of terrorism and extremism and highlights the marked changes in the region's social environment in recent years.

Firm hand

"It is indisputable that Xinjiang is an inseparable part of the Chinese territory," says the white paper. "Xinjiang's ethnic cultures are an inseparable part of Chinese civilization."

For some time, China's Xinjiang, under the combined influence of separatists, religious extremists and terrorists, has sustained frequent terrorist attacks, which have been detrimental to the life and property of people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang and have trampled on people's dignity, according to the white paper.

Terrorist and extremist forces in Xinjiang, driven by the goal of separatism, have engaged in sabotaging activities that have gravely undermined local stability.

Incomplete statistics show that from 1990 to the end of 2016, separatist, terrorist and extremist forces launched thousands of attacks in Xinjiang, killing large numbers of innocent people and hundreds of police officers, and causing immeasurable damage to property, the white paper says.

"These inhuman, anti-social and barbaric acts have brought enormous suffering to all ethnic groups in Xinjiang," it says.

Separatism is the hotbed on which terrorism and extremism take root in Xinjiang. For a long time, terrorist and extremist forces have been beating the drum of separatist activities by distorting, fabricating and falsifying the history of Xinjiang, exaggerating the cultural differences between ethnic groups, instigating isolation and hatred, and advocating religious extremism, the document says.

The Chinese Government stands firmly against all forms of terrorism and extremism, and is relentless in striking hard, in accordance with the law, at any conduct advocating terrorism and extremism and any action that involves organizing, planning and carrying out terrorist activities, or infringing upon citizens' human rights, the white paper says.

"Based on its own conditions, Xinjiang has been making intensive counterterrorism and deradicalization efforts. Upholding the principle of fighting and preventing terrorism at the same time, the region has been taking aggressive action against violent terrorist crimes, and at the same time, addressing the problem at its source," the white paper states.

The government has been making every effort to protect the fundamental human rights of citizens from terrorism and extremism. Specific measures include improving public well-being, promoting knowledge of the law through education and offering aid through vocational education and training centers in accordance with the law.

Xinjiang has been actively providing help and aid through education, according to the white paper.

Education and training centers have been established with the goal of educating and rehabilitating people found guilty of minor crimes and eradicating the influence of terrorism and extremism, in order to prevent them from falling victim to terrorism and extremism and to nip terrorist activities in the bud, it says.

"Thanks to these preventive measures, Xinjiang has witnessed a marked change in the social environment in recent years and people have a much stronger sense of fulfillment, happiness and security," the document says.

By the law

Counterterrorism and deradicalization in Xinjiang has always been conducted in accordance with the law, the white paper states.

The situation is severe and complex; members of all ethnic groups are insistent in their demands that violent and terrorist crimes be punished, and that their lives and property be protected. Therefore, in accordance with the law, the local government strikes against all forms of violent and terrorist activities that violate human rights, endanger public security, undermine ethnic unity and split the country, according to the document.

The local government upholds the principles of protecting lawful activities, curbing illegal actions, containing extremism, resisting infiltration, and preventing and punishing crimes. The local government fully respects and safeguards civil rights including freedom of religious belief, the white paper says.

It protects lawful religious activities, fulfills the reasonable religious demands of believers and protects the legitimate rights and interests of citizens and organizations, but forbids violations of the law and crimes such as spreading extremism, inciting ethnic hatred and dividing the country by means of religion.

"Judicial organs in Xinjiang adopt a policy that strikes the right balance between compassion and severity," the document says.

While they make sure real criminals are punished, judicial organs in Xinjiang protect defendants' right to defense and the right to use their own language in litigation to guarantee procedural justice and protect basic civil rights. Law-based deradicalization has been launched in Xinjiang, which has effectively curbed the breeding and spreading of religious extremism, according to the white paper.

Law-based deradicalization efforts and the fight against terrorism are a just cause that has met the expectations for safety of people from all ethnic groups in Xinjiang, the white paper says. "Through such efforts, we have maintained social harmony and stability," it says.

International cooperation

China has been active in international exchanges and cooperation in counterterrorism. Throughout the world, terrorism and extremism gravely threaten peace and development, and endanger the life and property of individuals, the white paper says.

"Striking aggressively at terrorism and furthering the deradicalization effort is the common responsibility of the international community and essential to the protection of human rights," it says.

China opposes all forms of terrorism and extremism, and opposes double standards on fighting terrorism, the white paper says, adding that it opposes linking terrorism and extremism with specific countries, ethnic groups or religions.

China advocates comprehensive measures to address both the symptoms and the root causes, with the dual purpose of striking terrorist activities and eliminating poverty, so that there will be no room for terrorism to breed, it says.

China supports more pragmatic international cooperation in the fight against terrorism on the basis of mutual respect and consultation on an equal footing, it adds.

"As a responsible member of the international community, China supports the United Nations in playing a leading and coordinating role in international cooperation against terrorism," the white paper says.

China upholds the UN Charter and other principles and norms of international law, and has supported a series of resolutions on combating terrorism adopted by the UN Security Council and contributed to the full implementation of the UN Global Counterterrorism Strategy, it says.

China has joined most of the international counterterrorism conventions, and under the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, all countries involved have signed several documents in this field, it adds.

The white paper notes that China has carried out a number of fruitful counterterrorism exchanges and cooperation with relevant countries through such bilateral and multilateral mechanisms as joint anti-terrorism exercises, joint border defense operations and suppression of illegal cyberspace activities by terrorist, separatist and extremist forces, as well as security cooperation, intelligence exchange and judicial cooperation during major international events.

"China has played an important role in maintaining international and regional security and stability," the document states.

Noting that Xinjiang is a key battlefield of the fight against terrorism in China, the white paper says that in recent years, with the care and support of the Central Government, Xinjiang has carried out pragmatic exchanges and cooperation with neighboring countries in areas such as intelligence, joint border control and the investigation and capture of suspected terrorists.

Drawing experience from global efforts, Xinjiang has contributed to the international fight on terrorism through effective counterterrorism and deradicalization campaigns based on its regional realities, the document concludes.

Copyedited by Rebeca Toledo

Comments to yuanyuan@bjreview.com

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