The letter was written to Mr. Ruan Yunfei 冉云飞, a well-known Chinese writer and blogger, by someone from a very small minority group in Xinjiang after the Urumqi Incident. It provides a unique perspective into the ethnic relations in the region. It is unique because the author is neither Han nor Uighur and the voice from smaller minority groups in Xinjiang is seldom heard. The … [Read more...] about (Letter from may) Translation: Letter from Xinjiang – Reflections on the Xinjiang Problem
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Uighurs and population control in Xinjiang
Amid all the debates regarding how and to what extend Uighurs benefited or suffered from preferential policies or discriminations in Xinjiang, there is much confusion in one particular subject. Namely, are Uighurs subject to the (in)famous population control regulation (AKA family planning)? And if so, what kind of restrictions do they face? This post tries to answer these … [Read more...] about Uighurs and population control in Xinjiang
Two restraints + one leniency = a backfiring minority policy on all
Note: This post is a selective and partial translation of an article written by a second generation Han "settler" born and raised in Xinjiang. That article is titled "一个兵团二代的网文：告诉你真实的乌鲁木齐" (A net article by a 2nd generation Bingtuan kid: let me tell you the real Urumqi). It is a long and detailed account of the author's memory of growth of and growing up in Urumqi as well as … [Read more...] about Two restraints + one leniency = a backfiring minority policy on all
Chinese Ethnic Policies and the Affirmative Action: One Rationale, Two Failures
Recent riots in Urumqi have been attributed by the Chinese government to the instigation of Rebiya Kadeer and her World Uyghur Congress. This may distract from a potential public debate on ethnic policies that badly need reform. Years ago, in a high school politics class, I heard our teacher tell us a story about a Han soldier in Tibet. When this soldier saw broken pieces of … [Read more...] about Chinese Ethnic Policies and the Affirmative Action: One Rationale, Two Failures
Violence in Urumqi – Details still Sketchy
Chinese media has been reporting what appear to be ethnically-motivated riots in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. Xinhua reports that casualty may have reached 140, with more injured. Western press have also latched onto the story. Here is the latest report from the Wall Street Journal. … [Read more...] about Violence in Urumqi – Details still Sketchy