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More Uighur Violence


This is really saddening. It really breaks my heart to hear of this, and to know this is happening in a city I have very strong feelings for. From the article:

On Monday morning, Xinhua, the state news agency, reported what appeared to be the deadliest assault against Chinese security forces in recent memory: 16 policemen were killed and 16 others injured when attackers threw two grenades into a police station in the desert oasis town of Kashgar, in the far west, after driving a truck into the station at 8 a.m. Two men were arrested.

I can't say, however, that I am surprised. This would be the best chance the Uighur's would ever have to draw any serious news coverage to their plight--and a valid plight it is, what with the Chinese boot firmly lodged at their throats for so long and so hard. But what pains me the most is that this attention getting is being done the worst possible way at the worst possible time. They won't elicit any sympathy from anyone, no matter how deserved. The killing of innocents never does. Even if they are policemen, and in some sense legitimate targets. I still don't understand why people don't just lay down in the middle of the road sometimes. What power a protest like that would portray? Don't we all remember the lone man stopping a column of tanks in Beijing in 1989?


Sean Paul Kelley August 4, 2008 - 4:07am
Sean Paul Kelley's diary | printer friendly version | digg
( categories: Asia: Central | China | Olympics )

Just to be contrary

Don't we all remember the lone man stopping a column of tanks in Beijing in 1989?

And exactly how much difference did that make in the overall scheme of things?

Tim August 4, 2008 - 9:36am
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my thoughts..

The Han Chinese ruling the nation, and their minions, have (for China) changed the rules of the game.

Stand in front of the tanks, like that dude did in Tienanmen Square, and like him, you'll end up a grease spot on the street--you might stop them for a couple minutes, but in the end, you'll be run over.

In China, probably the only way to win is to patiently learn the rules of the game, then play it back against them better than they can play it against you. Teh system's rigged to quickly, efficiently, and ruthlessly put down non-cooperative resistance (think Falun Gong), so your best bet is to beat them at their game.

might not be as satisfying, but it will guarantee you live long enough to have kids, and it is very chinese

-5.75,-4.05
"God gives men a brain and a penis, and only enough blood to run one at a time." -- Robin Williams

justadood August 4, 2008 - 10:57am
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info ops

the only reason we remember that tiananmen guy is because it got recorded & propagated by western media. There aren't any cameras in Xinjiang and it doesn't have a good PR department like Tibet.

If a bunch of Uighurs tried to get into Beijing during the Olympics to do a peaceful protest they would probably get stopped. I am sure the cops are stopping all non-ethnic Chinese, etc.

Good luck to em - Freedom for East Turkestan! (Unless they are going to be used as pawns by the National Endowment for Democracy - i.e. Orange Revolution style).
--
Hongpong.com

HongPong August 4, 2008 - 11:37am
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Non-violent protest only works if there is a modicum ...

... of decency on the other side that is holding all the rifles. The Myanmar bloodbath showed that in the most tragic way. This is also why a single individual like Gorbachev made such a difference.

quax August 5, 2008 - 1:14am
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