WISP Assignment 2: CHINA

Group Member:

Liu Yigong

Lam Ming Jun

Yuan Shenghai

Tio Wee Leong

• Before viewing our presentation

– watch the following video for an overview of the situation:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzDCX74V42s

WARNING

Conflict scenes take place in Urumqi city, Xin Jiang. Parental Guidance is advised.

M18 – Blood and Violent Scenes

Where is Urumqi?!

Review of History

Time: 5 July 2009

Location: Ürümqi

Incident: Peaceful protests turning into riots

People Involved:- Han Chinese

- Uyghur

- Police

Urumqi July Riot 2009

Official Figures:

• 197 people died

• 1,721 others injured

• 627 vehicles destroyed

• 633 constructors damaged

Time: 25–26 June, Overnight

Location: Shaoguan, Guangdong

Venue: Xuri Toy Factory

Incident:

- Ethnic brawl between Han and Uyghur due to rape rumors, 2 Uyghurs killed

- Han Chinese not arrested

- Dissatisfied with the government's response

Urumqi’s History

• Pre-existing hate and fear due to:- Large Economic Gap

- Terrorists

- Miscommunication & Mistrust

- Unequal Education & Employment Opportunities

Leads to…

- Stereotyping on both sides

- Vicious cycle of hate and violence

• Tensions already at boiling point

Discrimination

• Misperceptions from both sides– Older generation’s prejudice

– Uyghur are portrayed as barbarians by Han Chinese

– Hans are portrayed as heretic (against their Muslim religion) by Uyghurs

• Employment– Han Employers bias preference for own race

• Education– PRC officially give Uyghurs 20 marks advantage in university entrance exam to make up

for the above short-coming, which is not working

History

• Centuries long prejudice and tensions– Ghulja Incident -> Harsh army crackdown

• Recent tensions– PRC argues terrorist influence on Uyghur population to justify it’s

policies

– Uyghurs feel this is an excuse to deny their human rights

• PRC’s long term economic aim– Western Development Program

– Neglecting short term issues expecting poverty to diminish overtime and Uyghurs to accept a Chinese identity

Statistic of Races• Significant Han Chinese • Assimilation of Uyghur’s Culture into Han’s started in the mid-20th century• Note Riots take place in Urumqi, the capital of Xin Jiang

1949 Xin Jiang

9%Han

76%Uyghur

15%Others

2009 Xin Jiang

40%Han

45%Uyghur

15%Others

2009 Ürümqi

75%Han

12.8%Uyghur

10%Others

Consequences

• Feel they are gradually “squeezed” out in terms of…

I. Economy

II. Politics

III. Culture

IV. And Religion

What has government done after riot?

• Media Control

• Online social networking website shut down

• Conceal Details

• Repression

• Rescue casualties

• The Blame game- Accuse World Uyghur Congress and Rebiya Kadeer as the instigators

Conclusion on riot

• China government fails to- maintain the peace among racial - media control and repression

• Rebiya Kadeer and World Uyghur Congress “typically” blamed

• This can be categorized as a “terrorist attack”

Present situation in SG

• Relatively Peaceful – Racially

• Instances of Racial (Minority) Discrimination

– LKW’s Emphasis on Impact of Chinese Immigrants

– Gopolan’s View of Racial Inequality in Official Policies

– Malay’s Response to Foreigner during a Singapore Short Film Screening Event

Present Discriminations

• Against Foreign Workers

– Crammed Living Quarters

– Deportation Policy for Pregnant Maids

Present Discriminations

• Malays & Indians to Chinese

–Viewed by older generations of Chinese as the likely perpetrator of crimes

–Akin to how Han Chinese treat the Uyghurs

Society of SG ’09

• Strong Racial Harmony

• Technology & Western culture’s dominance amongst Youths– How does it affect?

• Common ground established

• Higher awareness and access to phenomenal loads of info

• Unique generation with unprecedented level of information awareness

• Empowered to make better decisions

Similarities

• 75% Chinese in both

• Discrimination against minority

– Difference in extent

• Extremist Activities

Anything familiar?

Similarities

• Education Policies benefiting specific groups

• Excess control by Govt.

– Freedom of expression

• Races prefer to stick with their own

– Evident in educational institutes.

Similarities

• Separatist activities

• Attacks on govt. infrastructure

• Chinese here are richer than other ethnic groups

• In-proportionate political representation

Differences

Singapore ‘09 Urumqi in ‘09

Balanced Economic standing Large Economic gap

Racial discrimination exists but is taboo Racial discrimination is prevalent andintense

Racial tensions non-existing Racial tensions constantly at boiling point

More racial disharmony to occur first for a catalyst to conflict

Any conflict could easily be a catalyst to conflict

Differences

Singapore ‘09 Urumqi in ‘09

Less instances of corruption in Govt. Corrupted Govt.

Good interaction bet. Lvls of the Govt. Lack of proper communication within Govt. structure

Diplomatic tactics to end riots Excessive force used to quench riots

“Speed Boat” “Tour Ship”

Differences

Singapore ’09 Urumqi ’09

Strong racial harmony Lack of trust bet. Chinese and Uyghurs

No separatist ideals, all accept SG as their national identity

Large majority of Uyghurs have separatist ideals, to create a country of their own

No territorial conflicts Territorial conflicts

Freedom of religion Oppression of Muslim religion

Differences

Singapore ‘09 Urumqi ‘09

No such ancestral history of land claim Uyghur’s claim to ancestral ground in XinJiang

Equal education opportunities Unequal education opportunities

Small degree of racial biasness in employment practices

Prevalent racial biasness in employment practices

Combined Effect

• All But One Ingredients for Racial Incident “Bomb” in Place

– Minority (All Others, 25.8%, 2009)

• Feelings of inequality, grudge against the majority

– Majority (Chinese, 74.2%, 2009)

• Unable to Accept Differences with Other Races

• Only Missing Component is a Detonator

– A Single Instance of Public Racial Discrimination

SG 2061 : THE FUTURE

• Chinese becomes main language in Sg

• Minorities disadvantaged

• Selective employment

• 1 Rumor

• Protest

• Coalition of minorities, including foreigners possibly

• Possible similar conflicts leading to Urumqi

What Can be Done?

• Central Principle

– The price we are willing to pay for

• National Security

• Societal Security

• Sacrifice of Freedom

• Education of Both Current & Next Generation

• Increase Exposure to the World at Large

• Strong Enforcement of Policies

• Heavy Penalties for Discrimination

• Secret Intelligence Agency

Proposed “Vaccine” for the Situation

Possible Challenges / Problems

• Established Mindset of the Public

• Fundamental Cultural Differences

• Perpetration of Foreign Mal Intentions

• Detrimental Effect on Progress

• Present Feelings of Inequality

FOR GREAT

JUSTICE!

THE END!

References

• The Singapore Solution, http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/01/singapore/jacobson-text/3

• Movie Screening Event, http://www.lioncitydiy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2022&start=0

• Gopolan Singapore Dissident, http://singaporedissident.blogspot.com/2009/12/singapore-stop-state-sanctioned-racial.html

ReferencesPictures:

http://image.baidu.com/i?ct=503316480&z=0&tn=baiduimagedetail&word=%CE%DA%C2%B3%C4%BE%C6%EB7%2E5%D1%AA%D0%C8%CD%BC&in=25292&cl=2&cm=1&sc=0&lm=-1&pn=14&rn=1&di=10196815504&ln=716&fr=&ic=0&s=0

http://image.baidu.com/i?ct=503316480&z=0&tn=baiduimagedetail&word=%CE%DA%C2%B3%C4%BE%C6%EB7%2E5%D1%AA%D0%C8%CD%BC&in=25292&cl=2&cm=1&sc=0&lm=-1&pn=14&rn=1&di=10196815504&ln=716&fr=&ic=0&s=0#pn23

http://image.baidu.com/i?ct=503316480&z=0&tn=baiduimagedetail&word=%CE%DA%C2%B3%C4%BE%C6%EB7%2E5%D1%AA%D0%C8%CD%BC&in=25292&cl=2&cm=1&sc=0&lm=-1&pn=14&rn=1&di=10196815504&ln=716&fr=&ic=0&s=0#pn26

http://news.ifeng.com/photo/news/200907/0708_1397_1240646.shtml

References

Terrorists:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Turkistan_Islamic_Movement

History:

http://www.uyghurnews.com/About_Uyghur_People.asp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcQcY54H4FM/

www.uygur.org/enorg/h_rights/ETIC_REPORT_2009.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_2009_%C3%9Cr%C3%BCmqi_riots

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2009/07/09/how_china_wins_and_loses_xinjiang?page=0,0&obref=obinsite

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1910302,00.html?iid=sphere-inline-sidebar

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/new-frontier-same-old-problems/article1208363/

http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/hotline/2009/07/chinas-oppression-of-uyghurs-remains.php