Tensions Rise After Uyghur Students Attack

20 October, 2011'

Uyghur students, teachers, and parents protest outside Karamay No. 2 High School after Chinese students took sticks into a classroom and victimized Uyghur students. Authority’s response is that it is a normal occurrence for teenagers to fight. In response, several hundred educational teachers, students, and parents gathered to march to the municipal government building to bring the racial discrimination issue to their door step. Authorities did not allow the march and confined the protest group to school grounds. An official from Karamay municipal education bureau said “ethnicity of the student participants was irrelevant.” “There is no so-called political issue here, no ethnic problem to hook it to.” Dilxat Raxit who is the spokesman for the Munich-based World Uyghur Congress stated that “attacks on Uyghur teens on campuses are very common and that those who retaliate risked being arrested on charges of separatism.” Violence against Uyghurs and retaliation from Uyghur’s on the government of China are highly likely.

Source:http://www.uyghurcongress.org/en/p=11832%20Violence,%20Protests%20at%20Xinjiang%20School

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html

(Reliability: 9.5)

Comment: According to article 4 of the Chinese Constitution, “All nationalities in the People's Republic of China are equal. The state protects the lawful rights and interests of the minority nationalities and upholds and develops the relationship of equality, unity and mutual assistance among all of China's nationalities. Discrimination against and oppression of any nationality are prohibited; any acts that undermine the unity of the nationalities or instigate their secession are prohibited. The people of all nationalities have the freedom use and develop their own spoken and written languages, and to preserve or reform their own ways and customs." The events mentioned above are in direct conflict with this piece of legislation.