UAA Statement of the Chinese Government plans for Western Development

The Uyghur American Association is concerned about Chinese government plans to develop the so-called ‘western regions of China.’

‘Western China,’ comprised of Eastern Turkestan (the so-called Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region), historical Tibet and Inner Mongolia are occupied nations that will have no voice in the proposed development plans.

In Eastern Turkestan, ‘western development’ is a code-word for building the infrastructure so that Chinese firms with Chinese labor can extract our natural resources and send them back to China. There will be no funding for new schools for Uyghur children to learn their language and culture, clinics to help the infirm, or jobs to allow non-Chinese speakers to raise their lot in life.

A large part of the money invested (if not thrown after graft and corruption), will be spent on security concerns, such as building and housing garrisons of PLA, Chinese Bureau of State Security or BingTuan. These troops will be used against the occupied peoples to enforce colonialist policies and will be funded by business investments.’

Not only do the people in the ‘western regions of China’ have no voice in the development and will not share in it’s rewards, but they will endure the added security to ensure that they say nothing as their inheritance is shipped to a foreign country, China.

The Uyghur American Association:

  • 1. Ardently admonishes all current and potential investors to the ‘western China development’ to immediately divest all money in these projects for the sake of the occupied people. Please do not help the Chinese government repopulate our lands with Chinese people and extract all the resources.
  • 2. Calls on the Chinese government to open forums on business development with the indigenous peoples of Eastern Turkestan, Tibet and Inner Mongolia about their plans for a brighter future. Planning and cooperation will help build a brighter future for all parties concerned.
  • 3. Calls on the United States Congress to enact laws that prohibit slave-labor produced goods to also include those manufactured at Reform Through Labor (RTL) camps (LaoGaiju). Currently, the Chinese government requires no judicial proceeding to sentence someone to RTL for up to three years. The temptation for abuse is incredible and the future economic development of China should not be built on the backs of political prisoners or those who were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

BOD
Uyghur American Association