Page 127 - Conflict, Terrorism, and the Media In Asia

116 Michael Dillon
Although the media has played a role in the development of the independence
movement in Xinjiang, it has not been a major consideration. Since the movement
is illegal and all of its operations are clandestine, it has no access to the main-
stream state controlled media in China. Uyghurs have continued to rely on grass
roots organisations, family and religious networks to disseminate their ideas and
to mobilise people for demonstrations. Access to the foreign media to present the
case for an independent Eastern Turkistan has often proved dangerous and the
repercussions on the Uyghurs have been severe The informal exchange of
ideas and underground contacts is likely to continue as their main method of
communication rather than any of the mass media.

Notes

1 Dillon, M. (2004) Xinjiang: China’s Muslim Far Northwest, London, RoutledgeCurzon,
pp. xiv and 201 treats these issues in more detail. An earlier version of this chapter was
given at the conference on Xinjiang: Central Asia or China? Heyns Room, The Faculty
Club, University of California, Berkeley, CA on 13 March 2004.
2 All other religions in China are subject to similar restrictions especially those with
foreign connections including Christianity.
3 Yining is the Chinese name for the city known as Ghulja in Uyghur.
4 In Chinese, Yili, (Ili in Russian), the name of the river that runs through the area and out
into Kazakhstan is used of the region in general, while the main city and garrison town
is called Yining in Chinese and Ghulja in Uyghur and Kazakh.