BEIJING:
China’s military is all set to bring ‘modern civilisation’ to the restive southern areas of the Xinjiang region, where Muslim ethnic Uighurs are in majority, to help develop its economy, it was revealed by foreign sources.
Two senior army officials wrote the statement in an influential journal, according to foreign sources.
Hundreds have died in violence in Xinjiang in the past few years. The government blames the unrest on Islamist militants and separatists who want to establish an independent state called East Turkestan.
Experts say employment discrimination, fuelled by an influx of ethnic majority Han Chinese taking up jobs, has fuelled resentment and unrest among Uighurs in Xinjiang.
The article said soldiers must help develop the economy in southern Xinjiang, and encourage the people to “move toward modern civilization and move away from religious extremism”, by providing villagers access to science, culture, law and health, according to sources.
Uighurs have traditionally followed a moderate form of Islam but many have begun adopting practices more commonly seen in Saudi Arabia or Afghanistan, such as full-face veils for women, as China has intensified a security crackdown in recent years.