China Vows Crackdown on Religious Extremists

[rug]

China's state media say the top official in western Xinjiang region has ordered a harsh crackdown on religious extremists in the heavily Muslim region.

The official Xinhua news agency said Monday that Communist Party Secretary Zhang Chunxian has ordered officials to "unswervingly" curb illegal religious activities and crack down on the use of religion to incite violence.

The agency quoted Zhang saying it is government policy to protect the legitimate practice of religion while banning illegal practices.

The Chinese government has blamed Islamic religious extremists for a wave of violence in the region that have left more than 30 people dead. Exile spokesmen for the region's native Uighur population say the violence was prompted by harsh Chinese repression.

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/China-Vows-Crackdown-on-Religious-Extremists-in-Muslim-West-127189433.html

[rrneck]

1. You can't tell people how they feel.

It just pisses them off, and then you have to contend with that.

[Jim__]

2. Xinjiang is a border region and it looks like it's been in conflict for years.

Wikipedia on Xinjiang.

[okasha]

3. It has been.

It's also ethnically and culturally different from the rest of China. At least until the Chinese government resettled large numbers of Han Chinese there, it was majority Uygur and Turkic-speaking.

[darkstar3]

4. Really? But I thought the desire to eliminate extremism was something only good people had...

I'm sure I read that here somewhere, very recently...

[rug]

5. I thought the desire to eliminate religion was something only enlightened people had...

I'm sure I read that here somewhere, very recently...

[darkstar3]

6. There's a difference between the desire to forcefully eliminate religion, and

hope for the world to move beyond religion.

At least I've never written that I'd like to focus on eliminating people of any stripe. I read here very recently of someone's desire to focus on eliminating extremists...maybe he lives in China?

[rug]

7. I'm sure you read those very words.

And I'm very sure you'll decline to link to it.

[darkstar3]

8. And there's the cop-out.

Because you know exactly what thread this post can be found in (you were there), and you know exactly what will happen if I link to it.

:hi:

[rug]

9. PM me. I don't recall anyone saying that.

[humblebum]

10. I know that I would be interested in seeing it. nt