By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch Managing Editor

 

BEIJING, China – In response to a serious of explosions targeting an open-aired market in western China the Chinese government has launched a crackdown on terrorism, Xinhua, state media, said Friday. The report said authorities had started a “one-year crackdown on violent terrorist activities” in the region after the attacks were carried out in the heavily policed city of Urumqi, the regional capital of Xinjiang. the attacks killed  39 people and wounded more than 90. State media reported Friday that five perpetrators where reasonable for the attacks; four were killed in the blasts and the fifth was arrested Thursday.

Thursday’s attack was carried out before 6 a.m. during a time when many of the city’s residents were headed to the market to buy fresh food for the day. State media reported that two SUVs came careening through the street and their occupants hurled explosives through the vehicle’s windows. At least one of the vehicles exploded. The owner of a liquor and cigarette store in the market, said he was still in bed when he heard a loud noise that he first though was thunder outside his door. He said; “I saw smoke and fire, people lying on the ground and blood everywhere.”

In response to the attacks China’s highest-level government official in Xinjiang has called for all forces to be mobilized in order to find the perpetrators of Thursday’s deadly terrorist attacks vowing to “crush the swollen arrogance of terrorists.” President Xi also pledged on Thursday that those responsible for the attack would be caught and punished.

So far in Urumqi, authorities have tightened security checks at entry ports in an attempt to prevent weapons smuggling. Security efforts include inspections of individuals, luggage, transport facilities and postal deliveries at land border crossings.

Chinese officials have linked a mass knife attack that killed 29 people at a terrain station in the southwestern city of Kunming in March to Islamic separatists from Xinjiang.

State officials also blamed separatists for an attack in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square last October in which a car rammed into a pedestrian bridge killed two tourists as well as the three occupants of the vehicle.

According to state media; the perpetrators of both attacks were identified as Uyghurs separatists, members of a Turkic-speaking, predominantly Muslim ethnic group from Xinjiang. Tensions between Uyghurs and Han Chinese populations who have migrated to resource-rich Xinjiang in recent years, have repeatedly boiled over into deadly clashes with authorities in recent years.

Some Uyghurs have grown to resent the Chinese government because of the harsh treatment they have been subjected to from Chinese Security forces and because Han migrants to their homelands have been given better economic opportunity in the resources rich region. Overall the Han are the largest ethnic group in China, making up more than 90% of the state’s total population.

Much like the Tibetan people, the Uyghurs have felt disenfranchised by the discriminatory policies enforced by the Chinese government. Many argue that they are treated like second-class citizens. China has labeled the group “separatist militants” and blames Uyghurs for inciting ethnic violence. On Tuesday, the local government officials in Xinjiang arrested 39 Uyghurs for several crimes including organizing and leading terrorist groups.

For more information please see:

ABC News – Dozens Dead After ‘Thunder-Like’ Blasts Rock China Market – 22 May 2014

CNN International – Q&A: Xinjiang and Tensions in China’s Restive Far West – 23 May 2014

CNN International – China Launches Terrorism Crackdown after Xinjiang Region Attack – 23 May 2014

Al Jazeera – China to Mobilise ‘All Forces’ After Attack – 23 May 2014