The New Dominion

The New Dominion is on indefinite hiatus.

According to updates from the Associated Press, Xinhua is now reporting that there was a bomb threat–not a hijacking–on a Xinjiang-bound airplane.  There are few details at the moment, but apparently the flight in question originated in Afghanistan and authorities in Urumqi have been told not to allow the plane to land in the city’s airport.

Update: According to CNN (H/T to kahraman), the plane was denied permission to land in China. It then returned to Afghanistan, where it safely landed in Kandahar. In the article Brian Naranjo, the spokesperson for the International Security Assistance Force within NATO, states

“There was an aircraft that made a precautionary landing in Kandahar,”

“But there was no hijack and no bomb.”

Whether there was indeed a bomb threat still remains unclear. However, the plane was flying from Kabul to Urumqi (and then to Kandahar), while avoiding Kyrgyzstan’s airspace, which it was denied permission to use.

The AP, the BBC, and now several Western-language media outlets are now reporting the hijacking of an airplane in Xinjiang, according to a brief report from Xinhua. No details are available. TND is looking for more information.

The last time Xinjiang had an incident involving a an airplane was March 2008, when Xinhua reported that a young Uyghur woman, apparently in the company of an older man and under the direction of a Pakistani national, attempted to bomb an airplane with a soda can full of gasoline in order to sabotage the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.  The fate of the accused girl is still in question, as is the veracity of the state’s narrative of that event.  (For the best blogging on this, see Mutant Palm here and here.)

CCTV has released several video interviews of Rebiya Kadir’s son, daughter, and brother, all of whom condemn the recent Urumqi riots. None of the three minced words. All stated with apparent confidence that Rebiya was significantly involved in recent unrest.

We will let the videos speak for themselves:

In the Chinese version but omitted from the English, the family members are asked whether Xinjiang has ethnic unity. Rebiya’s daughter, in particular, spoke fondly of her education in a multiethnic school. “There was never any conflict,” she recalls. “Han, Uyghur, Kazakh, Tatar, Uzbek, Kyrgiz: we were one big family.” (at 8:20)

Also of note, Rebiya’s son, interviewed in a Xinjiang prison where he is serving time for tax evasion, put some blame on Voice of America and Radio Free Asia.

The recent letter purporting to be hand written and signed by 12 members of Rebiya Kadeer’s extended family follows nearly a decade of police pressure on Ms. Kadeer’s family, friends and associates. Several signatories–including son Kahar, brother Memet, and daughter Roxingul–have been detained, convicted, or otherwise pressured by Xinjiang police in recent years.

In May 2005, Human Rights Watch reported “a politically motivated crackdown against the family and associates of Rebiya Kadeer,” who served five years of an eight year term for revealing state secrets and who currently heads the World Uyghur Congress. One targeted family member, son Ablikim, was arrested along with Ms. Kadeer in 1999 and sentenced to a two year term of reeducation through labor. The 2005 HRW report states that Ablikim evaded later efforts by the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau to arrest him, but that police had “beaten and detained several of her family’s associates.”

In August 2005, Radio Free Asia reported that a special police unit had been established to monitor Ms. Kadeer’s connections and business interests in Xinjiang. The RFA report states that an officer with the Xinjiang Public Security Bureau confirmed the new unit, known as “Number 307 Office.”

An April 2006 article in Radio Free Asia reported that sons Kahar Abdureyim, Ablikim Abdureyim, and Alim Abdureyim were arrested in Xinjiang. Kahar is reportedly one of 12 individuals who signed the July 24, 2009 letter reproaching Ms. Kadeer for involvement in “separatism.”

In June 2006, police pressure on Ms. Kadeer’s family spiked sharply, according to a report by the Uyghur American Association. Son Kahar was charged with tax evasion; Ablikim Abdurehim was charged with subversion of state power; Alim Abdurehim was charged with tax evasion and splitting the state; and Ms. Kadeer’s daughter Roxingul Abdurehim and brother Memet Kadeer were placed under house arrest for suspicion of security and economic crimes. (More info here.)

A November 2006 press release by Xinhua announced that two of Ms. Kadeer’s sons, Alim and Kahar, were sentenced for tax evasion. Alim received a seven year sentence and RMB 500,000 fine for evading just over RMB 200,000 in taxes. Kahar was convicted of evading RMB 2.5 million, roughly 12.5 times more than Alim, but was not sentenced to prison. The Xinhua report stated that Kahar was “exempted from jail” and imposed (only) a RMB 100,000 fine. Kahar is reportedly a signatory of the July 24, 2009 letter to Ms. Kadeer.

In April 2007, son Ablikim received nine years imprisonment and three years deprivation of political rights for “instigating and engaging in secessionist activities,” according to a press release by the Uyghur American Association.

This sequence of events culminated most recently in a handwritten letter, reported on The New Dominion here, by 12 members of Ms. Kadeer’s family. At least three signatories have been the subject of police pressure. The extent to which pressure has been exerted on the remaining nine is uncertain at present.

Xinhua has released a letter purporting to be hand written and signed by 12 members of Rebiya Kadeer’s extended family. The letter pleads to Ms. Kadeer, exhorting that life in Xinjiang is characterized by ethnic harmony and economic opportunity. In an article released shortly after the letter, a Xinjiang government official is quoted, “These letters really surprised the government!” (Article here) The article quotes a Xinjiang government official inviting foreign media to interview Ms. Kadeer’s family members in person, should any doubts about the letters arise.

Here is the letter in full, translated and released by Xinhua:

Dear mother,

This letter is written by your son Khahar and daughter Roxingul, together with your younger brother Memet Kadeer.

You once were the richest person in Xinjiang just because you were granted a lot of business opportunities and convenience by the Communist Party of China and the Government. But, despite repeated leniency of the Party and the Government, you ended up in prison under other people’s enticement. You were allowed to go to the United States thanks to, once again, our government’s leniency. You pledged to our government not to participate in any separatist activity before you departed for the United States. You broke your words anyway.

Mother! We all long for a stable life. In Xinjiang, which is like a big family to people of different ethnic groups, none of us has ever experienced a violent incident as cruel as what happened on July 5 (in Urumqi). Because of you, so many innocent people lost their lives in Urumqi on July 5, and so many houses, shops and vehicles were burnt or damaged. The harmony and unity among ethnic groups were undermined. Why does this happen?

Xinjiang is a happy home to the people of various ethnic groups. It is impossible for anyone to simply destroy it, nor will the people forgive anyone who damages their homes. Mother, despite so many things you have done, the Government treats us very nicely. We are often told, “Your mother is responsible for things she did. It has nothing to do with you.”

Because you went to the United States immediately after you were released on parole, you have no idea how much Xinjiang has changed. People are living a good life here. There are no difference between ethnic groups so long as you’re willing to work hard. There are many Uygur millionaires and countless new buildings in Urumqi, and Uygur people enjoy various preferential policies from the government. Isn’t this the result of good policy of the Government?

No one wants this happy home destroyed. Please think about the happiness of us and your grandchildren. Don’t destroy the stable and happy life in Xinjiang. Don’t follow the provocation from some people in other countries. We still miss the mother who cared about us before going to jail. The last thing we want is that our mother is condemned by the people of all ethnic groups.

Khahar (son of Rebiya Kadeer)

Memet (younger brother of Rebiya Kadeer)

Roxingul (daughter of Rebiya Kadeer)

Kheser Hapiz (son-in-law of Rebiya Kadeer)

Kadilya Kheser (granddaughter of Rebiya Kadeer)

Rizya Kadeer (adopted daughter of Rebiya Kadeer’s daughter)

Zukhila Kadeer (older sister of Rebiya Kadeer)

Aydida Khahar (granddaughter of Rebiya Kadeer)

Aygul (daughter-in-law of Rebiya Kadeer)

Dildar Khahar (granddaughter of Rebiya Kadeer)

Zulpkhar (grandson of Rebiya Kadeer)

Sarda (grandson of Rebiya Kadeer)

It appears the Chinese media had full length coverage prepared immediately upon release of the letter – none of which appears to question the authenticity (real signatures?) or validity (coerced signatures?) of the letter. Below are some links to early coverage by Chinese media.

Listen to the Calls of Your Children

Xinjiang Officials Rebut Foreign Media Claims that the Kadeer Family Letters are Fake

“We Want to Live in Peace, Too”

Dissatisfaction with Her Participation in Separatism

Here is an image of the handwritten letters posted on Huanqiu.com: