Muslims of Eastern Turkestan: The Struggle for Identity and Independence

Distribution of Muslims in China and Turkestan

Muslims of China and Turkestan (Eastern and Western) are distributed across Chinese and Soviet territories before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. There are also communities in adjacent and nearby regions. These lands host diverse populations that together represent a significant Islamic geographical, demographic, economic, and social weight, numbering more than 138 million according to the 2022 census.

Division of Turkestan

Had Turkestan remained united without being divided into two parts (Eastern and Western Turkestan), it would have become a powerful force with effective influence in international politics and the global economy, adding to Muslims worldwide a major strength comparable to the United States and the communist bloc led by China and the Soviet Union before its collapse. But the Soviet Union and communist China seized this power, divided it, and launched successive colonial campaigns on its lands. The result was its partition into two: Eastern Turkestan, which fell under Chinese control, and Western Turkestan, which was occupied by the Soviet Union and further fragmented into five states—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan—now known as Central Asian states. Other Islamic components remained within the fallen Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, in addition to Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Communist Expansion

Thus, the communist empires—China and the Soviet Union before its collapse—devoured these Islamic lands with their vast wealth, strong economy, and large population, turning them into fuel for building their new empires. They carried out relentless campaigns of oppression, killing, fragmentation, assimilation, and displacement against their peoples, aiming to weaken them and make them fit only to serve the construction of the Chinese state and the Soviet empire, without enabling them to build any independent power or unified state. They turned them into scattered minorities, deprived of basic rights in education, economy, and state-building, forced into labor and stripped of their identity.

Forgotten Muslims

This is one aspect of the forgotten Muslims who once dominated the world but were later crushed by colonial powers, subjected to oppression, poverty, and backwardness. It is necessary to pause before their history to inform people—especially Muslims worldwide—about them and their current conditions.

The Chinese Conflict and the Future of Eastern Turkestan

In the April 1998 issue of International Politics magazine (Al-Ahram Foundation, Egypt), entitled “China: Problems of Transition and Consequences of Reform,” fourteen articles over 120 pages analyzed China’s political, ideological, and economic experience. Among them was a deep scholarly article on “The Chinese-Turkestani Conflict and the Future of Eastern Turkestan,” written by Professor Dr. Mohamed Harb, a distinguished Turkish studies scholar. He affirmed that Eastern Turkestan is a Turkish state occupied by China in the 18th century, forcibly renamed Xinjiang—meaning “new colony”—by official decree on November 14, 1884.

History of Conflict and Independence

Dr. Harb analyzed the conflict between China and Eastern Turkestan since the first Chinese invasion in 1759, which lasted about a century until the Turkestani people achieved independence in 1865. Ten years later, China reoccupied Eastern Turkestan, but the people expelled Chinese forces and regained independence in 1933. However, Soviet ambitions led to Russian occupation in 1934, only a year after independence.

During World War II (1939–1945), Russia weakened, and Germany advanced into Soviet lands. China seized the opportunity and occupied Turkestan for the third time. In 1944, a massive revolution led by religious scholar Ali Khan declared independence again. But in 1949, Russia and China allied to overthrow the independent government. The revolution’s leader was kidnapped, and Turkestani nationalists were forced into a settlement with China, which promised them autonomy but later betrayed its commitments, launching bloody persecution campaigns and reoccupying Eastern Turkestan for the fourth time. Massacres followed, and China began a plan to assimilate the Muslim population into the vast communist majority. Hundreds of thousands fled to Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and other Muslim countries. Eastern Turkestan remains under Chinese control to this day.

The Horrors of “Sinicization”

Dr. Harb highlighted the horrific plan of “Sinicization,” aiming to settle tens of millions of Chinese in Eastern Turkestan to erase its Islamic identity and forcibly transform it into a Chinese province. This began with the 1759 occupation, when Chinese forces killed about one million Muslims. Since then, China pursued a settlement policy known as “Sinicizing Eastern Turkestan.” Muslims resisted with liberation wars, achieving independence in 1933, but Russia crushed the Islamic republic in 1934. Thus, Eastern Turkestan endured repeated occupations and brief independence, with Chinese control continuing today.

Cultural and Social Sinicization

Chinese communist rule targeted every aspect of thought and culture to serve its colonial and atheistic aims of dissolving Islamic identity. Articles and books praised Chinese leaders regardless of their oppression of Muslims. Media urged Muslims to adopt Chinese Buddhist social traditions, such as drinking alcohol, eating pork, and intermixing under the pretext of friendship and unity. Mixed marriages between Muslims and Buddhists were encouraged with financial and professional rewards. Any criticism of such marriages—despite Islam’s prohibition—was deemed hostility toward Chinese people, incitement to sedition, and punishable by imprisonment.

Changing Demographics

After its latest occupation, China brought massive numbers of Chinese migrants to Eastern Turkestan, turning the native Muslim population into a minority in their own land. Private property and religious institutions were abolished, mosques were converted into clubs, cafes, cinemas, and theaters. Muslims were forced to raise pigs and intermarry with Chinese. Arabic language and Islamic history were removed from curricula, replaced with Chinese language and history, aiming to kill the spirit of Islam. The Cultural Revolution sought to destroy everything opposing communist culture, declaring Islam illegal and punishable.

Resistance and Uprisings

Despite this, Muslim revolutions in Eastern Turkestan and defensive wars from the mountains against Chinese forces were carried out in the name of Islam. Martyrs fell under communist bullets while proclaiming Allahu Akbar. The uprisings of Eastern Turkestan’s people were numerous, with thousands of martyrs, though China concealed news of these revolts from the world.

 The people of Eastern Turkestan remain steadfast in their faith, resisting the war of identity change and demographic transformation.  

------

 Writer's Mail: shaban2012 @gmail.com 

Read also:
Muslims Beyond Memory (4)

Muslims Beyond Memory (5)
Muslims Beyond Memory (6)