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Communist China's Policy of Oppression in East Turkestan

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116<br />

ders") follow<strong>in</strong>g their occupation by Ch<strong>in</strong>a does not change that historical<br />

reality.<br />

Over the 2,000 or so years, between 206 B.C. and 1759 A.D., <strong>East</strong><br />

<strong>Turkestan</strong> was able to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> its <strong>in</strong>dependence for more than 1,800<br />

years. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the periods when it was l<strong>in</strong>ked to the Turkish Hun and<br />

Gokturk khanates, local adm<strong>in</strong>istration lay entirely <strong>in</strong> the hands <strong>of</strong> the<br />

people <strong>of</strong> <strong>East</strong> <strong>Turkestan</strong>. Between 751 and 1216 it was totally <strong>in</strong>dependent.<br />

Dur<strong>in</strong>g those periods Ch<strong>in</strong>a periodically occupied <strong>East</strong> <strong>Turkestan</strong><br />

hroughout<br />

T history, the<br />

Silk Road that<br />

passed<br />

through <strong>East</strong><br />

<strong>Turkestan</strong><br />

played an important<br />

role <strong>in</strong><br />

the Ch<strong>in</strong>ese<br />

economy. Beh<strong>in</strong>dpresentday<br />

<strong>Ch<strong>in</strong>a's</strong><br />

wish to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><br />

its rule<br />

over <strong>East</strong><br />

<strong>Turkestan</strong> lies<br />

the strategic<br />

importance <strong>of</strong><br />

the area.<br />

Istanbul<br />

Ankara<br />

MESOPOTAMIA<br />

SAUDI ARABIA<br />

THE SILK ROAD FROM SIAN<br />

TO ISTANBUL<br />

Tabriz<br />

AshkhabadBukhara<br />

Tehran<br />

Marw<br />

ARABIAN SEA<br />

Samarkand<br />

Tashkent<br />

INDIA<br />

<strong>Communist</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>a’s <strong>Policy</strong><br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>Oppression</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>East</strong> <strong>Turkestan</strong><br />

Aksu<br />

Kashgar<br />

Kuche<br />

Gobi Desert<br />

Turfan<br />

Hami<br />

Ansi<br />

TAKLAMAKAN DESERT<br />

BAY OF BENGAL<br />

La

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