An attack on the Chinese embassy in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday morning is an alarming signal. The negative scenarios for further developments in Central Asia, which have long been the cause of concern both for Russia and China, are now gradually materializing, military expert Vasily Kashin told Sputnik.…
The negative scenarios for the further developments in Central Asia, which have long been the cause of concern both for Russia and China, are now gradually materializing, he added. The elderly generation of authoritative leaders is gradually quitting, economic and demographic problems are mounting and the popularity of radical religious movements is growing….Any wonder why Russia and now China are invested in opposing jihadis in Syria, some backed by the US as proxies against not only Assad but them also.
Sputnik International
Warning Bell: Attack on Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan Signals Alarming Changes
The way that Russia and China treats its Muslim minorities may have contributed to the unrest.
ReplyDeleteIt's not that simple, Bob.
ReplyDeletehttp://thediplomat.com/2014/08/a-tale-of-two-chinese-muslim-minorities/
Harmony of society is the over-riding Confucian value. It's more important to create harmony than it is to be right. A concept we sneer at, discredit, and which we can't understand. It dictates everything from treatment of the elderly, parents, social and employment situations, the military, every aspect of Chinese life.
Russia will put down any group that threatens Mother Russia. Doesn't matter who it is. Islam is the #2 religion in Russia after Orthodox Christianity.
From Wikipedia on the subject:
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Putin has said that Orthodox Christianity is much closer to Islam than Catholicism is.[27][28][29][30]
There was large anger from mostly Muslims from the Caucasus against the Charlie Hebdo cartoons in France.[31] Putin is believed to have backed protests by Muslims in Russia against Charlie Hebdo cartoons and the west.[32]
Putin has allowed the de facto implementation of Sharia law in Chechnya by Ramzan Kadyrov, including polygamy and veil.[33]
A chain e-mail spread a hoax speech attributed to Putin which called for tough assimilation policies on immigrants, no evidence of any such speech can be found in Russian media or Duma archives.[34][35][36][37]
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It's not that complicated. China and Russia are faced with unrest in certain geographical areas due to the ethnicity and culture of those regions. Culture includes religious beliefs. Maintaining control over those areas usually involves repression. The attitude of the Turkish state to its Kurdish minority is a related example.
ReplyDeleteThe west is not to blame for the internal politics of Russia and China. It is in their interest to find a peaceful compromise. It is their choice if they decide to impose a Turkish-like "solution".
Russian/Chinese involvement in Syria sends what message to separatist groups back home?
Washington has the luxury of messing about in the ME without having to worry about a religious backlash in the homeland.
p.s. Sharia can be implemented as part of civil law. It's not as shocking a prospect as some would have us believe. Canada and the UK have done it, for minority groups that are not nearly as restive as they are in the Caucasus.