ABSTRACT
The official standpoint of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is that their correct policies, that would otherwise have brought peace and harmony to Xinjiang, are being undermined by an international conspiracy, including Uyghur emigre organisations, the Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement and other political adversaries. Although the policies of the government of the PRC towards Xinjiang since 1949 have sometimes succeeded in temporarily suppressing violent activities, they have never approached a resolution of the conflict. Confidence-building measures designed to bring together disparate groups have had some success elsewhere in permitting political development without large-scale violence. While this could also be possible in Xinjiang, it would require a reversal in the attitude of the Chinese Communist Party and a re-evaluation of the policies of the 1980s. The motive for the conflict from the Uyghur side is primarily local nationalism, combined with what is increasingly referred to as nativism, a determination to protect Uyghur culture and society from Han Chinese migrants.
