The loss of life in Xinjiang is truly sad and depressing. I fear that the reported death toll will rise in the coming days. So many innocents killed….
In looking through various sources in the last couple of days, I was struck by the honest and forthright piece by Hu Shuli, editor of the Chinese journal, Caijing. In thinking about how to prevent "mass incidents," he writes:
for improving governance and building a framework for democratic
dialogue. Mass incidents in China's current stage of development
highlight the characteristics of a society in transition, and relate to
improper use of public power without oversight. Urgently needed are
improvements to governance. A process is needed for advancing
democratization, letting the National People's Congress and Chinese
People's Political Consultative Conference fulfill their functions,
building a more effective system of checks and balances, and empowering
social organizations such as labor groups, women's leagues and other
non-governmental organizations to widen channels for effective
expression of public opinion.
That could help in Urumqi.
I also like Jeremiah's post. Among his observations:
papering over the problems of living in a post-colonial age with empty
rhetoric and increasingly shrill slogans of “harmonious society” and
“family of nationalities” guarantees nothing except that these problems
will continue and likely worsen.
Makes me thing of Mencius:
To keep the mind constant
without a constant livelihood – only the wisest among us can do that.
Unless they have a constant livelihood, the common people will never
have constant minds. And without constant minds, they'll wander loose
and wild. They'll stop at nothing, and soon cross the law. Then, if
you punish them, you've done nothing but snare the people in your own
trap. And if they're Humane, how can those in high position snare their
people in traps? Therefore, in securing the people's livelihood, an
enlightened ruler ensures that they have enough to serve their parents
and nurture their wives and children, that everyone has plenty to eat
in good years and no one starves in bad years. If you do that, you'll
be leading the people toward virtue and benevolence, so it will be easy
for them to follow you.
But
now, with you securing their livelihood, the people never have enough
to serve their parents or nurture their wives and children. In good
years they live miserable lives, and in bad years they starve to
death. All they can do is struggle to stay free of death and worry
about failing. Where could they ever find the leisure for Ritual and
Duty? (1.7)
people against repression by the Han majority. Uighurs in many respects are
denied the opportunity to live the life they desire. They are inhibited in the
practice of their Islamic faith. They are limited in their access to economic
opportunity. And, not unlike their Han Chinese counterparts, they are denied
basic freedoms of expression and assembly.
The Useless Tree 
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