The Engleson Files

I have been paying very close attention to the news out of western China and find the current problem in Xinjiang province to be very disheartening and frustrating. Now, I obviously do not know all of the events that occurred and am certainly no expert on this situation, but, I have a few strong opinions on the matter. Are the Uighur people innocent in this whole may lay? No. But did the Chinese government turn the situation into something worse? That is certainly my opinion. The truth lies somewhere in the middle; but what I find most frustrating is the fact that I (or any of us) can not believe any of the reports that we are hearing/reading in the news - nothing! Living in China and seeing how their media operates has taught me one thing: their job is to promote and enhance the ideals of the Communist party, period; therefore, I believe nothing that I read and none of us will ever know what actually happened. The government will also ensure that all other media sources are not granted access into Xinjiang thus continuing the hazy fog that is this current uprising. This makes me sad because I have very strong feelings towards the Uighurs and sympathize for them a great deal. Just like every country, China has a few internal fires that need dousing (and Xinjiang has been ongoing), but until the Communist government can learn to negotiate properly they will always have these escalated problems and will continue to solidify the dicey global reputation they already have. Here’s hoping this current situation in Xinjiang gets settled properly.