In Beijing, Obama Calls ETIM “Terrorists”
In Beijing for the APEC Summit, President Obama toned down somewhat his Administration’s double-talk on East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) terrorism in Xinjiang but still couldn’t help himself from lecturing his hosts. Nonetheless, it’s a step in the right direction that he did come out explicitly and clearly on ETIM whose membership is predominately from the Uighur ethnic group. Over the past year, Uighur Jihadi extremists have killed a couple hundred police and the general public through knife and explosive attacks across Xinjiang and in key cities around China.
Of course, Obama is only doing so because he needs Chinese help in the fight against Jihadis, especially the ultra-violent and sadistic ISIL.
US President Barack Obama named a shady group linked to attacks in mainly Muslim Xinjiang as he called for cooperation with Beijing on anti-terror efforts in a Xinhua News Agency interview.
Beijing regularly blames an organization it calls the East Turkestan Islamic Movement for a series of deadly attacks in the western province, home to the Uygur minority. Violent attacks and clashes in and related to Xinjiang over the past year have claimed over 200 lives
“Terrorist groups like ETIM should not be allowed to establish a safe haven in ungoverned areas along China’s periphery,” Obama said.
Greater cooperation would depend “on actions China takes at home.
“As nations, we cannot confuse violent extremism with peaceful dissent.
“A failure to treat people equally or respect rule of law or universal rights can sometimes push people into the ranks of terrorist groups.
“Upholding these rights and the rule of law can often be one of the most effective long-term weapons against terrorism,” he added.
But he said China and the US could cooperate “in stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters and cracking down on terrorist funding networks.”
– AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
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