Kazakh exodus from Xinjiang
Encyclopedia
The Kazakh exodus from Xinjiang occurred in waves during the 1950s and 1960s after the Communist victory in China
.
In 1936, after Sheng Shicai
expelled 20,000 Kazakhs from Xinjiang to Qinghai, Chinese Muslims
led by General Ma Bufang
massacred their fellow muslim Kazakhs, until there were 135 of them left.
The Kazakhs
had settled in the western frontier of China, called Xinjiang
, long before the communists took full control in 1949. The initial exodus began in 1950 or the Year of the Tiger, when the victorious Chinese Communist Army took control, not guaranteeing nor overtly denying the Kazakh way of life: tribalism
and Islam
. Families voted at Barkol and set out to preserve their way of life in the steppes of Kashmir
, exiled from their homeland.
This initial journey to Kashmir was opposed by the victorious Chinese Red Army as they passed through Chinese territory. The first attack happened at Barkol in Kumul Prefecture and the second near Timurlik. The Kazakh groups that survived fled into Tibet
to survive. The victory by the Chinese Red Army was not the only thing that hindered the initial Kazakh exodus; they also suffered illness which killed countless individuals. It took three months for the Kazakhs to cross Tibet and arrive at Srinagar
, Kashmir. Of the 400 families that fled China, only 350 arrived at Srinagar in the initial exodus.
In 1962, the Kazakhs staged another exodus from Xinjiang. This time the Kazakh and members of other ethnic groups fled to the Soviet Union
due to mass riots and communist reforms that again were imposed on the Kazakhs' traditional way of life.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
In 1936, after Sheng Shicai
Sheng Shicai
Sheng Shicai was a Chinese warlord who "ruled" Xinjiang province from April 12, 1933 to August 29, 1944....
expelled 20,000 Kazakhs from Xinjiang to Qinghai, Chinese Muslims
Hui people
The Hui people are an ethnic group in China, defined as Chinese speaking people descended from foreign Muslims. They are typically distinguished by their practice of Islam, however some also practice other religions, and many are direct descendants of Silk Road travelers.In modern People's...
led by General Ma Bufang
Ma Bufang
Ma Bufang was a prominent Muslim Ma clique warlord in China during the Republic of China era, ruling the northwestern province of Qinghai. His rank was Lieutenant-general...
massacred their fellow muslim Kazakhs, until there were 135 of them left.
The Kazakhs
Kazakhs
The Kazakhs are a Turkic people of the northern parts of Central Asia ....
had settled in the western frontier of China, called Xinjiang
Xinjiang
Xinjiang is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China. It is the largest Chinese administrative division and spans over 1.6 million km2...
, long before the communists took full control in 1949. The initial exodus began in 1950 or the Year of the Tiger, when the victorious Chinese Communist Army took control, not guaranteeing nor overtly denying the Kazakh way of life: tribalism
Tribalism
The social structure of a tribe can vary greatly from case to case, but, due to the small size of tribes, it is always a relatively simple role structure, with few significant social distinctions between individuals....
and Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
. Families voted at Barkol and set out to preserve their way of life in the steppes of Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, exiled from their homeland.
This initial journey to Kashmir was opposed by the victorious Chinese Red Army as they passed through Chinese territory. The first attack happened at Barkol in Kumul Prefecture and the second near Timurlik. The Kazakh groups that survived fled into Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
to survive. The victory by the Chinese Red Army was not the only thing that hindered the initial Kazakh exodus; they also suffered illness which killed countless individuals. It took three months for the Kazakhs to cross Tibet and arrive at Srinagar
Srinagar
Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...
, Kashmir. Of the 400 families that fled China, only 350 arrived at Srinagar in the initial exodus.
In 1962, the Kazakhs staged another exodus from Xinjiang. This time the Kazakh and members of other ethnic groups fled to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
due to mass riots and communist reforms that again were imposed on the Kazakhs' traditional way of life.
Sources
- Kazak Exodus, by Godfrey Lias, London: Evan Brothers Limited (1956)
- Clark, Milton J. "How the Kazakhs Fled to Freedom." National Geographic Magazine. Nov. 1954, pp. 621–644.
- Harris, Lillian C. "Xinjiang, Central Asia and the Implications for China's Policy in the Islamic World." The China Quarterly, no. 133 (March 1993), pp. 111–29.
- Moseley, George. Nichols, J. L. (Review Author). "A Sino-Soviet Cultural Frontier: The Ili Kazakh Autonomous Chou." The Journal of Asian Studies, vol. 27, no. 3 (May 1968), pp. 628–29.