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People's Daily on holding high banner of great ethnic unity |
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16:47, July 13, 2009 |
China's leading and most influential newspaper, the People's Daily, on Monday, July 13th called for “holding high the banner of great ethnic unity” among people of all ethnic groups across the country in another important front-paged commentator's article, which is highlighted as follows:
The July 5th bloody riot in the capital of Urumqi in Xinjiang, northwestern China has caused a heavy loss of lives and property to people of all ethnicities and left painful scars deep in their hearts. This bloody incident, however, can neither sabotage the central theme or keynote of equality, unity, mutual help and harmony among ethnic groups nationwide, nor shake or undermine the faith or resolve of people of all ethnicities to live in harmony and work together for the common, harmonious development.
At this critical juncture, people of all ethnic groups in the autonomous region have gone through thick and thin together, and their fraternal feelings are moving and inspiring indeed. In the July 5th riot, locals of all ethnic groups and their cadres braved the unexpected contingency and resisted to perpetrators, and came to aid of their ethnic brothers; medical staff treated and attended to the injured night and day; and residents vied with each other for blood donation to rescue those in critical condition…
"Although I was hit by seven to eight gangsters," acknowledged one victim, "I nevertheless have got help from more than 70 to 80 people from the moment they assaulted me." People of all ethnic groups in the region have written a new chapter for ethnic unity with their own concrete action. After the "storm and stress", they have become much clearer that ethnic unity means peace, happiness and people's real life.
Xinjiang in the northwest has been a multi-ethnic region since ancient times. The people of varied ethnicities inhabited in the region are as closely related to each other as a man's lips to teeth; they share the common history and belief and work together to turn the region into a real big and harmonious multi-ethnic family and made brilliant achievements in their cause of ethnical unity and progress.
Today's China is a multi-ethnic nation characterized by peaceful co-existence of 56 ethnic groups. Under the leadership of its Communist Party, people of all ethnicities nationwide, working with one heart and one mind to withstand all kinds of challenges and pressures from both at home and overseas, have retained economic growth, political stability, cultural prosperity and social harmony, and they are now living a happy life. So, better work in strengthening ethnic unity for common prosperity and development conforms to the fundamental interests of the people of all ethnic groups and represents their heartfelt wish as well.
To safeguard and enhance the ethnic unity, we should hold high the banner of patriotism, combat ethnic separation and defend the national unity. The unity of the motherland, therefore, is a basic guarantee for national prosperity and progress, whereas ethnic unity poses the essential condition for social stability and national prosperity.
If a nation is split or strife-torn, it will be subjugated, innumerous families will wreck and people, too, will suffer, as both the past history and reality has shown. Ethnic unity is based on the unity of the motherland and will in turn be an end-all of national prosperity. Hence, it is the common aspiration and glorious mission of the people of all ethnicities to resolutely oppose to all secessionist activities and activities to undermine national unity, and to safeguard the national interests, dignity and honor.
By safeguarding and enhancing ethnic unity, we should definitely guarantee the equal rights and interests for the people of all ethnicities in accordance with law. Under the framework of China's socialist legal system, it is imperative to viably guarantee the equal rights and interests for all ethnicities, press ahead with the mutual respect for, emulation from, cooperation with and provide mutual help among different ethnic groups. Only by doing so, can ethnic unity have a solid foundation and the concept of jointly building and sharing a harmonious society be genuinely implemented.
We should hold high the banner of great ethnic unity and carry forward the fine tradition of all ethnic groups in sharing a “common lot” and the “weal and woe” and “heart being linked to heart”. As the majority of the population belong to the Han ethnic group in Xinjiang, both Han majority and local minorities must reach an in-depth understanding that Han people cannot go without the minority people nor can the minority peoples go without the Han people, or one minority people can go without other ethnic groups, so multi-ethnical local people and officials should be guided and encouraged to cherish an excellent situation of ethnic unity and common prosperity in the region, people of all ethnic groups should be in firmly opposition to and combat law-breaking activities of outlaws and consciously maintain ethnic unity and social stability.
By People’s Daily commentator and translated by PD Online
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2009-07/13/content_294719.htm
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