Who are the Uighurs? Islamic militants in China who could be linked to missing Malaysia Airlines flight
As the search for clues begins, Chinese authorities look to Islam militants who were also blamed for the recent train station stabbing spree.
On Saturday flight MH370 disappeared around 100 miles north of the Malaysian coast carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew.
The plane is presumed to have crashed off the Vietnamese coast after losing contact with air traffic controllers.
The plane was last detected on radar at 5.30pm UK time on Friday.
Who are the Uighurs?The northwestern region on Xinjiang, which borders central Asia is home to the Uighurs, an ethnic Muslim minority.
The region was brought under Chinese control in 1949 and since then the Uighurs have battled for independence.
Why have they been linked to the missing flight?
The possibility of it being a terror attack has not been ruled out at this stage.
Time magazine reported at least 100 people have been killed in the past year in violent clashes between Uighurs and Chinese security forces.
If they were responsible for the bloody attack, it marks a chilling rise in violent actions as they fight for autonomy from the Chinese state.
News outlets report the Uighurs have been subjected to harassment since the train station attack.
Since the 9/11 attacks in the US, Chinese authorities have portrayed Uighurs as having links with al-Qaeda.
In 2009, nearly 200 people died in ethnic riots in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang.
Where do the tensions stem from?The Uighurs say they are oppressed by China's authoritarian government and face religious restrictions and widespread discrimination.
They say they face strict rules on religion - including having to use a state-approved Koran.
They also say they face limits on career opportunities and Uighur men who want government jobs must shave their heads, with women not allowed to wear head scarves.
The ethnic minorities also say they face being marginalised in their homeland after an influx of China's Han ethnic majority.
The Uighurs now make up 45% of the population in Xinjiang.
But the Chinese government deny any oppression of Uighurs or any other ethnic group.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/missing-malaysia-airlines-flight-who-3222758#ixzz2vU75kPrY
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Last edited by dani-rox on 10-3-2014 12:47 AM
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