[AFP] Officials from China's ruling Chinese Communist Party have supported violent attacks in Xinjiang, a top regional official said in comments highlighting internal opposition to tough local policies.The homeland of the mostly Muslim Uighur ethnic minority is often hit by deadly unrest. China blames the violence on Islamist separatists but rights groups point to Beijing's actions.
Xu Hairong, the region's top anti-graft official, accused some local CCP members of participating in the unrest. Xu said, "Some communist cadres ... even support or take part in violent terrorist attacks."
He gave few details but added that some officials were "wavering on the big issues of opposing anti-separatism and maintaining ethnic unity."
The statement published on Tuesday came days after Chinese police killed 28 members of a "terrorist group" in Xinjiang, in the bloodiest such operation in months. It also came after the editor of the Xinjiang Daily, the regional party mouthpiece, was dismissed for what anti-graft officials said were offenses, including publicly criticizing party policies.
Officials launched a "strike hard" campaign after a bomb shook the main train station in the regional capital Urumqi last year as Chinese chief Xi Jinping was wrapping up a visit to the city.
The CCP is officially atheist and bans all of its officials — including Uighurs — from religious faith. But Xu said officials persist in religious beliefs despite the policy. He said, "Some waver in their ideals, are confused in their beliefs, not believing in Marxism-Leninism but believing in ghosts, and lack loyalty to the party."