It was with pain that I heard the news today of violence in Kashgar, and I’m deeply saddened for all of the people affected by it.  I met some truly great, friendly, and caring people there, and getting a chance to see the old town was a dream come true.  I only hope that the current events do not result in even more restrictions on the already limited freedoms of the Uighur people living there.  Fear and impending cultural doom were the great unspoken presences while I was there.

One of the things that I’ve recently learned is that, after taking this trip, the remote corners of the world where terrible events take place no longer seem quite so remote.

Also, when reading or hearing reports of the violence, keep in mind that almost all accounts come filtered through Chinese officialdom, and usually serve government motives.

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/01/138880251/18-killed-in-attacks-in-troubled-chinese-region