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China uses development to contain Islamism, Shobori Ganguli Lanzhou (Gansu Province), Pioneer 9 Aug 2006

Last Friday afternoon witnessed a frenzied call across the Islamic world against Israel's hot pursuit of the Hizbullah militia in Lebanon, the most shocking of which was displayed on the streets of Baghdad. Far from this jihadi din, the same Friday afternoon, we stood outside the Lauhou mosque in western China's Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in southern Gansu province, absorbing a world oblivious to American presence in Iraq or even Israel's in Lebanon.

Not that this region has forsaken its Muslim identity. There are around 3000 mosques dotting the Gansu province -- we saw several under construction - employing more than 10,000 professional religious staff. Going by the attendance at the Friday prayer, people's skull-caps and head scarves firmly in place, one could fairly conclude that Linxai has a deeply religious Islamic populace. What is striking, however, is the refreshing absence of religious fanaticism currently on display across the larger Islamic world. And the key to this phenomenon is state-driven economic and social development.

Linxai is one of China's two Hui (Muslim) majority prefectures with a population of 1.89 million, 55.4 per cent of which comprises minorities like the Hui. Today this picture perfect town is part of the Central Party Committee's Developing West China Policy. As you drive into this town, whose roads and infrastructure could put our Indian metropolises to shame, slogans on good governance, health, education, environment and family planning stand out prominently. And, hold your breath, you wouldn't believe this is one of China's "least developed regions."

Under China's New Rural Areas policy, minorities are being actively encouraged to have smaller families with, of course, the assurance of social and financial security. Primarily, family planning is being seen as the route to economic and social prosperity. "Bear less, bear well, you'll be happy all your life," "Do not worry if you have two daughters, don't have another child, the state shall look after your girls," thus read the slogans on family planning.

Apart from smaller families, minorities in less developed regions like Linxai are being exhorted to support building of roads, ensure good local autonomous governance, stress on education, keep the environment free of pollution and last but certainly not the least, especially if seen in the Indian context, prioritise civic hygiene beginning with keeping town roads garbage-free.

As part of China's reforms and opening policy, Linxai is a classic example of a state's minority management, a lesson our communists would do well to borrow a leaf from. Here local governments and party organisations are steering the local population successfully on the path of economic reconstruction, without compromising Linxai's predominantly Islamic religious identity.

If local leaders are proud to reel out the region's development statistics, they are equally assertive about their Islamic heritage and architecture. Predominantly an agrarian community, Linxai's new social development is visible to every visitor. While the boulevards and residential areas underline Linxai's accent on township management, its state-of-the-art agricultural industry, commercial animal husbandry, science and education, self-managing indigenous industries like leather, textiles and metallurgy, speak of a people who have their heart in their right place as far as human enterprise goes.

With more than 40 development projects underway, ranging from infrastructure to energy, Linxai today seeks its rightful place in China's rapidly growing economy. With the CPC encouraging Linxai to move towards more non-state owned enterprises, the local administration is pulling out all stops to invite outside investment, one of the key sectors being tourism.

This development has not come at the cost of cultural and religious identity. There are more mosques per square kilometre in Gansu province than anywhere in India. Steeped in Islamic culture, Linaxi has six different branches of Islam in active operation. Under the influence of Islam since the 14th century, this little Hui prefecture is, however, pleasantly removed from the scars of Islam's jihadi culture. And, given the nature of the Chinese state, it is surely to remain so for a while to come.

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