The National Endowment for Democracy's financial support to Xinjiang separatist organizations led by Rebiya Kadeer is a direct interference in China's internal affairs, says an article in Global Times. Excerpt:

There is evidence to prove that the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) of the US has for years been sponsoring separatist activities in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, led by Rebiya Kadeer, chairman of World Uygur Congress (WUC). A staff in NED, who didn't want to be named, has said the NED plans to grant more than US$500,000 to WUC this year.

Xinjiang separatist Kadeer has had close connections with the NED for a long time. In 2005, with the help of NED president Carl Gershman, Rebiya fled to the US after Xinjiang authorities released her on bail for medical treatment on the promise that she would never do anything against her motherland China. Later, she became president of the International Uygur Human Rights and Democracy Foundation (IUHRDF). Gershman also offered the initial funds to set up the foundation.

After the July 5 riots in Urumqi, two US congressmen advanced a proposal and pressured the US government to support Kadeer. It was Gershman again who introduced them to Kadeer.

Facts show the NED has been offering financial support to "East Turkistan" organizations operating from abroad since 2004. Till June 2009, it had given about $2.24 million to them.

The separatist organizations usually get the NED funds under two heads: directly sponsored "programs" or in the name of "private funding". Apart from supporting separatist activities, the funds have also been used on Washington political lobbyists as "political investment".

A Xinjiang official said the funds Kadeer got from the NED have been directly related to the troubles in the region.

An article in the Canadian think tank, Global Research, says Washington's interference in Xinjiang have nothing to do with human rights. Instead, it is aimed at the strategic importance of Xinjiang in economic and energy resources fields. These indicate that the US government wants to interfere in China's internal affairs by supporting Xinjiang separatist activities in the name of NED.

(China Daily August 12, 2009)