Tensions with Uyghurs arose because Qing and Republican Chinese authorities used Hui troops and officials to dominate the Uyghurs and crush Uyghur revolts . Xinjiang 's Hui population increased by over 520 percent between 1940 and 1982 , an average annual growth of 4.4 percent , while the Uyghur population only grew at 1.7 percent . This dramatic increase in Hui population led inevitably to significant tensions between the Hui and Uyghur populations . Many Hui Muslim civilians were killed by Uyghur rebel troops in the Kizil massacre ( 1933 ) . Some Uyghurs in Kashgar remember that the Hui army at the 1934 Battle of Kashgar massacred 2,000 to 8,000 Uyghurs , which causes tension as more Hui moved into Kashgar from other parts of China . Some Hui criticize Uyghur separatism and generally do not want to get involved in conflict in other countries . Hui and Uyghur live separately , attending different mosques . During the 2009 rioting in Xinjiang that killed around 200 people , " Kill the Han , kill the Hui . " was the common cry spread across social media among Uyghur extremists
Kizil massacre
Kizil massacre
Hui people