Cable from Yili District Party Committee, 'Provisions on Making Proper Arrangements for the Livelihoods of People Living in Border Areas'

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Provisions for Livelihood Arrangements for Peoples Living in Border Areas

To All Prefectural Party Committees, County Committees in the Border Region, and to the Party Committee of the [Xinjiang Uyghur] Autonomous Region:

Concerning the proper arrangements for the issue of peoples’ livelihoods in the border regions, in accordance with the spirit of the [Yili Kazakh] Autonomous Prefecture Committee’s remarks and the perspectives put forth by the Aletai [Altai] Prefecture Committee, the Huocheng [Qorghas] County Committee, and others in their announcements, the Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture Committee has considered the needs of the border peoples and some possible conditions for basic supplies. We present the following stipulations, and ask that all prefectural and county committees continue their research.

1) Grain provisions: From April (the Autonomous Prefecture Committee had already notified some counties by telephone as early as the middle of March) until the hectic spring plowing period at the end of May, adults and children each received on average 25 jin per month per person. New commune members with lower incomes received on average 30 jin. The original standards were quite low, but for grain provisions to go up too considerably is difficult. However in the dairy-rich Zhaosu [Mongolküre] County, it was fair to give new commune members 25 jin, and old commune members 22 jin. After the spring harvest, between the fallow period and receiving new grain (during which time there are more dairy products and vegetables), new commune members can be brought down to 22 jin; Zhaosu and other counties can also be lowered appropriately. Just because the per-person grain provision standards were originally higher than these stipulations does not make it fair to lower them. The original standards were roughly equivalent to these new stipulations (previously the standard grain provisions entering the Huocheng commune were 24-27 jin). The public livelihood is completely free of problems; it is certainly unnecessary that provisions should increase. The summer 1962 harvest reaped two years’ worth of grain; if conditions are amenable, it will be [fair] to fix grain provisions no lower than 30 jin per month per person.

2) Cooking oil: 10 liang per person per month (16 liang to one jin), about the same as the provisions in the city.

3) Meat: 1 kilogram per month per person. The conditions here are comparatively good, and the original standard was even higher than this. It would not be fair to raise it again. Since each commune and platoon is allowed to have its own livestock, if they cannot make due for a while, there is no need to force it—with effort this can be made up later.

4) Cotton cloth: Outside of the original standard, there has been a per person increase of 2 meters, but while sending out cloth tickets, in was necessary to make adjustments according to actual needs. We could not distribute evenly.

5) Loose leaf tea: 200 grams per person per month. For new commune members who are not accustomed to drinking tea, we have not seen fit to increase the original standards (subordinate provinces limited to 140 grams).

6) Sugar: Aside from children, we adhere to the original stipulation (in counties, 3 years old and under receive 500 grams per person per month; 2 to 6 year olds 250 grams per person per month). Besides this implementation, sick people, women in bed-rest, etc. should be given appropriate attention. In addition, during New Year’s and other holidays, if conditions are amenable, we will strive to give half of one shijin to those who ordinarily do not receive provisions.

The above standards for provisions will only be implemented in the communes near the border and in all platoons. Its coverage cannot extend any further, if we are to avoid increasing the store of provisions. These standards shall be understood exclusively within the interior ministries. They must not be announced to the general public.

Effective planning for the livelihood of border peoples has immense political significance. We hope that committees at all levels, as well as all relevant ministries, will, in accordance with these stipulations, speedily announce the planned figures for these various kinds of provisions to the communes and platoons. Inform them that the Yili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture Committee, apart from grain, oil, and meat, will still need their assistance in dealing with some other products.

We welcome any criticism from autonomous region committees as regards these stipulations.

Yili District Party Committee

22 March 1962