A Chinese court in the restive far western region of Xinjiang on Monday sentenced six people to death for murder and other crimes committed during ethnic rioting in July in which almost 200 people were killed.
It was not immediately clear from the brief report by the official Xinhua news agency if any of the [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Urumqi’
China sentences six to death over Xinjiang riots
October 13th, 2009 |
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New unrest in Xinjiang capital Urumqi
September 3rd, 2009 |
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New unrest broke out in China’s restive Xinjiang region, as demonstrators took to the streets of the capital Urumqi to protest deteriorating public safety. This follows reported syringe attacks in Urumqi and comes nearly two months after violent rioting there killed nearly 200 people.
China turns back Xinjiang plane
August 9th, 2009 |
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An aircraft bound for Urumqi in China’s restive Xinjiang region has been threatened with a bomb attack, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reports.
Airport officials were told not to let the plane to land, Xinhua said. It later said the plane had landed in Kandahar, citing diplomatic sources.
The agency had earlier reported the incident as a hijacking.
It did not specify whether the threat to the plane came from on board the aircraft itself, in its latest report.
The incident comes a month after about 200 people died in ethnic violence in Xinjiang’s regional capital, Urumqi.
Deadly clashes erupted between Han Chinese and the region’s Muslim Uighurs, some of whom want greater autonomy from China.
Since then China has maintained a heavy security presence in the region.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
China ‘to charge 83 over riots’
August 4th, 2009 |
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Chinese police say they will charge 83 people in connection with ethnic riots in Xinjiang last month that left almost 200 dead, state media report.
The group face charges including murder and arson, Xinhua said, adding that no dates had been set for the trials.
Xinhua also said 718 people had been detained, in what is the first official tally from the police in Urumqi city.
Police previously confirmed the arrests of more than 1,500 people, but it is unclear how many were later released.
"Those arrested will face charges of murder, intentional injury, arson and robbery," the report cited Urumqi’s chief prosecutor, Utiku’er Abudrehman, as saying.
"We want an independent investigation to establish the correct number [of detentions]"
Dilxat Raxit
World Uighur Congress
It marks the first step in prosecuting those implicated in the violence that saw fighting erupt between Muslim Uighurs and members of China’s dominant Han ethnic group.
A spokesman for the World Uighur Congress dismissed the official figure of 718 detentions, saying hundreds more Uighurs were being held.
"The numbers they give are simply not credible," said Dilxat Raxit. "We want an independent investigation to establish the correct number."
The violence in Xinjiang was the worst ethnic unrest in China for decades.
It began on 5 July during a protest over a brawl in southern China in which two Uighurs were killed. The government says 197 people died in the ensuing violence, and more than 1,700 were injured.
The government says most of the dead were Han Chinese, but the World Uighur Congress claims many Uighurs also were killed.
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Xinjiang arrests ‘now over 1,500′
August 3rd, 2009 |
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Chinese police have recently arrested 319 people for last month’s violence in Xinjiang, according to state media.
This brings the total number of people detained over the riots to more than 1,500, although it is unclear how many people have since been released.
The violence between ethnic Uighurs and Han Chinese left almost 200 dead.
Meanwhile, Beijing has claimed that relatives of exiled Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer have written letters criticising her over the riots.
Beijing has repeatedly blamed Mrs Kadeer – the head of the World Uighur Congress – for triggering the violence, a claim she vehemently denies.
A spokesman for the congress said the letters were fake.
Simmering unrest
The violence in Xinjiang was the worst ethnic unrest in China for decades.
It began on 5 July during a protest over a brawl in southern China in which two Uighurs were killed.
The government says 197 people died in the ensuing violence, and more than 1,700 were injured.
The government says most of the dead were Han Chinese, but the World Uighur Congress claims many Uighurs also were killed.
The 319 people who have been detained recently are in addition to 253 detentions last week and more than 1,000 before that, according to Xinhua news agency.
The most recent arrests came as a result of a call for information from the public, Xinhua said.
In the aftermath of the riots, local media published a list of wanted men and urged people to turn in suspects who were still at large.
It is unclear what proportion of those detained are Uighur or Han, or if any of them have been since charged or released.
Children’s letter
As head of the World Uighur Congress, Mrs Kadeer is often accused by China of fomenting unrest in Xinjiang, and has been blamed for orchestrating the July riots.
According to Chinese media, Mrs Kadeer’s son Khahar and daughter Roxingul, as well as her younger brother Memet, have written letters condemning their mother over the unrest.
"Because of you, many innocent people of all ethnic groups lost their lives in Urumqi on 5 July, with huge damage to property, shops and vehicles," Xinhua quotes one letter as saying.
"We want a stable and safe life… Please think about the happiness of us and your grandchildren. Don’t destroy our happy life here. Don’t follow the provocation from some people in other countries."
It is difficult to independently authenticate the letters, but Dilxat Raxit, a spokesman for the World Uighur Congress based in Germany, quickly rejected them as fakes.
"It’s not possible that one of her family members would write such a letter," he told reporters.
Five of Mrs Kadeer’s 11 children still live in Xinjiang, and according to human rights groups they have experienced many forms of harassment because of their mother.
Her eldest son, Khahar, was reportedly fined and forced to liquidate his mother’s business and two other sons have been given jail terms – one for tax evasion, the other for "secessionist" activities.</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Chinese hack site over Uighur film
July 26th, 2009 |
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Beijing unhappy at decision to screen film about exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer, accused of plotting Urumqi riots
Chinese hackers have attacked the website of Australia’s biggest film festival over its decision to screen a documentary about the exiled Uighur leader, Rebiya Kadeer.
Yesterday], two days after the Melbourne international festival opened, hackers replaced programme information with the Chinese flag and anti-Kadeer slogans and sent spam emails in an attempt to crash the site, according to reports in the Australian press.
“We like film but we hate Rebiya Kadeer,” one message said, demanding an apology to the Chinese people.
The festival director, Richard Moore, said staff had been bombarded with abusive emails after he rebuffed demands from the Chinese government to drop the film about Kadeer, The 10 Conditions of Love, and cancel her invitation to the festival.
“The language has been vile,” Moore told the Melbourne Age. “It is obviously a concerted campaign to get us because we’ve refused to comply with the Chinese government’s demands.”
He said the festival had reported the attacks, which appear to be coming from a Chinese internet protocol address, and was discussing security concerns with Victoria’s state police. Private security guards are being hired to protect Kadeer and other patrons at the film’s screening on August 8.
Kadeer denies Beijing’s claim that she masterminded this month’s riots in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi, in which almost 200 people died.The 10 Conditions of Love, directed by the Australian filmmaker Jeff Daniels, describes Kadeer’s relationship with her activist husband Sidik Rouzi and reveals the impact of her campaign for more autonomy for China’s 10 million mainly Muslim Uighurs on her 11 children, three of whom have received jail sentences.
Once one of the richest women in Xinjiang and held up as an exemplar of China’s purported multi-ethnic harmony, Rebiya Kadeer now heads two prominent Uighur exile groups, speaking out against Beijing’s oppression of the Turkic-speaking minority.
Kadeer’s persecution by the Chinese and her stature as a public face of the Uighur people have earned her comparisons to the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. Like him, she has been an unrelenting target for Chinese opprobrium.
Her appearance at the Melbourne film festival means the event has also come into Chinese sights. Last week, three Chinese directors withdrew films, with two denying they were forced to do so by Chinese authorities. Director Tang Xiaobai, who withdrew her film Perfect Life after being phoned by the Chinese foreign ministry and the state administration of radio, film and television, said it was her decision to boycott the festival.
“I do not want to see my film screened on the same platform as a film about Kadeer,” Tang told the official English-language newspaper China Daily.
The row over the Kadeer documentrary is not the only row to hit the festival. The British film director, Ken Loach, last week withdrew his film, Looking for Eric, in protest at its decision to accept sponsorship from Israel.
The slogan of the Melbourne film festival is “Everyone’s a critic”.
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China admits Uighur riot killings
July 18th, 2009 |
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A Chinese official says police shot dead 12 Uighur rioters in Urumqi this month, in a rare government admission of deaths inflicted by security forces.
Nuer Baikeli, governor of Xinjiang region and himself a Uighur, said those killed had ignored police warning shots and were attacking civilians and shops.
He said police had shown restraint and had no choice but to act.
Some 200 people – mostly Han Chinese – died in the clashes between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese in Urumqi.
"The rioters, the criminals, continued to act in an extremely vicious manner, insisted on having their way, and continued to threaten the lives of others," he told reporters.
"It was at this point that our public security forces and military police decisively fired. They shot dead 12 rioters. Of them, three died on site, and nine died as people tried to save them."
The violence in Xinjiang began on 5 July during a protest by Uighurs over a brawl in southern China in late June in which two people were killed.
Uighur groups in exile have said hundreds of Uighurs were killed.</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
China issues alert in Algeria
July 15th, 2009 |
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China has urged its citizens in Algeria to take extra care, after reports that a militant group might take revenge for the recent deaths of Muslim Uighurs.
On Tuesday a UK-based security firm reported that an al-Qaeda-linked group had threatened to target Chinese workers in north Africa.
The Chinese foreign minister recently appealed for understanding within the Muslim world in the wake of the unrest.
Officials say 137 Han Chinese and 46 Uighurs died in the riots, in Urumqi.
Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province, is currently under heavy police and military control.
Safety precautions
On Tuesday the London-based risk firm Stirling Assynt reported that al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb had threatened to target Chinese workers in north Africa.
In response to the report, the Chinese embassy in Algiers has urged all 50,000 Chinese who live and work in Algeria to be more aware of safety precautions.
It told residents to strengthen security measures "in consideration of the situation after the 5 July incident in Urumqi".
XINJIANG: ETHNIC UNREST- Main ethnic division: 45% Uighur, 40% Han Chinese
- 26 June: Mass factory brawl after dispute between Han Chinese and Uighurs in Guangdong, southern China, leaves two Uighurs dead
- 5 July: Uighur protest in Urumqi over the dispute turns violent, leaving 156 dead – most of them thought to be Han – and more than 1,000 hurt
- 7 July: Uighur women protest at arrests of menfolk. Han Chinese make armed counter-march
- 8 July: President Hu Jintao returns from G8 summit to tackle crisis
Exiled Uighur organisations have said they oppose all forms of violence and condemn the alleged al-Qaeda threat.
One nation which has seen a particularly strong anti-China reaction in the wake of the Urumqi violence is Turkey.
Demonstrations have been held across the country to protest against the Chinese government’s handling of the incident, and the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused the Chinese of "genocide".
Uighurs are Turkic-speaking people and share linguistic and cultural bonds with Turks.
Turkish news agency Anatolia reported on Wednesday that a Chinese diplomat, Song Aiguo, was in Ankara for talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
Mr Song, a former ambassador to Ankara, said the Chinese government felt sorrow over the Xinjiang incidents, adding that he was in Ankara to avoid possible damage to Sino-Turkish ties.
Contentious film
Meanwhile Chinese diplomats in Australia are reportedly trying to block the screening of a film about exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer.
The director of the Melbourne Film Festival, Richard Moore, said that when the programme for next month’s festival was published, a Chinese consular official contacted him and insisted he withdraw it.
Mr Moore said he had declined the request.
The film – The Ten Conditions of Love – explores the impact on the family of Ms Kadeer of her fight for the rights of China’s Uighur minority.
China blamed the Xinjiang riots of Ms Kadeer, a claim she vehemently denies.</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
China warns workers after al-Qaida threat
July 15th, 2009 |
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Embassy in Algeria issues advice in response to call by al-Qaida affiliate for vengeance over Muslim Uighur deaths in Urumqi
China’s embassy in Algeria has urged Chinese companies and workers to be on guard after reports that al-Qaida’s north African affiliate has called for retaliation for the deaths of Muslim Uighurs in Urumqi.
Stirling Assynt, a British-based risk analysis firm, warned yesterday that al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) – based in Algeria – had issued a call for vengeance, basing its statement on information from people who have seen the instruction.
Postings on an Islamist website have also suggested killing Han Chinese in the Middle East, the Associated Press reported.
A notice posted on the embassy website late last night said: “In light of the [riots], the Chinese embassy in Algeria reminds Chinese-funded companies and personnel to enhance security awareness and strengthen security measures.”
Stirling Assynt stressed its report that it was not suggesting any direct link between Uighurs in Xinjiang province and al-Qaida, and said it was unlikely the central leadership of Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network has decided to stage attacks within China.
Justin Crump, head of terrorism and country risk at the firm, said such a move would be counter-productive strategically because their main assets are in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Last week’s inter-ethnic violence in Urumqi, capital of China’s north-western Xinjiang province, left at least 184 dead. Officials say 137 were Han Chinese, 46 Uighurs and one a Hui man, but Uighurs have claimed far more of them died – either in a crackdown by security forces or at the hands of Han Chinese retaliating for brutal assaults by Uighurs.
Muslim Uighurs make up almost half the 21-million population of Xinjiang, but many resent strict cultural and religious controls.
China’s foreign ministry yesterday rejected suggestions that the Urumqi riots would affect Beijing’s relations with Muslim countries.
“If they have a clear idea about true nature of the incident, they would understand China’s policies concerning religion and religious issues and understand the measures we have taken,” said a spokesman, Qin Gang, at the ministry’s regular news conference.
Wolfram Lacher, a north Africa analyst at another firm, Control Risks, downplayed the impact of events in Urumqi. He said although there was a “significant and credible threat” against Chinese firms, that threat had existed for some time and was not likely to change.
“Almost all foreign companies operating in Algeria – and the security forces who escort and protect foreign personnel – are regarded as legitimate and attractive targets by AQIM … Companies are targeted to attract public and international attention with the goal of demonstrating the inability of the authorities to fully protect foreign companies and thereby disrupt foreign investment and political stability,” said Lacher.
“Also, some Chinese companies – particularly in infrastructure and construction [industries] – operate in areas known as strongholds of AQIM.”
The Philippines national police directorate said it had tightened security around the Chinese embassy and consulates after a request from China’s defence attache in Manila.
In a statement, the Uighur American Association (UAA) and the World Uighur Congress (WUC) said they were “extremely disturbed” by the threats, which they condemned. They said terrorist groups such as al-Qaida did not represent the aspirations of the Uighur people.
“I abhor violence,” said Rebiya Kadeer, leader of the exiles. “I do not believe violence is a solution to any problem. Global terrorists should not take advantage of the Uighur people’s legitimate aspirations and the current tragedy in East Turkestan [Xinjiang] to commit acts of terrorism targeting Chinese diplomatic missions or civilians.”
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China warns workers after al-Qaida threat
July 15th, 2009 |
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Embassy in Algeria issues advice in response to call by al-Qaida affiliate for vengeance over Muslim Uighur deaths in Urumqi
China’s embassy in Algeria has urged Chinese companies and workers to be on guard after reports that al-Qaida’s north African affiliate has called for retaliation for the deaths of Muslim Uighurs in Urumqi.
Stirling Assynt, a British-based risk analysis firm, warned yesterday that al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) – based in Algeria – had issued a call for vengeance, basing its statement on information from people who have seen the instruction.
Postings on an Islamist website have also suggested killing Han Chinese in the Middle East, the Associated Press reported.
A notice posted on the embassy website late last night said: “In light of the [riots], the Chinese embassy in Algeria reminds Chinese-funded companies and personnel to enhance security awareness and strengthen security measures.”
Stirling Assynt stressed its report that it was not suggesting any direct link between Uighurs in Xinjiang province and al-Qaida, and said it was unlikely the central leadership of Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network has decided to stage attacks within China.
Justin Crump, head of terrorism and country risk at the firm, said such a move would be counter-productive strategically because their main assets are in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Last week’s inter-ethnic violence in Urumqi, capital of China’s north-western Xinjiang province, left at least 184 dead. Officials say 137 were Han Chinese, 46 Uighurs and one a Hui man, but Uighurs have claimed far more of them died – either in a crackdown by security forces or at the hands of Han Chinese retaliating for brutal assaults by Uighurs.
Muslim Uighurs make up almost half the 21-million population of Xinjiang, but many resent strict cultural and religious controls.
China’s foreign ministry yesterday rejected suggestions that the Urumqi riots would affect Beijing’s relations with Muslim countries.
“If they have a clear idea about true nature of the incident, they would understand China’s policies concerning religion and religious issues and understand the measures we have taken,” said a spokesman, Qin Gang, at the ministry’s regular news conference.
Wolfram Lacher, a north Africa analyst at another firm, Control Risks, downplayed the impact of events in Urumqi. He said although there was a “significant and credible threat” against Chinese firms, that threat had existed for some time and was not likely to change.
“Almost all foreign companies operating in Algeria – and the security forces who escort and protect foreign personnel – are regarded as legitimate and attractive targets by AQIM … Companies are targeted to attract public and international attention with the goal of demonstrating the inability of the authorities to fully protect foreign companies and thereby disrupt foreign investment and political stability,” said Lacher.
“Also, some Chinese companies – particularly in infrastructure and construction [industries] – operate in areas known as strongholds of AQIM.”
The Philippines national police directorate said it had tightened security around the Chinese embassy and consulates after a request from China’s defence attache in Manila.
In a statement, the Uighur American Association (UAA) and the World Uighur Congress (WUC) said they were “extremely disturbed” by the threats, which they condemned. They said terrorist groups such as al-Qaida did not represent the aspirations of the Uighur people.
“I abhor violence,” said Rebiya Kadeer, leader of the exiles. “I do not believe violence is a solution to any problem. Global terrorists should not take advantage of the Uighur people’s legitimate aspirations and the current tragedy in East Turkestan [Xinjiang] to commit acts of terrorism targeting Chinese diplomatic missions or civilians.”
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China Warns Citizens In Algeria Of Al Qaeda Threat
July 15th, 2009 |
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BEIJING (Reuters) – China has warned its citizens in Algeria about possible attacks from al Qaeda in retribution for a Chinese government crackdown in the Muslim region of Xinjiang.
The Chinese embassy in Algeria on its web site urged all Chi…
China demands Turkish retraction
July 14th, 2009 |
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China has demanded that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan retract his accusation that Beijing practised genocide against ethnic Uighurs.
Mr Erdogan made the claim after riots in the Uighur heartland of Xinjiang during which 184 people were killed.
Separately, more than 100 Chinese writers and intellectuals have signed a letter calling for the release of Ilham Tohti, an outspoken Uighur economist.
Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi, is under heavy police and military control.
China’s rejection of Mr Erdogan’s remarks came in an editorial headlined "Don’t twist facts" in the English-language newspaper China Daily.
It said the fact that 137 of the 184 victims were Han Chinese "speaks volumes for the nature of the event".
The newspaper urged Mr Erdogan to "take back his remarks… which constitute interference in China’s internal affairs", describing his genocide comments as "irresponsible and groundless."
Mr Erdogan made the controversial comments last Friday, telling NTV television: "The incidents in China are, simply put, a genocide. There’s no point in interpreting this otherwise."
He had called on Chinese authorities to intervene to prevent more deaths.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told his Turkish counterpart by telephone on Sunday that the Urumqi riots were a grave crime orchestrated by the "three evil forces", state news agency Xinhua said, referring to "extremism, separatism and terrorism".
Ilham Tohti
Mr Tohti disappeared from his Beijing home last week and has apparently been detained.
"Professor Ilham Tohti is a Uighur intellectual who devoted himself to friendship between ethnic groups and eradicating conflicts between them. He should not be taken as a criminal," said the intellectuals’ letter.
It was posted online on Monday, and demands information about his case.
"If they’ve started legal proceedings toward Ilham Tohti, [the authorities] must gain trust from the people through transparency, and especially gain trust from the Uighur people," the letter said.
It also said that Mr Tohti’s website, Uighurbiz.cn, was an important site for dialogue between Han Chinese and Uighurs.
In a televised speech on 6 July, Xinjiang governor Nur Bekri accused the site of helping "to orchestrate the incitement and spread propaganda".
The letter also urged the Chinese government to reflect on whether its own mistakes caused the unrest in Xinjiang and the anti-government riots last year in and around Tibet.
The violence in Xinjiang began on 5 July, during a protest by Uighurs over a brawl in southern China in late June in which two people were killed.</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Al-Qaida threatens China over Uighur deaths
July 14th, 2009 |
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Algeria-based group issues threat to Chinese workers and projects within north Africa in retaliation for Uighur deaths
Al-Qaida’s north African wing has threatened to target Chinese workers and projects in the region in retaliation for Muslim deaths in Urumqi last week.
It is the first time Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network has directly targeted Chinese interests, according to experts at a London-based risk analysis firm.
Stirling Assynt’s report says that al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) – based in Algeria – has issued a call for vengeance, basing its statement on information from people who have seen the instruction.
But the assessment does not suggest there is any direct link between Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province and al-Qaida. It also suggests it is unlikely that al-Qaida’s central leadership has decided to stage attacks within China.
Justin Crump, head of terrorism and country risk at Stirling Assynt, said: “For al-Qaida central, it is really not in their interests or part of their plan at all. I think you will see action where it is easy by al-Qaida franchises, but it won’t be al-Qaida policy.
“Strategically it would be highly counter-productive for them if you look at the fact their main assets are in Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
He suggested that AQIM’s decision was partly “opportunistic”, reflecting the ease with which they could target Chinese nationals and anger in some Muslim communities worldwide. Indonesia saw anti-Chinese protests yesterday.
At least 184 people were killed and 1,680 injured in the inter-ethnic violence in Urumqi, which first broke out on 5 July, officials say. According to government figures 137 were Han Chinese, 46 Uighurs and one a Hui man. But Uighurs have alleged that far more of them died – either in a crackdown by security forces or at the hands of Han Chinese during revenge attacks for vicious assaults by Uighurs.
Muslim Uighurs make up almost half the 21-million population of China’s vast north-western region of Xinjiang. Many have long chafed at strict rules restricting their religion, which include banning under-18s from mosques, as well as Han migration and policies which they believe favour Han Chinese.
“Although AQIM appear to be the first arm of al-Qaida to officially state they will target Chinese interests, others are likely to follow,” adds the note.
“The general situation (and perceived plight) of China’s Muslims has resonated amongst the global jihadist community. There is an increasing amount of chatter … among jihadists who claim they want to see action against China. Some of these individuals have been actively seeking information on China’s interests in the Muslim world, which they could use for targeting purposes.”
Stirling Assynt estimates that hundreds of thousands of Chinese work in the Middle East and north Africa, including 50,000 in Algeria alone.
The firm’s report points out that AQIM attacked an Algerian security convoy protecting Chinese engineers on a motorway project three weeks ago, killing 24 paramilitary police. The workers themselves were not targeted or injured, but the note adds: “Future attacks of this kind are likely to target security forces and Chinese engineers alike.”
It also suggested that other al-Qaida groups in the Arabian peninsula “could well target Chinese projects in Yemen”.
Despite the huge security presence in Urumqi, violence broke out again yesterday. Officials said police shot dead two Uighur men armed with knives and sticks and injured a third as the trio attacked another Uighur man.
But a Han man in the area told the Associated Press that he saw three Uighurs with knives come out of a mosque and attack paramilitary police.
In a separate development, more than 100 Chinese writers and intellectuals have signed a letter calling for the release of an outspoken Uighur economist who disappeared from his Beijing home last week and is believed to be detained.
“Professor Ilham Tohti is an Uighur intellectual who devoted himself to friendship between ethnic groups and eradicating conflicts between them. He should not be taken as a criminal,” said the letter, posted online yesterday.
Xinjiang’s governor accused Tohti’s website of helping “to orchestrate the incitement” of last week’s riot – but the letter’s authors said it was an important site for dialogue between Han Chinese and Uighurs.
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Chinese police kill two Uighurs
July 13th, 2009 |
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Two ethnic Uighurs have been shot dead by police in Urumqi, capital of China’s Xinjiang province, officials have said.
A government statement announced that a third "lawbreaker" had been injured.
A reporter with Hong Kong’s RTHK radio said two police officers were also shot in a confrontation in a Uighur district of the city.
The violence comes after Chinese officials said calm had been restored to the city after at least 180 people were killed in rioting last week.
Other reports said police had fired at a group of Uighur men armed with knives and poles who had attacked the police.
Thousands of extra security personnel have been patrolling the city of about 2.3 million people since violence erupted on 5 July.
Ethnic Han Chinese make up the majority of Urumqi’s population, but Uighurs form a significant minority and have long-standing complaints of discrimination.
Rioting began during a protest by Uighurs over a brawl in southern China in late June in which two Uighurs were killed.
Chinese officials have said 184 people are known to have been killed in the violence in Urumqi, and 1,680 injured.
The officials said 137 were Han Chinese, 46 were from the indigenous Uighur community and one was an ethnic Hui, the officials said.
Uighur groups in exile have said hundreds of Uighurs were killed.</p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Chinese police kill two Uighurs
July 13th, 2009 |
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Shootings follow inter-ethnic clashes in Urumqi in which government says 184 people died
Chinese police shot dead two men and injured a third as the trio attacked a fellow Uighur in the riot-hit capital of north-western Xinjiang province today, officials have announced.
The violence follows last week’s inter-ethnic clashes between Uighurs and Han Chinese in Urumqi, in which the government says that 184 people were killed and 1,680 wounded. It has warned that the death toll could rise.
Police fired warning shots today when they saw three Uighurs with long knives chasing an injured Uighur man, but the men then turned on the officers, officials said.
They shot dead two Uighurs with knives and injured another one, who is now in hospital receiving treatment.
Around 20,000 security personnel are stationed in the city, but officials said the officers involved were regular police rather than paramilitaries. They were on patrol in the Tianshan district, close to a Uighur area, when the incident happened shortly before 3pm.
It is rare for the authorities to publish details of this kind of case so quickly.
The Associated Press had earlier reported that gunfire had been heard as residents watched police in bulletproof vests carrying pistols, shotguns and batons chase down a man before kicking and beating him.
It said bystanders fled into their homes and shops, slamming their doors behind them, as an armoured personnel carrier arrived and police waved their guns and shouted for people to get off the streets.
Many witnesses reported hearing gunfire last night, and some said that police shot Uighurs. But officials, who say that rioters were armed, have yet to give any detail of how they attempted to disperse an initially peaceful protest and how they later dealt with rioting and brutal attacks on Han. Subsequent days saw revenge attacks by Han on Uighurs. The government says 137 Han Chinese, 46 Uighurs and one Hui Muslim were killed last week, but some Uighurs believe that many more of their community died.
Exile groups accuse the authorities of killing Uighurs in a crackdown on peaceful protesters, while the authorities claim that exiles deliberately orchestrated the violence.
The state news agency Xinhua said today that police were staffing checkpoints and searching buses for suspects. The Urumqi public security bureau said anyone without proper identification would be taken away for interrogation.
People are also banned from “shouting slogans, posting banners, distributing leaflets or gathering for lectures in city streets or public venues”, the bureau said.
“Police will immediately disperse gatherings and confiscate the propaganda materials and take away key members for interrogation according to law,” Xinhua added.
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The week ahead
July 12th, 2009 |
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The aftermath of riots in western China, and other stories
• VICIOUS riots in Urumqi, the capital of the autonomous province of Xinjiang, caused the deaths of over 150 people. It was the bloodiest known incident of unrest in China since the massacre that ended the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. The violence embarrassed China’s president, Hu Jintao, into skipping the G8 summit in Italy. The authorities responded by imposing a curfew on Urumqi, closing mosques, sending soldiers on to the streets and detaining hundreds of people. China’s leaders may fear that several smaller incidents that have occurred since the main rioting are the prelude to bigger confrontations caused by tension between Han migrants and (mostly) Muslim Uighurs.
For background, see article …
Chemical blast in China’s restive Urumqi: authorities
July 12th, 2009 |
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An explosion at a chemical factory raised tension in China’s restive Urumqi city on Sunday, one week after unrest between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese left more than 180 people dead. Firefighting authorities reported there were no casualties from the oil tank explosion at the factory on
China violence: ‘My husband is gone’
July 11th, 2009 |
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Dong Yuanyuan was a happy newlywed until ethnic hatred spilled over into bloody street violence in China’s far west. She is recovering: her husband is still missing
Dong Yuanyuan should be on honeymoon, sightseeing in Shanghai with her husband. But late last Sunday night, their bus stopped when a set of traffic lights in Urumqi turned red.
A few seconds earlier and the newlyweds might have escaped the ethnic riot sweeping the city. Instead, the hail of rocks and sticks that crashed down on them began an ordeal that would leave the 24-year-old teacher with injuries to her head, neck, arms and legs – and without her husband.
“I really hope to find him, no matter whether he’s dead or alive. At least I would know something. Now I know nothing. We had just got married and our new life was about to start. Now everything is…” She did not finish her sentence.
As the capital of China’s north-western Xinjiang province appears to be settling into an uneasy calm, policed by a security force of about 20,000 paramilitary, riot and regular officers, Dong is one of thousands counting the cost of the past week’s vicious inter-ethnic violence.
After scouring hospitals, her parents have found one body and one unconscious patient who they believe could be Liang He, 29. They cannot be sure until Dong is well enough to be discharged from Urumqi’s People’s Hospital and to look herself.
The government today raised the death toll to 184 and offered the first ethnic breakdown of the dead: 137 Han Chinese – the dominant ethnic group – and 46 Uighurs, who make up almost half of Xinjiang’s population of 21.3 million. One Hui Muslim also died. More than 1,000 people were injured.
Officials had said that 156 people had died on Sunday when peaceful protests over Han killings of two Uighur workers in Guangdong, in the south, turned into a mass riot and apparently indiscriminate attacks on mostly Han Chinese.
The state news agency, Xinhua, did not say whether any of the deaths happened last Tuesday, when vengeful Han mobs took to the streets armed with shovels, iron bars and cleavers and savagely assaulted Uighurs. Paramilitaries eventually dispersed them with tear gas.
Some Uighurs in the city voiced disbelief at how few alleged deaths they had suffered. “That’s the Han people’s number. We have our own number,” Akumjia, a Uighur resident, told Reuters. “Maybe many, many more Uighurs died. The police were scared and lost control.”
Independent evidence to back claims by exiled Uighurs that the authorities beat to death and shot dead peaceful protesters has not come to light, despite the presence of foreign journalists. But Uighur witnesses told one reporter they had seen police shoot dead two Uighurs.
Many Uighurs reported gunfire and the People’s Hospital said it treated people for gunshot wounds. The government has said rioters were armed.
Human Rights Watch called for an independent investigation, saying China had presented “a skewed and incomplete picture of the unrest” that had not included attacks on Uighurs or fully accounted for the role of security forces. The authorities accuse Uighur exiles of orchestrating the violence. They deny the claims.
Dong was caught by a group of young Uighur men as she fled the bus with other passengers, losing sight of her husband in the crush. “They thought I looked like a Han, not a Uighur. The people came and started to beat me. I ran away but they dragged me back. I fell to the ground. Some people punched me as they didn’t have rocks.”
She came around hours later in the darkness, covered in blood; shaken awake by a Hui Muslim woman who hid the newlywed in her home. “I asked them to find my husband,” said Dong. “But they said there were many people lying out on the streets and the Uighurs were still there. Nobody dared go out to rescue people.”
Instead, Dong lay listening to the sounds of breaking glass, fire spreading through torched vehicles and the roar of the mob sweeping back and forth before police finally suppressed the riot. “When I was young, many Uighurs were my neighbours and classmates. Nothing like this ever happened. We’ve had very good relations,” said Dong. “Now my Han female friends and I feel a bit scared when we see Uighur men because we were all hurt by them. I’ll still be nice to the friends I know well, but I may feel scared by strange Uighur men.”
The sense of bewilderment is common to many Han in the city. Several said that government policies – such as the one allowing minority couples to have more than one child – favour Uighurs.But Uighurs resent mass Han immigration and strict controls on their religion. Unemployment is high and many feel the Han look down on them,
“We feel pressure,” said a young man in a Uighur part of town, who requested anonymity. “Our standard of living is lower than Han . We are not comfortable here. We are attacked. We are hassled.” But there is nothing good in this fighting. I want ethnicities in Xinjiang to unite. A quiet life would be good for us.”
It is a longing widely shared despite the seething fear and enmity here. Thousands took part in the rioting; but most of Urumqi’s people want life to return to normal.
For Dong, crouching on a hospital bed, perhaps it never will. Despite her bloodied eye, bandaged head and widespread scarring, all that bothers her is the fate of her husband. “My physical injuries may heal soon, but my emotional wounds won’t heal for a long time,” she said
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Most Xinjiang dead Han Chinese
July 11th, 2009 |
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Some three-quarters of the victims of the violence in China’s western Xinjiang region were ethnic Han Chinese, the official death toll shows.
Of 184 people known to have died, 137 were Han Chinese, 46 were from the indigenous Uighur community and one was an ethnic Hui, local officials said.
Beijing flooded the regional capital Urumqi with security forces to stem the violence which erupted last Sunday.
Correspondents say some Uighurs believe their own death toll was much higher.
"I’ve heard that more than 100 Uighurs have died but nobody wants to talk about it in public," one Uighur man in Urumqi who did not want to give his name told the Associated Press news agency.
Uighurs living in exile outside China have also disputed the Chinese figures. Rebiya Kadeer, the US-based head of the World Uighur Congress, said she believed about 500 people had died.
According to the Chinese death toll released by state media, 26 of the 137 Han Chinese victims were female, while all but one of the 45 Uighurs killed were male.
The single death recorded in the Hui community, which is similar to the Uighurs ethnically and religiously, was that of a male. </p
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Turkey attacks China ‘genocide’
July 10th, 2009 |
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Turkey’s prime minister has described ethnic violence in China’s Xinjiang region as "a kind of genocide".
"There is no other way of commenting on this event," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said.
He spoke after a night-time curfew was reimposed in Xinjiang’s capital, Urumqi, where Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese clashed last Sunday.
The death toll from the violence there has now risen from 156 to 184, China’s state-run Xinhua news agency reports. More than 1,000 people were injured.
Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country, shares linguistic and religious links with the Uighurs in China’s western-most region.
Quentin Sommerville, BBC News, UrumqiAfter Friday’s prayers, a small group of Uighur Muslims marched along an Urumqi street demanding the release of men detained for their alleged role in last Sunday’s riot.
A large number of riot police surrounded the group, they punched and kicked the protestors – one officer used his baton to beat one of the Uighurs. A number of foreign journalists had their equipment seized, some have been detained.
Earlier the group said they feared for their safety. There’s no word from the authorities as to what happened to them.
In pictures: Closed mosques New media openness Q&A: China and the Uighurs
"The event taking place in China is a kind of genocide," Mr Erdogan told reporters in Turkey’s capital, Ankara.
"There are atrocities there, hundreds of people have been killed and 1,000 hurt. We have difficulty understanding how China’s leadership can remain a spectator in the face of these events."
The Turkish premier also urged Beijing to "address the question of human rights and do what is necessary to prosecute the guilty".
Mr Erdogan’s comments came a day after Turkish Trade and Industry Minister Nihat Ergun urged Turks to boycott Chinese goods.
Beijing has so far not publicly commented on Mr Erdogan’s criticism.
But it said that of the 184 people who died, 137 were Han Chinese.
Uighurs defiant
Earlier on Friday, the Chinese authorities reimposed a night-time curfew in Urumqi.
The curfew had been suspended for two days after officials said they had the city under control.
Mosques in the city were ordered to remain closed on Friday and notices were posted instructing people to stay at home to worship.
XINJIANG: ETHNIC UNREST- Main ethnic division: 45% Uighur, 40% Han Chinese
- 26 June: Mass factory brawl after dispute between Han Chinese and Uighurs in Guangdong, southern China, leaves two Uighurs dead
- 5 July: Uighur protest in Urumqi over the dispute turns violent, leaving 156 dead – most of them thought to be Han – and more than 1,000 hurt
- 7 July: Uighur women protest at arrests of menfolk. Han Chinese make armed counter-march
- 8 July: President Hu Jintao returns from G8 summit to tackle crisis
But at least two opened after crowds of Uighurs gathered outside and demanded to be allowed in to pray on the holiest day of the week in Islam.
"We decided to open the mosque because so many people had gathered. We did not want an incident," a policeman outside the White Mosque in a Uighur neighbourhood told the AP news agency.
After the prayers, riot police punched and kicked a small group of Uighurs protesters, who demanded the release of men detained after last Sunday’s violence, the BBC’s Quentin Sommerville says.
Meanwhile, the city’s main bus station was reported to be crowded with people trying to escape the unrest.
Extra bus services had been laid on and touts were charging up to five times the normal face price for tickets, AFP news agency said.
"It is just too risky to stay here. We are scared of the violence," a 23-year-old construction worker from central China said.
The violence began on Sunday when a Uighur rally to protest against a deadly brawl between Uighurs and Han Chinese several weeks ago in a toy factory in southern Guangdong province turned violent.
Tensions have been growing in Xinjiang for many years, as Han migrants have poured into the region, where the Uighur minority is concentrated.
Many Uighurs feel economic growth has bypassed them and complain of discrimination and diminished opportunities.
Are you leaving Urumqi What has been your experience of the unrest in the city in recent days Please send us your comments using the form below:
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.