Fresh chaos erupts in Urumqi

2009-07-07 13:53:09  

    URUMQI, July 7 (Xinhua) --

Chaos hit Urumqi again Tuesday afternoon, nearly two days after a riot that killed 156 people and injured more than 1,000 others.

    Several thousand protesters, mostly Han Chinese, marched along Youhao Street and Guangming Street toward Erdaoqiao, mainly inhabited by Uygurs, in downtown Urumqi.

    The protesters, holding clubs, knives, axes, hammers and various types of tools that could be used as weapons, shouted "protecting our home, protect our family members".

    They were stopped by units of the Armed Police before reaching the destination. No clashes were reported.

    A Xinhua reporter saw an officer with the Armed Police crying while he followed the march.

    Li Zhi, Party leader in Urumqi, rushed to the scene at about 4:30 p.m., to appease the protesters.

    "Down with Rebiya (Kadeer). Let's unite and try to build a better Urumqi," Li yelled through a loudspeaker.

    "Uygur people and Han Chinese are brothers and sisters, we are a family," said the official while repeatedly asking the crowds to leave.

    Many of the protesters began to persuade others to refrain from extreme action, "otherwise those who instigated the deadly Sunday violence would be very happy to see more unrests," a man said while listening to Li's talk.

    But some people asked for punishment of the killers and stronger government action.

    "Let's leave here now. Rebiya must be very willing to see that Urumqi turns out to be in a mess," another protester shouted.

    A Uygur woman, hugging a child, walked through the protesters with a police escort.

    "Let them go. Uygur mobs killed our women and children, but we will not kill theirs," some protesters said.

    The crowds spontaneously sang the National Anthem and gradually dispersed in about 40 minutes. Only several hundred remained at the scene.

    Many protesters had gathered at the Urumqi South Railway Station, Changjiang Road, Yangzijiang Road and some other places. People ran away in panic and roadside shops were shut down.

    Residents of some community compounds held bats for self-defense.

    "We will not hide anymore. We will fight back if they (the rioters) come," said a man standing in front of a building in Shihezi.

    Crowds of people rushed to the municipal people's hospital to take shelter. Many nurses were trying to call their relatives to make sure they are safe.

    An adult who was coughing up blood and a young man whose head was covered in blood were rushed to the hospital for emergency treatment.

    The regional hospital of traditional Chinese medicine received about three Han Chinese with fresh wounds on their bodies in the afternoon, the president of the hospital told Xinhua.

    Witnesses said a group of people gathering around an outlet of the Quanjude roast duck restaurant at Changjiang Road were beating a man at about 2 p.m..

    Police managed to stop the attack and rescued the man.

    Someone drove a car into a police wagon during a standoff with police at Tuanjie Road at about 1:30 p.m.. Police have arrested a number of people. The number of arrests in the latest outburst is unknown at this time.

    "I was shocked how they killed people bloodily. Beating and killing innocent people is extremely cruel," Alfred N. Shifu, an English teacher with Beijing City University, told Xinhua.

    "For a long time, the Chinese government has been pretty tolerant, but they should crackdown severely on those terrorists," said the 32-year-old Cameroon national, who has been in China for seven years. "I think the police should shoot any of those killers."

    Evidence showed that the separatist World Uyghur Congress leader Rebiya Kadeer masterminded the Sunday violence. Rioters attacked civilians, smashed vehicles and shops and set fire to urban facilities.

    (Writings by Xinhua correspondents Zhao Ying, Gui Tao and Cao Kai in Beijing and Li Jianmin, Ji Shaoting, He Zhanjun and Xing Guangli in Xinjiang; Reporting by bureau reporters in Xinjiang)

Traffic blockade remains in some streets of NW Chinese city

 2009-07-07 02:05:18  

    URUMQI, July 7 (Xinhua) --

Riot-plagued Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, was slowly returning calm but traffic blockade remained in some streets Monday night after the riot on Sunday evening killed at least 156 people.

    Police officers were seen wearing riot gear and standing guard in downtown areas. Police vehicles kept patrolling the blockaded streets including Xinhua South Road and Renmin Road Monday night.

    Debris has been cleared from most of the roads, but few people were seen in major markets or buses.

    Bus stations near the People's Square, where the riot started, were cancelled. Most shops in areas where the violence occurred remained closed as of Monday night.

    Up to now 156 people have been confirmed dead and more than 800were injured in the riot.

    Rioters burned 261 motor vehicles, including 190 buses, at least 10 taxis and two police cars, said Liu Yaohua, the region's police chief.

    Police have detained about 700 people in connection with the riot, including a dozen who were suspected of fanning the unrest. Police are still searching for about 90 other key suspects in the city. Liu said. 

Editor: Mu Xuequan

Xinjiang Party chief calls for avoiding ethnic conflicts amid fresh chaos

2009-07-07 17:19:28  

    URUMQI, July 7 (Xinhua) --

The city of Urumqi would adopt a "comprehensive traffic control" Tuesday night to avoid further chaos amid the ongoing unrest, said Wang Lequan, Communist Party chief of Xinjiang in northwest China, in a televised speech Tuesday.

    The traffic control would be imposed from 9 p.m. Tuesday to 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, said Wang, secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

    "It may bring some inconvenience to you, but we expect your understanding," he said.

    Wang delivered his speech when fresh chaos hit Urumqi again Tuesday afternoon, nearly two days after a riot that killed 156 people and injured more than 1,000 others.

    Several thousand protesters, mostly Han Chinese, marched along Youhao Street and Guangming Street toward Erdaoqiao, mainly inhabited by Uygurs, in downtown Urumqi in the afternoon.

    The protesters held clubs, knives, axes, hammers and various types of tools that could be used as weapons, and shouted "protect our home, protect our family members".

    They were stopped by units of the Armed Police before reaching the destination. No clashes were reported.

    In his speech, Wang called for avoiding confrontation between ethnic groups in the region.

    "Some Han people took to the streets in Urumqi today, disrupting social order," he said. "It is completely unnecessary."

    "Neither the people of Han nor Uygur ethnicity are willing to see the Han people being attacked. It is the same the other way around. If the Han people attack the innocent Uygur people, it is also heart-breaking."

    "The family members of those who were involved in the violence are innocent. We should be cool-headed and do not be fooled by the enemies," he said.

    "Our targets should be the hostile forces, both at home and abroad, and criminals, rather than our own brothers and sisters of different ethnic backgrounds," said the official.

    "Unreasonable behavior will only further worsen the situation," he said.

    Secretary of the CPC Urumqi city committee Li Zhi took to the streets at about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to persuade the protestors to return home.

    Under police protection, a Uygur woman and her child passed the downtown Jiexin Garden, where about 3,000 people gathered. "Some rioters killed our families, including women and children. We cannot do so. Let them pass," said a citizen among the crowd.

    The crowded protestors dispersed before the traffic control was imposed.

    A boy about 13 years old who climbed up a tree in the nearby Mashi Compound for fear of the fresh riot was sent back home by the police and some Han people.

    But some customers and students in the streets were still holding sticks in case of more danger two hours before the traffic curfew was scheduled to start.

    Wang said an overwhelming majority of the suspects involved in the deadly riot were under investigation.

    "Some of those involved are students. Most of the youngsters were unaware of the truth. If they did not play a major role in the violence, they will be released. Their future should not be ruined."

    "All the injured have received the best medical treatment," said Wang.

    The government would comfort and compensate bereaved families, and strive to help restore business for those who suffered losses in the violence, he said.

Police arrests 1,434 suspects in connection with Xinjiang riot

 2009-07-07 08:21:21  

    URUMQI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Police have arrested 1,434 suspects in connection with the riot Sunday evening in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to official sources.

    Li Yi, head of the publicity department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Xinjiang regional committee, said early Tuesday morning that the suspects included 1,379 men and 55 women.

    "The police have started interrogations with the suspects," said Li.

Editor: Sun