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Officials appeal for calm

By Hu Yinan, Lei Xiaoxun and Zhao Huanxin (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-08 07:40

URUMQI: Xinjiang authorities declared a traffic curfew in the regional capital from 9 pm last night to 8 am today as part of heightened measures to quell escalating violence.

The move came after chaos hit the city again yesterday afternoon, less than two days after a riot in which 156 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured.

As of yesterday, more than 209 shops were damaged and 260 vehicles, including 11 belonging to the police, were torched.

"The casualty rate and loss from this incident are the most severe in Xinjiang since the establishment of the People's Republic of China," the city's Party chief, Li Zhi, told a press conference yesterday.

"This is not a single, ethnic issue. The violence has not only impeached the peace and order of Xinjiang, it has also ignited anger among people," Urumqi Mayor Jerla Isamudin said.

Many countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey condoled the loss of life.

Attacks on Chinese embassies on Monday in the Netherlands and Germany by mobs that included people demanding an independent "Eastern Turkestan" were condemned by the Foreign Ministry yesterday.

Spokesman Qin Gang said both countries pledged to protect the buildings and staff.

Police in Urumqi have arrested 1,434 suspects in connection with Sunday evening's riot, according to official sources.

Li Yi, head of the publicity department of the Party's Xinjiang regional committee, said yesterday that the suspects were made up of 1,379 men and 55 women.

"The police have started interrogating the suspects," Li said, adding that those who were found not to be involved in the riot would be released.

Wang Lequan, Party secretary of the Xinjiang regional committee, in a televised speech, urged ethnic groups to avoid confrontation in a region where Han Chinese make up about 40 percent of the population, with 47 other ethnic groups including the Uygur, Hui, Kazak and Mongolian forming the rest.

But several thousand protesters marched on Youhao and Guangming streets toward Erdaoqiao Road in downtown Urumqi yesterday afternoon, Xinhua reported.

Holding clubs, knives, axes and hammers, they shouted: "Protecting our homes! Protecting our family members!"

They were stopped by units of armed police and no clashes were reported.

Li Zhi, the Urumqi Party chief, rushed to the scene at about 4:30 pm to appease them.

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

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 unrest", a man said while listening to Li.

The crowds spontaneously sang the national anthem and most gradually dispersed in about 40 minutes.

However, more than 50 of them, armed with shovels and wooden sticks, started marching toward Longquan Street, where a well-known Uygur residential area is located and police vehicles were torched on Sunday night.

More than 70 police officers arrived at the scene, and fired rubber bullets to bring the situation under control.

Wang said such confrontations were "entirely unnecessary".

"Everyone should keep a clear mind. It's pointless and heartbreaking if the Han ethnic group target innocent Uygur people," he said.

"Even the families of those who participated in the riots are innocent. We should keep a sober mind and not fall into the trap of our enemies. We should not target our ethnic sisters and brothers."

Before the appeal for calm, groups of Uygurs staged protests yesterday morning, against the hopes of many in the capital for life to return to normal soon.

At least 200 took to the streets of downtown Urumqi at about 10:30 am yesterday, during a visit by a group of foreign reporters.

They were reportedly demanding the release of family members whom they said had been taken away by authorities on Monday night.

The authorities are sparing no efforts to protect the security of the people from all ethnic backgrounds, Li said.

More than 1,000 contingency medical squads have been dispatched and more than 20 local hospitals have been designated as part of rescue efforts, authorities said.

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

The government will support and compensate bereaved families and help restore the businesses of those who suffered losses, he said.

Li said the authorities also had "solid evidence" that Rebiya Kadeer, the leader of the separatist World Uygur Congress, suspected of instigating the attacks, used the Internet and other forms of networks to mobilize rioters.

The government has put temporary restrictions on the Internet and other communication networks.

"Everything will be restored soon after the situation becomes stable," Li said.

Xinhua contributed to the story