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Measures to curb violence increased in Urumqi

By Hu Yinan, Lei Xiaoxun and Zhao Huanxin (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-07-08 07:38

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 Tuesday afternoon, less than two days after a riot in which 156 people were killed and more than 1,000 injured.

Measures to curb violence increased in Urumqi
Photo released by police shows two citizens carrying a wounded person in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on July 5, 2009. [chinadaily.com.cn]

As of Tuesday, 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 Tuesday.

"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 Tuesday.

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 Tuesday 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 Tuesday 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 .

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