Agent of change

Chen Huanbo with children from the village's primary school.[Photo provided to China Daily]

When Chen visits homes, some families appear friendly and some indifferent. The Uygur villagers face the same problems as people in other places. They quarrel with their neighbors, but if a dispute involves Uygur and Han, it can be seen as an ethnic conflict.

He visited a villager who was sentenced to 12 years in prison in 2000 for the crime of endangering State security. The man, who had returned home and fathered two children, had learned to speak fluent Mandarin in prison.

"He was reluctant to talk about his past. He said he only wanted to focus on improving the life of his family," Chen says.

In order to better understand the villagers, Chen studied a Chinese version of the Quran. Chen has made friends with Mullah Abdul Sammy, a respected senior cleric, who told him, "all real Muslims hate terrorism".

Chen asked if he could take a Uygur name. The cleric said yes, but he should have four witnesses and the mullah must chant from the Quran, which made Chen hesitate.

"There was no precedent. I'm always puzzled about issues related to religion and ethnic groups," Chen says, adding the nation lacks expertise in ethnic issues and how to bridge the gap between Han and Uygur.

"Sending officials to southern Xinjiang is a trial. We need to cautiously look for solutions to the problems."

After a terrorist attack in a market in Urumqi left 31 dead and 94 injured on May 22, Chen and his colleagues posted anti-terrorism notices on the door of every house in the village. A day later, some had been torn down.

"My heart sank. I thought they had rejected us. But after talking with those families, I learned naughty kids had done it - not the adults," Chen says.

Chen's online diary has many Chinese followers, and many readers leave comments. Someone by the name Laowen, wrote: "I was sent to Khotan in southern Xinjiang in March. I think what you write is true. Many Uygurs there still live in poverty."