What really happened at Urumqi on July 5
Zou Yonghong
Evidence shows that the riot was premeditated and that it was
remotely manipulated and instigated by separatist forces from abroad.
The recent violent crimes involving beating, smashing, looting and
arson in Urumqi, capital city of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in
North West China, have drawn much attention of the international
community. A large number of innocent civilians and armed policemen were
killed and many others injured.
What is the reality of this incident? In the evening of July 5, 2009,
gangs of rioters, many with clubs, knives and stones rampaged into
streets and small lanes in the city and on the outskirts of Urumqi from
different directions. The rioters assaulted people they saw, set fire to
buildings and smashed or burned vehicles and shops they came up to. They
committed brutal violence on 220 sites and caused severe casualties and
property loss.
Even pregnant women and young girls were not spared. According to
statistics by 11 pm, July 10, the riot left 184 people dead, 1,080
injured, 260 vehicles damaged, and 209 shops and two blocks of building
burnt down with 56,850 square meters of floor space scorched.
![](z_page-21-Urumqi.jpg)
This image was released by the US based American Association of
the scene in Urumqi on July 5. |
In order to protect the people's life and property and to maintain
social stability at Urumqi, the Government of the Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region took decisive actions in time to rescue the injured
and to track down and arrest the outlaws. As soon as the riot occurred,
the Chinese Government facilitated access to Urumqi by the foreign media
in the hope that the international community could find out what really
happened there.
The situation has been brought under control and efforts are being
made to deal with the aftermath of the violence. The temporary traffic
curfew has been lifted and life in the city has returned to normal.
The background to the incident, which did not happen by chance, is
complex. On June 26, a brawl took place in a toy factory in Shaoguan
City, Guangdong Province between migrant workers from Xinjiang and local
workers. That was a non-criminal case related to public order and was
settled in a timely and just way.
But the World Uyghur Congress, an overseas East Turkestan
organisation headed by ethnic separatist Rebiya Kadeer, used the
incident to stir up ethnic antagonism. It tried to instigate
insurgencies through the Internet and other channels, calling for
"bolder actions" and "something big."
Asserting that 'something serious will happen in Urumqi on 5 July',
Rebiya Kadeer asked her followers to pay close attention to what was
going on. Deplorably, some people with ulterior motives inside the
country colluded with the World Uyghur Congress and began to post
appeals on the Internet on the night of July 4.
They called on people to gather at the South Gate and Renmin Square
of Urumqi by 5 pm on Sunday for a 'demonstration' in response to the
call of the World Uyghur Congress. Such evidence shows that the riot was
a premeditated and organized violent crime committed by separatists
within the country, but with remote manipulation and instigation by
separatist forces from abroad.
On the second day of the riot, more than 150 'Eastern Turkestan'
activists attacked the Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands, damaging
Embassy facilities and posing a severe threat to the staff and property.
The Chinese Consulate-General in the German city of Munich was also
attacked by unidentified persons. Was not this further evidence that
Eastern Turkestan groups from within and outside China are working in
collusion to undermine the unity and stability of the country?
'But haven't the World Uyghur Congress and Rebiya Kadeer always
claimed that they are never involved in violence and terrorism?', is a
question that is sometimes raised. Those claims are false. This year,
the World Uyghur Congress has been preparing for its third conference,
which, according to Rebiya Kadeer, will work out plans of infiltration
and sabotage targeting the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the
People's Republic of China. Furthermore, a 'three-step initiative for
Xinjiang independence in 50 years' has also been plotted.
People may wonder what China has to say about the concerns of some
foreign human rights groups that those arrested might face unfair trial
or even persecution by the Chinese Government. Why are these so-called
human rights advocacy groups not expressing any sympathy for those
innocent civilians who fell victim to the brutal criminals? It is
precisely to protect the life and property of people of all ethnicities
in Xinjiang that the Chinese law enforcement departments arrested
law-breakers with legal procedures.
No Government in the world will sit idle watching innocent people
being killed or allow such serious violence to happen without taking any
action. China is a law-based country and all criminals will be punished
in strict accordance with the law.
Will China change its ethnic policy? It is a multi-ethnic country.
Historically, various ethnic groups in the country have shared weal and
woe and forged a close and interdependent kinship as one united people.
We take a clear-cut stance in opposing national secessionism and
terrorist acts. This is for the sake of national unity and social
harmony and stability and is in the utmost interest of the Chinese
people, including the 21 million residents of various ethnic groups in
Xinjiang.
Xinjiang today, is seeing vigorous development in various aspects.
The people there enjoy a peaceful life with unity and harmony among
different ethnic groups. This has been made possible through our
adherence to the policy of regional autonomy for ethnic minorities. What
has just happened in Urumqi was surely against our will.
But the incident indicates more than ever that we must redouble our
efforts to safeguard the favourable conditions on which people of all
ethnic groups can work in unity and pursue common prosperity. We are
determined to cherish social and political harmony and stability, and
stay firmly committed to the existing ethnic policy.
(The writer is a Press Officer at the Chinese Embassy in New
Delhi.) |