The Xinhua news agency is now reporting that, between 8:00 PM on 5 July and 12:30 AM on 6 July (Beijing time), rioting broke out in several parts of the city of Urumqi. They report several “innocents” and one member of the Armed Police among the dead. Xinhua reports that the actions took place at People’s Square, (South) Liberation Street, South Xinhua Street (新华南路), and the Outer Ring Road (外环路). These locations basically circumscribe the Döngköwrük/Erdaoqiao area, the neighborhood of Urumqi most heavily populated with Muslim minorities.
Echoing the assertions made by Xinjiang Chairman Nur Bekri in a televised and delayed speech just an hour ago, the demonstrations were a criminal action organized by outside forces, in particular Rebiya Kadeer and the World Uyghur Congress. Nur Bekri went on to assert that QQ, social messaging software popular in China, and other forms of unrestricted on-line communication helped to organize the actions. He also discussed the clash in Shaoguan, suggesting that the incident is at the forefront of the leadership’s minds, right now, and that they want very much to control information about what happened there and convince Uyghurs that the government is on their side.
Unfortunately, the immediate media and official response to the clash in Shaoguan, in which Han workers attacked and killed Uyghur workers until riot police showed up several hours later, was surprisingly nationalistic and hostile to the Uyghur workers. Officials and the media began to show sympathy only after it was revealed that the riots were triggered in part by false rumors spread by a former employee.
Meanwhile, the Urumqi municipal government has issued a notice restricting traffic through unspecified parts of the city. Automobiles are not permitted in certain areas. I suspect that those areas are those in which rioting occurred and where workers will be cleaning up (or covering up) the damage.
Sources:
6 July 2009, Xinhua: 乌鲁木齐市人民政府关于维护社会正常秩序的紧急通告
6 July 2009, Xinhua: 乌鲁木齐发生打砸抢烧严重暴力犯罪事件
Comments 33
Was there an “official response” to Shaoguan? I can’t see anything on Xinhua about it, while the Urumchi protest was written up straightaway as a “violent incident”? Not that I’m all that surprised about the discrepancy here, but can anyone inform me how Shaoguan was covered inside China, if at all?
Posted 06 Jul 2009 at 7:36 am ¶Immediately after the Shaoguan incident, most Chinese media outlets and individual bloggers were very sympathetic to the Han rioters’ motivation that the Uyghurs had caused a string of rapes and robberies, however the official news outlets, such as Xinhua, later coordinated with the Shaoguan police department and essentially exonerated the Uyghurs by saying that there were no rapes in that area recently and that the rumors were spread by a disgruntled ex-worker – here’s a link to the official accounting of what happened in Shaoguan.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2009-06/28/content_11616967.htm
Posted 06 Jul 2009 at 7:53 am ¶Thanks for that Porfiriy. You say that Xinhua exonerated the Uyghurs, but I’ve just been reading the English report on Urumchi (link below), and it seems as if Xinhua haven’t completely abandoned the sexual assault story. Halfway down it glibly notes that the Shaoguan riot was set off by a Uyghur “sex attack”.
It’s not clear from the context if this is how Nur Bekri explained it in his speech, I certainly wouldn’t put it past him. Otherwise it seems as if Xinhua is trundling out a discredited story to amplify their condemnation of the Urumchi protesters.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/06/content_11658819.htm
Posted 06 Jul 2009 at 8:19 am ¶Oops, the quote is “sex assault”, not “sex attack”.
Posted 06 Jul 2009 at 8:22 am ¶Actually, this version makes it clear that the claim of a “sex assault” is Nur Bekri’s:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-07/06/content_11658819.htm
So, the leading Uyghur politician in China is perpetuating a discredited slander against the Uyghur people, long after the Chinese police and media have chosen to drop it. You’d be forgiven for thinking he was deliberately trying to inflame the situation.
Posted 06 Jul 2009 at 8:27 am ¶Kurt, if you had half a brain, perhaps you would have understood your accusation made 0 sense.
Posted 06 Jul 2009 at 2:28 pm ¶Any credible death toll for Urumqi incident? Some astronomical figures are floating around on the prop net sites. Youtube has some posts/ images which blurr distinctions between the injured in Shaoguan and Urumqi.
Posted 06 Jul 2009 at 3:47 pm ¶OK huazai, explain it to me. What doesn’t make sense about someone who went to last year’s PCC and talked up the terrorism issue bullying local Uyghurs into more of these kinds of desperate actions? Check Xinhua, Nur Bekri is now the top news item. I’m not saying he set off the initial protest, just suggesting that he benefits from exacerbating it. Seems obvious to me.
Posted 06 Jul 2009 at 6:39 pm ¶It’s amazing to see people who otherwise don’t believe a single word Xinhua says suddenly refer to it as the reliable authoritative source of information.
If, hypothetically, the reports about rape were real, then the easiest way for the authorities to deal with it would obviously be publicly dismissing them as rumors. Any ethnic tension is dangerous, and one of sexual natural is outright nuclear. Once officially confirmed, it would become an unsolvable problem.
Just like it’s not beyond Nur Bekri to make Rebiya Kadeer a scapegoat for anything bad happening in Xinjiang, it’s not beyond the Guangdong police to make a jobless man a scapegoat for a deadly riot with infinite lasting conflict potential.
In the end, it almost doesn’t matter whether there’s any truth to those rumors — the damage has been done. If seen your fellows killed by a mob is not bad enough, been (collectively) branded as rapists is sure to enrage any group of people — it’s the one thing that’s actually worse then being racially profiled as terrorist suspects.
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 1:03 am ¶The GVO has a report with some surprisingly nuanced comments on the matter:
http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/07/06/china-urumqi-mass-incident-and-beyond/
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 1:05 am ¶“The ethnic policy of the Chinese government has turned the Uyghur in Han regions into privileged social group.”
“Local government tends to protect the Uyghur people. In case of mass incident, it is common for the government to repress the Han Chinese, but they would be very careful in handling Uyghur people’s protest.”
Kurt, as a chinese in china, I told you the above quotes are really truth. Sometimes I even wonder why the government don’t treat Uyqhur as han people, and some Uyquhur take the privilege as granted and be very rude to han people(just the normal people, not the government)
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 1:54 am ¶but be very rude to han people.
I think they are very stupid to harm the normal people, If they are really angry, pls fight the government, don’t do harm to the normal people.
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 1:57 am ¶@a chinese: I’m sorry you feel that the Uyghurs are rude to Han people, but do you have any idea as to why the Uyghurs might feel just a little bit offended by your own comments? The Chinese army has just carried out the largest massacre of civilians since Tiananman, against unarmed Uyghurs, and you endorse the views that the “Uyghurs [are] a privileged social group” and “local government tends to protect the Uyghur people”???
Well, if privileged social groups get mowed down in the street in China, I’d hate to see what happens to the ordinary people.
Have Chinese people really been so blinded to Uyghur suffering by their own nationalism that they can still believe things like this?
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 6:45 am ¶I think “a chinese” meant some of the affirmative action policies such as lowing the score requirement for school entrance exams for ethnic minorities. But in a society with deep root of discrimination and prejudice, such policy often triggers “reverse discrimination” resentment.
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 7:42 am ¶To solve this century (or maybe even centuries old) ethnic tension, some affirmative action is far from enough.
Kurt, you have the gall to claim uyghurs were massacred when all available facts suggest that it is predominantly the innocent bystanders that were killed by this rioting mob??
Give me a break.
You conveniently put all the blame for the 6/26 Shaoguan incident on the Han Chinese and turn around to blame Han Chinese again for the killings in this riot?
Has your conscience been “mowed down” by your hatred of China?
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 9:39 am ¶Kurt, I strongly support arrest all uyghurs who took part in the riot and killed innocent people (no matter han or uyghur, some uyghurs are also wounded by uyghurs this time). I think they should even be executed.
For the nationalism, pls talk with the government, not the ordinary people. You know, this is a complicated issue, which exists in many countries, even in America, not in china alone. No one could tell simply which side is right or which side is wrong. The men who are not happy could present a petition or fight, but pls remember, the target is not the ordinary people.
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 11:42 am ¶I understand some uyghurs have complains, but we han people have a lot too! Though in my personal opinion, I think the chinese government is improving, and things could get better and better.
But one thing you should bear in mind, the chinese government really take uyghurs as a first-class citizen, not the second-class as some foreign country claimed.
If uyghurs don’t cherish that, want to fight instead, I just feel sorry. I think they should take the chance to get more education and improve xinjiang’s economics, and improve their own life too.
Again, if they want to fight, pls fight the government, thanks!
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 11:54 am ¶Just a simple example, If I fight with a uyghurs in the street, the chinese police will treat me much stern than the uyghurs.
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 12:02 pm ¶If this violence is aroused by han people, the chinese police will be very very cruel to us(han people) too, just like the Tiananman which you may know as well.
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 12:07 pm ¶I even support the police to shoot those who has a knife in his hand immediately on the crime scene if same riot happens again. The chinese government has been too cautious for the world impression, too tolerant so that so many han people died this time.
You know, han people is not allowed to take knife with them in china, but uyghurs are allowed. This is also another policy which is partial to uyghurs.But uyghurs don’t cherish that.
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 12:47 pm ¶In Tiananman event, how many han people died on the scene? In this riot, how many uyghurs died on the scene?
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 1:02 pm ¶Tiananmen massacre is not a conflict between two ethnic groups. What tiananmen proves is anyone, no matter what your ethnic background is, can be persecuted for going to the street and denouncing the government. You think if a large number of uyghurs were involved in tiananman the troops would somehow be more restrianed toward them than the han people? I don’t think anyone would come to that bizzare conclusion.
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 2:04 pm ¶Ralphie, I agree with you. What I want to express is that in most cases, the police won’t treat uyghurs as a second-class citizen , they don’t dare because the government policy protests uyghurs more than han people.
As to the “Shaoguan event”, /*I just guess*/, the government want to protect uyghurs at first, they don’t even want to mention this event in fear of arising conflict between han and uyghurs. The usual result will be punishing han people more sternly while forgive uyghurs as much as they could. It’s uyghurs who don’t understand that, on the contrary, want to make it public and big.
/*Again, I just guess*/ the sexual attack or sexual assault does happened, but the government want to dismiss these crimes lightly at first because of the ethnic reason.
Some (not all) uyghurs really did bad things audaciously. I saw with my own eye that uyghur children stealing money on the street in a flagrant way , just before me, they don’t care other people are just behind them and watching them. But many han thieves don’t dare do it in such a way.
I just hope uyghurs to get more education, get better life, feel as proud as han people, not seeing themself as a second-class citizen. The government didn’t treat them like that.
Posted 07 Jul 2009 at 3:01 pm ¶@a Chinese: you left out a major party in this conflict: the people. I am sure you realize that among all the Han people you know, most of them would agree with your point, that is, when it comes to crimes, Uyghurs are more vicious than Han. You might also notice that the very word Uyghur in everyday speech can often indicate violent criminals. These are evidences of prejudice. People who create, or help spread prejudice are to blame too. Hitler would not be able to persecute the Jews without the help of the strong prejudice against the Jews in the German society. To think that somehow the government can solve all the problem is unrealistic, especially when the problem is deep rooted ethnic tension.
Posted 08 Jul 2009 at 9:48 am ¶I hope Uyghur could do something to clear up the misunderstanding, especially the high educated ones, if there was prejudice. Do sth good to improve their images, this could only be done by themselves.
I have seen some Uyghurs, besides the little thieves I mentioned, also some students in a top university in china. I didn’t say the Uyghur students are vicious, but they also seems kind of arrogant(just a little).
I, and maybe most han people, don’t see Uyghur as enemies, we would like to have them as friends, peacefully and happily, under the same eaves, we should be family. But what we saw disappointed us again and again. I understand every ethnic group has good guys and bad guys. I just want to see more good part of Uyghurs, and the high educated ones may have more responsibility. Don’t isolate themselves and provoke conficts, it’s not a good end for both sides, see palestinian and Israel, is that what they want?
Posted 08 Jul 2009 at 10:47 am ¶China’s image in the world was also kind of vicious, but you see, it’s taking lots of actions to improve the image, and now we already can see some positive results.
Posted 08 Jul 2009 at 10:53 am ¶@a chinese: you say the Uyghurs are responsible for improving their image in China. How is that supposed to come about, when the entire system of information and representation in China is in the hands of Han Chinese? You seem to lack the most basic understanding of how ethnic stereotypes are formed and perpetuated.
Posted 08 Jul 2009 at 11:02 am ¶The most important system of information and representation in the world is in the hands of western countries, but china didn’t give up, still try best to show the positive part of china.
What’s more, I don’t believe something just because anyone or anything say that until I saw it with my own eyes. The government also lies sometime, for example, the cause of “Shaoguang Event”, I still guess some Uyghurs did something really bad, and not fortuitously.
Posted 08 Jul 2009 at 12:05 pm ¶http://www.zaobao.com/special/china/cnpol/pages2/cnpol090708.shtml
Many han people think the government is too partial to Uyghurs, and they are bullied by Uyghurs(maybe someone not so educated) from time to time.
This is true from my own experience.
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骚乱已使得整个乌鲁木齐几乎陷入瘫痪，街道上几乎所有商店都关闭。35岁的设计公司老板王建昆昨天动员公司的20名员工参加游行，他在受访时说：“出现今天的惨剧是政府不作为的结果，是多年来对维族一味退让，最后养虎贻患的结果。”
他说：“今天游行既是给维族一个震慑，也是对政府的一个警告。如果维族胆敢像以前那样欺负汉族，我们一定会还以颜色。对于政府，如果你不能保护我们，我们就会自己动手保护自己。今天的棍子就是我们的武器，我们不会任人欺负。”
一个家住南门的中年妇女陈秀英（38岁）昨天也和丈夫以及12岁的儿子一起游行，一家三口都拿了一根棍子。她受访时说：“我家就在维族聚集区，现在我是有家不敢回。维族太欺负人了，这次我们汉族是忍无可忍，大家才持棍棒走向街头，展示我们汉族的力量。”
Posted 08 Jul 2009 at 12:32 pm ¶I agree with dawutjan. People create stereotypes without even noticing it. “a chinese” just gave us an example when he says the Uyhgur students also seem arrogant. My universe! They SEEM arrogant. I have seen enough heavily tattooed, pierced, or motorcycle gangester lookalikes treating elders very nicely on the bus here (not in China). Sure, they SEEM vicious. But they might not be as vicious as you think.
Posted 09 Jul 2009 at 12:17 am ¶In a homogeneous society such as China and Japan, prejudice can be easily related to a person’s ethnic background because ethnic characteristics on the physical level is so easily identifiable.
As a matter of fact, there are arrogant people everywhere. If you go to the KTV or bar districts at night in most of the cities in China, you see tons of people whom you would normally take as thugs. They do get drunk and fight over their girlfriends or whatever in the public. AND, the majority of them are Han. BUT, you won’t say, geez, the Han people look vicious. That’s because you consciously know the thugs here don’t even make up 1% of the population in the city. Yet, you pick out a couple Uyghur students in the eastern cities who mere SEEM arrogant and somehow you can use this to prove a point. I’m sorry, you just managed to provide a piece of evidence of prejudice.
Like dawutjan said, it’s bizarre to ask people who are discriminated against to change the view of the people who are discriminating.
I didn’t say all Uyghurs are vicious, but how many percent of Uyghurs will be friendly to han people? I totally agree more is better, but if let me guess, I can only say maybe it’s around 50% or less.
When traveling to Xinjiang, most han people dare not to talk or make deal with Uyghurs, including me.(I are longing to be there for sightseeing but haven’t so far ). Because I’m afraid to get in trouble, even in han region of eastern cities. Why? Are we wrong? I hope I’m wrong.
If you say that I’m worrying unnecessarily, I’ll be very glad to hear that.
Posted 09 Jul 2009 at 1:26 am ¶@a chinese. Your example is classic. If you look at history and even the contemporary world, one typical sign of prejudice is ungrounded phobia. The Europeans used to think that Jews carry disease, the whites used to (and some nutheads in the small towns might still) think that blacks, and Latinos carry disease, Latinos are assumed to be illegal immigrants and criminals, the whites in the late 19th century limited Chinese only in chinatowns in several cities in west coast, and henceforth “chinatown” used to be a word to scare children… Do those people subjectively fear the minority group? You bet. And I have no doubt that you and the Han people you mentioned subjectively feared Uyghurs too. But that doesn’t mean it’s reasonable fear.
Posted 09 Jul 2009 at 4:33 am ¶Besides, I have no idea how you come up with your number.
Lastly, now that you admit there is this fear (or misunderstanding, in my opinion), don’t you think it is time for BOTH sides to reach out rather than deepening the fear? If you agree, then the first step is not convincing one another how scared you are or how scary the Uyghurs (or the Han) are, but rather try to understand each other.
You are quite right, if more poeple like you would stand out, we han people could know more about them. Han people didn’t discriminate Uyghurs purposely, it was only due to the lack of communication.
Any way, hope things could turn better.
Posted 09 Jul 2009 at 1:34 pm ¶Post a Comment