By China Watcher
It is rare that the Chinese government has admitted openly the act of killing 12 Uighur rioters during the ethnic unrest in Xinjiang recently. Anyway, the West would as usual doubted the figures and would continue to make its assertion that it is much higher, trusting the unreliable sources of the Uighur exiles (or the exiled Tibetans earlier).
I came across the two different reports on the same set of news and I want the readers to take note and tell me the difference.
Western news media
The Chinese news media reported that the Chinese police shot dead 12 "mobsters" during ethnic unrest in Urumqi on July 5, which was necessary to prevent further bloodshed. It went on to mention that three died on the spot and nine after unsuccessful treatment.
The report did not give details of the ethnicity of the deceased, but Beijing has blamed the violence in the Xinjiang regional capital that day on the Uighurs. Chinese authorities previously said the "riot" on July 5 left 192 people dead, most from China's dominant ethnic group, the Han.
The Uighurs, many of whom have complained of repression under China's 60-year rule in the huge mountainous region of Xinjiang, have accused Chinese forces of opening fire on peaceful protests. Thousands of Han Chinese went on the rampage in the following days, arming themselves with makeshift weapons and marching through Urumqi vowing vengeance against the Uighurs in some of the worst ethnic violence in China in decades.
Xinhua news agency
A senior official of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region said here Saturday Xinjiang has the confidence to erase the negative impacts of the July 5 riot "in the shortest time" in an interview with overseas reporters.
Nur Bekri, chairman of the regional government, also said in the interview that on the night of July 5, policemen in the regional capital Urumqi "resolutely" shot 12 mobsters after firing guns into the air had no effects on these "extremely vicious" thugs.
Three of them died on the spot while nine died after failing treatment.
"The police showed as much restraint as possible during the unrest. Many of them were injured and a 31-year-old officer was killed. He was hit by mobsters in the head with a stone," said Nur Bekri. He added that many innocent people were injured in the head by thugs with iron rods, stones and bricks. Knives were also used.
According to the official, the riot has left a total of 197 people dead, and most of them were innocent residents. Nur Bekri admitted that they had never expected a student parade could turn into such ferocious violence.
He said that the local government had taken timely actions to prevent emergencies as soon as they received information on the students' plan.
"But we could never imagine that the mobsters were so extremely vicious and inhumane... We really didn't expect that," he said, referring to thugs entering small alleys and lanes to attack innocent people.
He said that these perpetrators had prepared many weapons such as rods, stones and took actions in various places at the same time, which experts said was similar to the terrorist attacks that occurred in other countries recently. Nur Bekri said as the local situation is becoming more stable, "it won't be long" before the Internet was completely reopened to the public.
He said that during the riot, the Internet and cell phone messages became the main communication methods for mobsters, and it was necessary for the government to shut down the Internet to stabilize people's emotions and restore social order.
He pointed out this is a measure all countries in the world would adopt in similar situations.
Currently some professional web sites are already accessible in the region, he added.
In summary Nur Bekri told reporters the following:
1. The negative effects left by the riot would be erased "in the shortest time" and the government had the confidence to ensure the fast development of the region's economy. He said worries about the future situation of Xinjiang were completely "unnecessary".
2. Statistics show that thousands of traveling groups were cancelled after the riot, involving hundreds of thousands of tourists. He told the press that Xinjiang is capable of providing a harmonious and safe environment for tourists... The riot will not affect the opening up policy of the region and the local authority sincerely welcome businessmen from home and aboard to invest in the region.
3. He refuted foreign reports which claimed that women of Uygur were forced to go eastward to work. Such reports are completely untrue. Before these women were organized to work in other provinces, the government must get permission from their parents and consent from the individuals.The local government spent 300 million to 400 million yuan to provide free courses on technology and language for people going to work in other places. Every year, a total of 100,000 migrant workers from south Xinjiang will be organized to work in other regions to earn more money.
4. He denied that promoting mandarin Chinese in the region was aimed to eliminate or replace ethnic languages. He reiterated that other than learning the Uighur language well, it is very beneficial for ethnic people to learn mandarin and even other foreign language.as this would provide more working opportunities.
5. He revealed that the Chinese government will spend a total of 3 billion yuan rebuilding the old town area of Kashgar, a key city on the silk road whose population is mostly of Uygur ethnic group. The Uighur leader said that most of the houses in the old town were made of brick-wood and were very unstable if an earthquake occurs. Also some residents live on high slopes and their houses may collapse at any time.
Which one will give you a more detailed explanation and which one is more one-sided, bias and inflammatory?
No comments:
Post a Comment