URUMQI, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Family members of Rebiya
Kadeer have asked her not to organize violence or undermine the peaceful life in
Xinjiang, in letters made public on Monday.
They blamed her for organizing the riot in Urumqi on
July 5 and apologized to the victims in two separate letters dated July 24.
The photo taken on Aug. 2, 2009 shows a
letter written by family members of Rebiya Kadeer to relatives of the
victims in the riot in Urumqi on July 5. Family members of Rebiya Kadeer
have asked her not to organize violence or undermine the peaceful life in
Xinjiang, in letters made public on Monday. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Photo
Gallery>>>
In one of the letters, Rebiya's son Khahar, daughter
Roxingul and younger brother Memet expressed their discontent for her betrayal
of promises of not taking part in separatist activities and voiced their moral
indignity over the riot.
"Because of you, so many innocent people lost their
lives in Urumqi on July 5, and so many houses, shops and vehicles were burnt or
damaged," they wrote. "The harmony and unity among ethnic groups were
undermined."
Before leaving for the United States, Rebiya promised
to the government that she would not be engaged in separatist activities. "You
broke your words anyway," they wrote.
Xinjiang is a happy home to people of different
ethnic groups and no one wants it destroyed, they wrote.
"Please think about the happiness of us and your
grandchildren," they said. "Don't destroy the stable and happy life in Xinjiang.
Don't follow the provocation from some people in other countries."
People are living a good life here, they told Rebiya.
"There are no difference between ethnic groups so long as you're willing to work
hard. There are many Uygur millionaires and countless new buildings in Urumqi,
and Uygur people enjoy various preferential policies from the government."
Despite what she had done, her family wrote, "We
still miss the mother (sister) who cared about us before going to jail. The last
thing we want is that our mother (sister) is condemned by the people of all
ethnic groups."
They also wrote that the local government did not
harass them because of her. "The Government treats us very nicely. We are often
told, 'Your mother is responsible for things she did. It has nothing to do with
you.'"
The photo taken on Aug. 2, 2009 shows
letters written by family members of Rebiya Kadeer to Rebiya and the
victims of the riot in Urumqi on July 5. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Photo
Gallery>>>
In another letter to the victims of the July 5 riot,
they held Rebiya and the World Uygur Congress (WUC) responsible for the riot.
"Evidence proved the riot was organized by the WUC,
led by Rebiya Kadeer, and implemented by a group of separatists within the
Chinese borders."
They admitted that, six hours before the riot
happened, they received a phone call from Rebiya warning them there would be a
"big incident."
After an brawl between Uygur and Han workers of a
factory in Shaoguan of southern Guangdong Province broke out on June 26, Rebiya
exaggerated the facts on the Internet, raising the death toll from two to more
than 50, and posted counterfeit pictures, which triggered the riot, they wrote.
"Those who committed crimes should take the
responsibilities," they said.
"We were not involved in the riot. We are innocent
and we are victims as well. As her family members, we are very angry about the
riot organized by our mother to separate the country. We feel sorry for the
victims and their families," they wrote. "You must be still in deep sorrow of
losing your loved ones though more than half a month has passed. We can do
nothing but to apologize."
In addition, they asked Uygur people "not to believe
what she said" and befriend people from other ethnic groups.
The photo taken on Aug. 2, 2009 shows a
letter written by family members of Rebiya Kadeer to Rebiya (up) and
another letter written by family members of Rebiya to the victims of the
riot in Urumqi on July 5 (bottom). (Xinhua/Ding Lin) Photo Gallery>>>
URUMQI, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Police in Urumqi say they have
detained another 319 people in connection with the deadly riot of July 5 in the
capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The arrests are in addition to the 253 detentions police
announced on July 29. Full story
URUMQI, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Police in Urumqi, capital of
northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, have detained a further 253
suspects from the July 5 riot that left 197 people dead.
Most of the newly-detained suspects charged to be involved
in the destruction in Urumqi were turned in by local residents of different
ethnic groups, police said Wednesday. Full story
BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- A netizen, who was believed
to be a key member of the World Uygur Congress (WUC), was blamed by Chinese
authorities for fanning ethnic confrontation that caused the deadly July 5 riot
in Urumqi by spreading online a fake video about "a Uygur girl beaten to death".
The video, about a girl in red being beaten to death by a
group of people using stones, was originally broadcast by the CNN in May, 2007,
as something happened in the Mosul city of Iraq on April 7, 2007. Full story
ROME, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government's
reaction to the July 5 riots in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous
Region, was "normal" and "understandable," Italian experts told Xinhua in recent
interviews.
Beijing's reaction "was natural," said Giuseppe Sacco, a
professor of international relations and world economic systems at the Luiss
University in Rome. Full story
