Public angered by Turkish PM's 'genocide' accusation
- Source: Global Times
- [07:11 July 13 2009]
- Comments
By Wu Gang in Urumqi, Cheng Gang in Kashgar and Kang Juan in Beijing
Uygurs go about their daily business in their area of Urumqi in China’s Xinjiang region yesterday. Photo: AFP
The Chinese are angered by the accusation from Turkey’s prime minister over the weekend that China’s handling of issues involving minorities, as well as the way it has dealt with riots in Urumqi, is “a kind of genocide.”
Online forums have been rife with opinions about the matter. According to a poll conducted on huanqiu.com yesterday, 95.6 percent of those surveyed believe that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is showing support to terrorism by making such remarks and issuing a visa to Rebiya Kadeer, head of the World Uyghur Congress, who is accused by the government of plotting the riots.
Many in Xinjiang refuted the claims of Erdogan, who asked China to “give up efforts to assimilate” the country’s Uygur minority.
A riot broke out in Urumqi July 5, resulting in more turmoil over the following days, leaving at least 184 dead and more than 1,600 injured, according to government figures.
And an apparent ban on assemblies was still in effect over the weekend, as the Xinhua News Agency reported that a notice posted at the Public Security Bureau of Urumqi said, “Assemblies, marches and demonstrations on public roads and at public places in the open air are not allowed without permission from police.”
The Uygur population has increased to more than 10 million from a little over 3 million in 1949, according to Naibijiang Ibrayin, an official with the Political and Legal Committee of Urumqi.
Many Han people have complained that the government imposes family planning on them, while the Uygurs can have as many children as they like.
“Uygurs haven’t benefited from the economic boom? Then how did Rebia Kadeer become the richest woman in Xinjiang?” Ibrayin said.