Fresh grief in Urumqi as people rebuild

• Source: Xinhua
• [08:00 July 16 2009]
• Comments

The death toll from the violence that rocked northwest China's Urumqi city 10 days ago hit 192 Wednesday, bringing fresh grief to the population still trying to rebuild social cohesion.

Twelve people who were injured in the July 5 riot were discharged from the Urumqi PLA 23rd Hospital on Wednesday. Most had been beaten with clubs and bricks.

Yan Cailu, one of those discharged, called his family in the eastern Anhui Province on his mobile phone to break the news.

"They have been worrying about me," he said. "Now they can finally breathe a sigh of relief."

Yan was one of the 336 people injured in the riot who had been discharged from hospital as of Wednesday morning. Altogether 810 are still in hospitals in Urumqi, according to a statement from the city government on Wednesday.

The number of the injured people in critical condition has decreased from Sunday's 74 to 25, the statement said.

It said DNA technology had been used to identify 108 bodies of those killed in the riot. Sixty-three of the 72 construction sites which suspended work in wake of the riot had resumed as of 2 p.m..

Celebrities have been working to heal the trauma of the city.

Dao Lang, a pop singer who lived in Urumqi for many years, is busy recording a song entitled One Family with other local singers.

"I hope the music could bring back memories of those good old days," he said. "I hope people can have a face up to the incident with more peaceful mentality in future."

Some people are still looking for their family members missing in the deadly riot.

Wang Yonggang, 34, have been in Urumqi for ten days, looking for his wife who ran a shop in the city and had been traceless since July 5.

"We were planning to have a baby," said Wang. "I will go on looking for her."