September 2009 Xinjiang unrest
Encyclopedia
In September 2009, Ürümqi
, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China, experienced a period of unrest in the aftermath of the July 2009 Ürümqi riots. Late August and early September saw a series of syringe attacks
on civilians. In response to the attacks, thousands of residents held protests for several days, resulting in the deaths of five people. In addition, the arrest and beating of several Hong Kong journalists during the protests attracted international attention.
s began on 17 August. On 2 September, posters appeared around Ürümqi
saying that 418 people had reported being stabbed or pricked, referring to the attacks as a "serious terrorist crime", although the government had so far not produced evidence of any terrorist link. Ürümqi authorities said that fewer than one in five of reported stabbings had left any obvious mark. A six-person People's Liberation Army
medical review panel announced at a press conference: "In the patients we have seen in the last couple of days, there are many which we believe were not actually punctured with needles," They believed the false reports were due to widespread fear and lack of medical knowledge. According to state media, witnesses say those who had been attacked include Hans
and Uyghurs
, although the BBC
said Hans claimed that they were being targeted.
In response to both concern over the attacks and dissatisfaction over the government's slowness in prosecuting people involved with the July riots, protesters took to the streets. Official media reported tens of thousands marching in the city centre on the morning of 3 September. The police dispersed the crowd with tear gas; five people died during the protests and 14 were injured. After the latest protest, the government announced a ban on all "unlicensed marches, demonstrations and mass protests".
On 4 September, the Communist Party
Chief of Ürümqi, Li Zhi
, was removed from his post, along with the police chief, Liu Yaohua. Li Zhi was later replaced with Zhu Hailan in a decision by the Xinjiang Autonomous Regional Committee. No reasons were given for the dismissals. On 9 September, state media reported a further 77 syringe attacks from the previous two days.
police while filming a disturbance. According to the Foreign Correspondent's Club of China, the reporters were punched and kicked by the police, then detained face-down on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs for up to 20 minutes. Their pleas to the armed police to check their central government-issued press identification cards were ignored. The reporters complained of being handcuffed and detained for three hours. The Xinjiang authorities blamed the journalists for inciting the disturbance, saying they were "not acting appropriately, for example gesturing to the crowd"; they however, regretted the "alleged beating". The spokesman said: "Of the three journalists, only one had a temporary press card that allowed him to conduct interviews in the city, but the other two didn't. They violated our regulations." The three journalists were TVB
cameraman Lam Tsz-ho (林子豪), journalists Lau Wing-chuan (劉永全) and Now TV
cameraman Lam Chun-wai (林振威).
Five more journalists were detained on 6 September. They include Commercial Radio Hong Kong
reporter Yeung Tung-tat, RTHK
correspondent Chan Miu-ling (陳妙齡), Chow Man-tau (周文泰), and Now TV
reporter Gary Chan Wai-li and cameraman Lau Hiu-lap. They were taken away by officers, but were released half an hour later.
Hong Kong politicians were united in their outrage over the incident, and the apparent violation of press freedom, which was a core value enshrined in the Basic Law. Chief Executive
Donald Tsang
said that he had written to the Xinjiang government, the State Council
and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office
of the State Council. Seven local National People's Congress
deputies wrote to NPC chairman Wu Bangguo
to express their concern. Legislators from the Establishment camp as well as the pan-democrats regarded the incitement allegations "unpersuasive", and said Beijing must launch a full and detailed inquiry into the beatings.
On 8 September 2009, Hong Kong journalists met with Ürümqi officials over the incidents. The four media outlets whose journalists were assaulted were excluded, but they showed up anyway. On 13 September 2009, about 700 people including Hong Kong journalists and politicians marched on local offices of China's central government to protest the alleged police beatings of the three reporters.
Ürümqi
Ürümqi , formerly Tihwa , is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country....
, the capital of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China, experienced a period of unrest in the aftermath of the July 2009 Ürümqi riots. Late August and early September saw a series of syringe attacks
Pin prick attack
A pin prick attack is a hypothetical assault on another person with a needle or syringe tainted with the blood of somebody carrying a Blood-borne disease, such as HIV...
on civilians. In response to the attacks, thousands of residents held protests for several days, resulting in the deaths of five people. In addition, the arrest and beating of several Hong Kong journalists during the protests attracted international attention.
Syringe attacks and protests
According to Xinjiang police, attacks in which hundreds of individuals claim to have been stabbed with hypodermic needleHypodermic needle
A hypodermic needle is a hollow needle commonly used with a syringe to inject substances into the body or extract fluids from it...
s began on 17 August. On 2 September, posters appeared around Ürümqi
Ürümqi
Ürümqi , formerly Tihwa , is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country....
saying that 418 people had reported being stabbed or pricked, referring to the attacks as a "serious terrorist crime", although the government had so far not produced evidence of any terrorist link. Ürümqi authorities said that fewer than one in five of reported stabbings had left any obvious mark. A six-person People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
medical review panel announced at a press conference: "In the patients we have seen in the last couple of days, there are many which we believe were not actually punctured with needles," They believed the false reports were due to widespread fear and lack of medical knowledge. According to state media, witnesses say those who had been attacked include Hans
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
and Uyghurs
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
, although the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
said Hans claimed that they were being targeted.
In response to both concern over the attacks and dissatisfaction over the government's slowness in prosecuting people involved with the July riots, protesters took to the streets. Official media reported tens of thousands marching in the city centre on the morning of 3 September. The police dispersed the crowd with tear gas; five people died during the protests and 14 were injured. After the latest protest, the government announced a ban on all "unlicensed marches, demonstrations and mass protests".
On 4 September, the Communist Party
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
Chief of Ürümqi, Li Zhi
Li Zhi (official)
Li Zhi is a politician in the People's Republic of China, most notable for his role as the Communist party chief of Ürümqi during the city's rioting in July 2009...
, was removed from his post, along with the police chief, Liu Yaohua. Li Zhi was later replaced with Zhu Hailan in a decision by the Xinjiang Autonomous Regional Committee. No reasons were given for the dismissals. On 9 September, state media reported a further 77 syringe attacks from the previous two days.
Assault on journalists
On 4 September 2009, three Hong Kong journalists were tackled and detained by paramilitaryParamilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
police while filming a disturbance. According to the Foreign Correspondent's Club of China, the reporters were punched and kicked by the police, then detained face-down on the ground with their hands tied behind their backs for up to 20 minutes. Their pleas to the armed police to check their central government-issued press identification cards were ignored. The reporters complained of being handcuffed and detained for three hours. The Xinjiang authorities blamed the journalists for inciting the disturbance, saying they were "not acting appropriately, for example gesturing to the crowd"; they however, regretted the "alleged beating". The spokesman said: "Of the three journalists, only one had a temporary press card that allowed him to conduct interviews in the city, but the other two didn't. They violated our regulations." The three journalists were TVB
TVB News
TVB News , formally known as the News and Information Division , is the newsgathering arm of Hong Kong's Television Broadcasts Limited...
cameraman Lam Tsz-ho (林子豪), journalists Lau Wing-chuan (劉永全) and Now TV
Now Business News Channel
now Business News Channel is a 24-hour finance news channel. It is now TV's first self-produced channel, which was launched at 9am on 20 March 2006. The broadcast centre is located in Wanchai, Hong Kong. There is also a broadcast centre in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. In addition to live...
cameraman Lam Chun-wai (林振威).
Five more journalists were detained on 6 September. They include Commercial Radio Hong Kong
Commercial Radio Hong Kong
Commercial Radio Hong Kong , aka Hong Kong Commercial Broadcasting Company Limited is one of only two commercial radio broadcasting companies in Hong Kong along with Metro Radio Hong Kong. It contains a balanced array of entertainment including informative, educational, arts and cultural programmes...
reporter Yeung Tung-tat, RTHK
Radio Television Hong Kong
Radio Television Hong Kong is a public broadcasting organisation in Hong Kong that is operated as an independent department in the government under the Broadcasting Authority. RTHK operates seven radio channels, and produces television programmes that are then broadcast through local television...
correspondent Chan Miu-ling (陳妙齡), Chow Man-tau (周文泰), and Now TV
Now Business News Channel
now Business News Channel is a 24-hour finance news channel. It is now TV's first self-produced channel, which was launched at 9am on 20 March 2006. The broadcast centre is located in Wanchai, Hong Kong. There is also a broadcast centre in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. In addition to live...
reporter Gary Chan Wai-li and cameraman Lau Hiu-lap. They were taken away by officers, but were released half an hour later.
Hong Kong politicians were united in their outrage over the incident, and the apparent violation of press freedom, which was a core value enshrined in the Basic Law. Chief Executive
Chief Executive of Hong Kong
The Chief Executive of Hong Kong is the President of the Executive Council of Hong Kong and head of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The position was created to replace the Governor of Hong Kong, who was the head of the Hong Kong government during British rule...
Donald Tsang
Donald Tsang
Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, GBM, KBE is the current Chief Executive and President of the Executive Council of the Government of Hong Kong....
said that he had written to the Xinjiang government, the State Council
State Council of the People's Republic of China
The State Council of the People's Republic of China , which is largely synonymous with the Central People's Government after 1954, is the chief administrative authority of the People's Republic of China. It is chaired by the Premier and includes the heads of each governmental department and agency...
and the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office
Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office
Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office is an administrative agency of the State Council of the People's Republic of China responsible for promoting cooperation and coordination of political, economic and cultural ties between mainland China and the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao...
of the State Council. Seven local National People's Congress
National People's Congress
The National People's Congress , abbreviated NPC , is the highest state body and the only legislative house in the People's Republic of China. The National People's Congress is held in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, capital of the People's Republic of China; with 2,987 members, it is the...
deputies wrote to NPC chairman Wu Bangguo
Wu Bangguo
Wu Bangguo is a high-ranking politician in the People's Republic of China. He is currently Chairman and Party secretary of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, a position that makes him China's chief legislator...
to express their concern. Legislators from the Establishment camp as well as the pan-democrats regarded the incitement allegations "unpersuasive", and said Beijing must launch a full and detailed inquiry into the beatings.
On 8 September 2009, Hong Kong journalists met with Ürümqi officials over the incidents. The four media outlets whose journalists were assaulted were excluded, but they showed up anyway. On 13 September 2009, about 700 people including Hong Kong journalists and politicians marched on local offices of China's central government to protest the alleged police beatings of the three reporters.
See also
- June 2009 Shaoguan incident
- 2008 Tibetan unrest2008 Tibetan unrestThe 2008 Tibetan unrest, also known from its Chinese name as the 3•14 Riots, was a series of riots, protests, and demonstrations that started in Tibetan regional capital of Lhasa and spread to other Tibetan areas and a number of monasteries including outside the Tibet Autonomous Region...
- 2008 Uyghur unrest2008 Uyghur unrestThe 2008 Uyghur unrest is a loose name for incidents of communal violence by Uyghur people in Hotan and Qaraqash county of Western China, with incidents in March, April, and August 2008...
- Ghulja IncidentGhulja IncidentThe Ghulja Incident was the culmination of the Ghulja protests of 1997, a series of demonstrations or riots in the city of Ghulja in the Xinjiang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China beginning in early February 1997.The protests were sparked by the execution of 30 Uyghur...