The city of 2.3 million is now about overwhelmingly Chinese - a source of frustration for native Uighurs.
Uighurs make up the largest ethnic group in Xinjiang, but not in the capital of Urumqi, which has attracted large numbers of Han Chinese migrants. Tensions between Uighurs and the majority Han Chinese are never far from the surface in Xinjiang, China's vast Central Asian buffer province, where militant Uighurs have waged a sporadic, violent separatist campaign. The demonstrators had been demanding justice for two Uighurs killed last month during a fight with Han Chinese co-workers at a factory in southern China. The unrest comes as the government ramps up security ahead of October's 60th anniversary of Communist rule. 'We ask the international community to condemn China's killing of innocent Uighurs.' he said. 'We are extremely saddened by the heavy-handed use of force by the Chinese security forces against the peaceful demonstrators,' said Alim Seytoff, of the Washington, D.C.-based Uighur American Association. On edge: Residents walk by Chinese paramilitary police on duty near a square closed after riots in Urumqiīeijing maintains a tight grip on religious, political and cultural life in Xinjiang, and says economic expansion is bringing prosperity - but Uighurs claim the Chinese are committing cultural genocide. They were demonstrating after deadly ethnic-based clashes between Uighurs and Han Chinese in southern China last month. Some 3,000 ethnic Uighurs took to the streets in Urumqi, burning and smashing vehicles, houses and shops.
Hundreds of protesters have been arrested as riot police patrol the two major cities, setting up road blocks and trawling the streets for 'ring leaders'. Seeking comfort: Women injured in the riots break down in each others arms The unrest in Kashgar followed Sunday's ethnic violence in the provincial capital of Urumqi which left 156 dead and around 1,000 injured - the worst civil unrest since the massacre at Tiananmen Square 20 years ago. The websites of the Urumqi city and Xinjiang regional governments were also down. 'Since yesterday evening I haven't been able to get online,' store owner Han Zhenyu told Reuters by telephone. Street battles: Troops fire tear gas in to the crowd of protestersĮchoing recent events in Iran, Some residents in Urumqi, Xinjiang province's regional capital, said they had been told there would be no internet access for 48 hours.
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