Friday, July 10, 2009

Tibetan Buddhists support Muslim Uighurs

Exiled Tibetans participate in a candlelit vigil in Dharmsala, India on July 9, 2009 expressing solidarity with the Uighurs in China's Xinjiang province. Hundreds of Tibetans gathered to protest the violence towards Uighurs i "East Turkestan." At least 156 people were killed and more than 1,100 hurt Sunday. Uighurs say security forces gunned down many of those killed (AP/Ashwini Bhatia). MORE PHOTOS
URUMQI, China – Boisterous crowds turned up at mosques in riot-hit parts of this western Chinese city, ignoring orders canceling Friday prayers due to the ethnic violence that killed 184, and police quickly broke up a small protest nearby.



Nearly a week after riots by Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang province unleashed a massive security response, the U.S. national security adviser told Chinese diplomats on the sidelines of the G-8 summit in Italy that President Barack Obama expects Beijing to act with "appropriate restraint."


Chinese security forces get ready for the day with guns, batons, and tear gas ammunition around the ethnic Uighur's area in Urumqi in China's Xinjiang Autonomous Region July 10, 2009 (AFP).

Late Friday, officials provided the first ethnic breakdown of the deaths in the fighting. The official Xinhua News Agency reported that
  • 137 of the victims belonged to the dominant Han Chinese ethnic group.
The Han victims included 111 men and 26 women, the report said. The rest of the deaths were
  • 45 men and one woman who were Uighurs along with
  • 1 man of the Hui ethnic group
Xinhua said, citing the information office of the regional government. The report said the total death toll rose from 156 to 184. [Now women are leading the protests.] More>>

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