From: <shiba...@studentsforafreetibet.org>
Date: Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 2:58 PM
Subject: [sftindia] Update:Unrest In East Turkestan
To: sftin...@lists.riseup.net


Update:Unrest In East Turkestan

Armed Chinese troops have flooded Urumchi, the capital of East
Turkestan (Chinese: Xinjiang) following days of violent unrest.
The situation remains incredibly tense and Chinese president Hu
Jintao has vowed to "restore order" and "severely punish" those
involved in the unrest, after he was rushed back to China
yesterday from the G-8 meeting in Italy.

We fear that, as in Tibet last year, China's efforts to "restore
order" will result in a prolonged military crackdown against the
Uyghurs. Already, Chinese authorities have arrested more than
1,400 Uyghurs, blocked phone lines and the internet, and
launched a propaganda campaign to portray the Uyghurs as the
sole perpetrators of the violence.

Sign a petition calling on the Chinese authorities to stop the
crackdown on the Uyghur people and to allow an independent
investigation into the situation in Urumchi:
http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/uyghurs

On Sunday, thousands of Uyghurs peacefully marched in the
streets of Urumchi to protest the Chinese authorities' inaction
amid the beating deaths of two Uyghur men at a toy factory in
southern China. Chinese armed police responded to the protest in
Urumchi with a heavy hand, and a riot ensued in which more than
a hundred people were reportedly killed. Armed Chinese citizens
have since taken to the streets to seek revenge, escalating the
violence and chaos.

To avoid the negative international news coverage that followed
the media blackout in Tibet last year, Chinese officials have
allowed foreign journalists into Urumchi but have tried to
tightly control their movement and censor their coverage.
Despite these efforts, on Tuesday hundreds of Uyghur women and
children burst into the streets in front of the journalists,
weeping and pleading for the release of those detained. Watch
the moving footage:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2009/jul/07/uighur-confront-china-troops

This tragic turn of events clearly shows that China's policies
in East Turkestan, as in Tibet, have been a colossal failure.
Uyghurs have rejected Chinese rule since the invasion of their
homeland in 1949, and continue to struggle for their basic
rights and freedoms. The systematic suppression of the Uyghurs'
religion, culture, and unique identity - as well as the flooding
of East Turkestan with millions of Chinese settlers - have led
to deep-seated resentment and desperation amongst the Uyghur
people.

Instead of admitting its own failure to address the
long-standing grievances of the Uyghur people, the Chinese
government is blaming the violence on exiled Uyghur leader
Rebiya Kadeer, just as it blamed the Dalai Lama for the
widespread protests in Tibet. Rebiya Kadeer has spoken out to
tell the true story of by her people's suffering under Chinese
rule:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124698273174806523.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

Please sign the petition and support her call for an open and
independent inquiry into the unrest and for an end to the
violent suppression of her people.

http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/uyghurs

We will continue to send updates on the unfolding situation in
East Turkestan. For more news and analysis, please visit the SFT
blog: http://blog.studentsforafreetibet.org

In solidarity,

Choeying,Tenchoe,Youndung,Claire,Shibayan and everyone at SFT India

News coverage of the unrest in Urumchi:

China's leaders vow to punish Xinjiang rioters
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/441397/1/.html

Riot police battle protesters as China's Uighur crisis escalates
http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2028

Uighur resentment at Beijing's rule
http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2021

Toy factory brawl spark for deadly violence in China
http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2020

Angry Chinese Mob Turns on ABC Reporter & Crew
http://is.gd/1sdfW

In Latest Upheaval, China Applies New Strategies to Control Flow
of Information
http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2026

China: President Should Ease Tension by Acknowledging Grievances
(Human Rights Watch)
http://www.studentsforafreetibet.org/article.php?id=2025

The Real Uighur Story
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124698273174806523.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

---

Students for a Free Tibet, India (SFT India) is the India National Network
of Students for a Free Tibet International, which has over 650 chapters in
more than 35 countries.

Founded in the year 2000 from a very humble beginning as a loose network of
few
young activists and students based in Dharamshala campaigning for Tibet's
Independence,SFT India has grown as nation-wide network of youth,
campaigning for
the Fundamental Rights of the Tibetan people, and we are still growing. It
is from
our grassroots network that we gain our strength.

To ensure the effectiveness of our grassroots network.we create Awareness
and sensitize the world on the just cause of Tibet. We believe that young
people can and must take responsibility to change our world for the better.

For more information visit www.sftindia.org ,www.studentsforafreetibet.org

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---

Students for a Free Tibet, India (SFT India) is the India National Network 
of Students for a Free Tibet International, which has over 650 chapters in 
more than 35 countries. 

Founded in the year 2000 from a very humble beginning as a loose network of few 
young activists and students based in Dharamshala campaigning for Tibet's 
Independence,SFT India has grown as nation-wide network of youth, campaigning 
for 
the Fundamental Rights of the Tibetan people, and we are still growing. It is 
from 
our grassroots network that we gain our strength. 

To ensure the effectiveness of our grassroots network.we create Awareness 
and sensitize the world on the just cause of Tibet. We believe that young 
people can and must take responsibility to change our world for the better. 

For more information visit www.sftindia.org ,www.studentsforafreetibet.org

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