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Riots engulf Chinese Uighur city Riots engulf Chinese Uighur city
(39 minutes later)
Groups of ethnic Han Chinese have marched through the city of Urumqi carrying clubs and machetes, as tension grows between ethnic groups and police.Groups of ethnic Han Chinese have marched through the city of Urumqi carrying clubs and machetes, as tension grows between ethnic groups and police.
Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, who said they were protesting against violence carried out by ethnic Muslim Uighurs. Security forces imposed a curfew and fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, who said they were angry at violence carried out by ethnic Muslim Uighurs.
Earlier, Uighur women had rallied against the arrest of more than 1,400 people over deadly clashes on Sunday.Earlier, Uighur women had rallied against the arrest of more than 1,400 people over deadly clashes on Sunday.
The two sides blame each other for the outbreak of violence.The two sides blame each other for the outbreak of violence.
AT THE SCENE Quentin Sommerville, Urumqi There have been hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Han Chinese marching through the city with homemade weapons - steel poles, bamboo sticks.AT THE SCENE Quentin Sommerville, Urumqi There have been hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Han Chinese marching through the city with homemade weapons - steel poles, bamboo sticks.
They've been chanting that they're going to protect Xinjiang, protect themselves and their homes, and also chanting "down with Uighurs".They've been chanting that they're going to protect Xinjiang, protect themselves and their homes, and also chanting "down with Uighurs".
We've seen reinforcements of armed police arrive in the city.We've seen reinforcements of armed police arrive in the city.
Although there are still Han Chinese wandering around with weapons, many seem to have headed home.Although there are still Han Chinese wandering around with weapons, many seem to have headed home.
Officials say 156 people - mostly ethnic Han Chinese - died in Sunday's violence that erupted when Uighur protesters attacked vehicles before turning on local Han Chinese and battling security forces in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province. Officials say 156 people - mostly ethnic Han Chinese - died in Sunday's violence. Uighur groups say many more have died, claiming 90% of the dead were Uighurs.
Uighur groups say many more have died, claiming 90% of the dead were Uighurs. The unrest erupted when Uighur protesters attacked vehicles before turning on local Han Chinese and battling security forces in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province.
The unrest was apparently sparked by a brawl between Uighurs and Han Chinese several weeks earlier in a toy factory thousands of miles away in Guangdong province. They had initially been protesting over a brawl between Uighurs and Han Chinese several weeks earlier in a toy factory thousands of miles away in Guangdong province.
On Tuesday about 200 Uighurs - mostly women - faced off against riot police to appeal for more than 1,400 people arrested over Sunday's violence to be freed.On Tuesday about 200 Uighurs - mostly women - faced off against riot police to appeal for more than 1,400 people arrested over Sunday's violence to be freed.
UIGHURS AND XINJIANG Xinjiang population is 45% Uighur, 40% Han ChineseUighurs are ethnically Turkic MuslimsChina re-established control in 1949 after crushing short-lived state of East TurkestanSince then, large-scale immigration of Han ChineseSporadic violence since 1991Attack on 4 Aug 2008 near Kashgar kills 16 Chinese policemen href="/2/hi/in_pictures/8135542.stm">In pictures: Xinjiang protests Q&A: China and the Uighurs China tells its own story Accounts of Xinjiang violence UIGHURS AND XINJIANG Xinjiang population is 45% Uighur, 40% Han ChineseUighurs are ethnically Turkic MuslimsChina re-established control in 1949 after crushing short-lived state of East TurkestanSince then, large-scale immigration of Han ChineseSporadic violence since 1991Attack on 4 Aug 2008 near Kashgar kills 16 Chinese policemen href="/2/hi/in_pictures/8137810.stm">In pictures: Protests Q&A: China and the Uighurs China tells its own story Accounts of Xinjiang violence
Later hundreds of Han Chinese marched through the streets of Urumqi smashing shops and stalls belonging to Uighurs.Later hundreds of Han Chinese marched through the streets of Urumqi smashing shops and stalls belonging to Uighurs.
The BBC's Quentin Sommerville, in Urumqi, says some Chinese protesters were shouting "down with Uighurs" as they rampaged through the streets armed with homemade weapons.
Police used loudspeakers to urge the crowd to stop and later fired tear gas, as the Han Chinese confronted groups of Uighurs.Police used loudspeakers to urge the crowd to stop and later fired tear gas, as the Han Chinese confronted groups of Uighurs.
Reuters news agency reported that some Chinese protesters shouted "attack Uighurs" as both sides threw stones at each other.
One Chinese protester, clutching a metal bar, told the AFP news agency: "The Uighurs came to our area to smash things, now we are going to their area to beat them."One Chinese protester, clutching a metal bar, told the AFP news agency: "The Uighurs came to our area to smash things, now we are going to their area to beat them."
The authorities have tried to crack down on dissent since Sunday's protests, carrying out mass arrests and restricting media access. The authorities have tried to crack down on dissent since Sunday's protests, carrying out mass arrests, restricting media access and finally imposing a curfew.
State-run news agency Xinhua quoted Urumqi's Communist Party chief as describing Sunday's unrest as the "deadliest riot since New China was founded in 1949". One official described Sunday's unrest as the "deadliest riot since New China was founded in 1949".
Li Zhi promised to punish the perpetrators, saying: "The rioters violated laws and harmed the fundamental interests of all Chinese ethnic groups." Xinjiang's Communist Party chief Wang Lequan announced the curfew in a televised address.
State-run news agency Xinhua quoted quoted him as saying any ethnic violence was "heart-breaking" and blaming "hostile forces at both home and abroad" for the trouble.
China's authorities have repeatedly claimed that exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer is stirring up trouble in the region.
But she told the BBC she was not responsible for any of the violence.
"Last time during the Tibet riots, [the Chinese government] blamed the Dalai Lama, and now with the Xinjiang riot, they are blaming me," she said.
"I will never damage the relationship between two communities and will never damage the relationship between people. For me, all human beings are equal."
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