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Overseas Chinese condemn violence in Xinjiang

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-08 05:39

BEIJING: Chinese in the United States, Australia and Russia have condemned the deadly July 5 riot in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, which killed at least 156 people and injured more than 1,000 others.

Steven Wong, executive chairman of the United Chinese Associations of Eastern America, on Monday slammed the violence in Xinjiang, saying it brought many hurts and pains to people there.

Wong said any attempt to sabotage social stability, economic prosperity, ethnic unity and peaceful living in Xinjiang will neither win people's hearts nor succeed.

He also voiced support for actions and measures taken by the Chinese government to punish those responsible for the violence.

The Chinese Peaceful Unification Association, located in Canberra,Australia's capital city, issued a statement strongly denouncing the riot in Xinjiang and blasting the overseas forces behind the riot.

Related readings:  World Uyghur Congress behind Xinjiang violence: expert  Xinjiang Party chief: Avoid ethnic confrontation  Xinjiang to adopt curfew in capital city tonight  Mobs in Xinjiang riot face severe punishment  Internet cut in Xinjiang to 'prevent spread of riot'  Protestors surround foreign reporters in Xinjiang  Turkey wants those responsible for Xinjiang riots to be brought to justice

The riot left many innocent people injured, destroyed a large amount of property and infrastructure, and damaged the ethnic unity, peace and stability in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the statement said.

"This is the severe violation of basic human rights as well as aggression to all Chinese ethnic groups," the statement said.

The statement emphasized that the highest interest of the Chinese people lies in social harmony and stability as well as in the unity of all ethnic groups in China.

The attempt by a few people to ruin ethic unity and seek separation colluded with the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism and is doomed to fail, the group said.

The organization said it supports efforts by the local government to take effective measures to give a harsh blow to the violence and bring the separatists to justice.

The statement also made it clear that the organization shares the same position as the Chinese government on safeguarding national security and ethnic unity in a bid to secure the safety of residents and property as well as ensure normal social order.

Li Zonglun, executive vice president of the Moscow Association for the Peaceful Reunification of China, on Tuesday told Xinhua that he has been to Urumqi, "a very beautiful place where people from all ethnic groups there unite and work together to build their sweet homes."

"But now all I saw from TV are burned vehicles, damaged shops and blood everywhere in Urumqi," he said. "Those separatists, using the so-called ethnic conflict as an excuse, have committed horrible violence."

Li urged all overseas Chinese to stand with the Chinese government and people in opposition to the illegal violence in Xinjiang.

Meanwhile, Wu Hao, chairman of the Russian Overseas Chinese Youth Federation, expressed grief and sympathy for the victims of the rioting. Wu denounced the criminals and their wire-pullers and voiced support for the local government.

Yin Bin, vice chairman of the Chinese Student Union in Russia, underlined the hard-earned solidarity of people from all ethnic groups in China and vowed to endeavor to study so as to repay the motherland with specific actions.

The regional government said Monday that initial investigations showed that the separatist World Uygur Congress led by Rebiya Kadeer was behind the riot.

Police said evidence was found that the organization instigated the riots with posts on the Internet calling on Uygurs to "be courageous" and "do something big."