ABC Tracks Down Woman Who Stood up to the Chinese Soldiers
EmailABC's Clarissa Ward reports from Urumqi, the capital of China's north-western Xianjiang province: We went on a mission today to find the Uighur woman who stood up to Chinese security forces on Tuesday, as she and other women protested the mass arrests of Uighur men. The images of her boldly walking up to the wall of soldiers are undoubtedly some of the most striking of this conflict. Some have compared her to the lone student protestor who stood in front of the tank on Tiananmen Square in 1989. We started our search in a bustling, impoverished Uighur neighbourhood where the lanes are thick with people selling watermelon and kebabs and butchers slaughtering sheep. It did not take long to find her. We asked a group of locals if they knew about this brave woman and they immediately took us over to her house. Her name is Tursun Gul. She is a migrant worker and she is not from Urumqi. In person, she looks younger than she does in the pictures but her eyes are tired. She was injured in a car accident and now uses a crutch to help her walk. She told us why she took to the streets in protest on Tuesday. “My husband, younger brother and older brothers, 5 in all, were arrested,” she said, “We were eating when it happened. The police came and took them away and they never returned. I don’t know why they took them.” When we asked if she was not frightened walking up to a line of heavily armed soldiers she retorted, “How could I be afraid when I did not commit any crime? We’re just migrant workers from another part of Xinjiang. We’re not guilty of anything.” Tursun, a mother of two young children, said she does not know where her brothers and her husband are being held and she does not know when, or if, they will be released. And she does not know how she will support her family now. “There is no one to take care of us,” she lamented. Other local residents we spoke to told us that more than 20 men were taken from the area. None of them have been seen since. According to official figures, more than 1400 people have been arrested in connection with this week’s violence.
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Why their husband or brother are taken away? Someone got to be responsible for that over 100 death, right? I do not see why the wife of possible criminals should be so praised
Posted by: Goray | July 9, 2009, 11:07 am 11:07 am
Only in the US where we praise foreign criminal activity.
Posted by: pug_ster | July 9, 2009, 11:11 am 11:11 am
why not care about the more than 150 people killed by Uighur men? It’s really rediculous you western media. I really don’t understand how you guys will react if your people are killed by these gangs? will your government let these crule terrorist go? For so many years, we, including young Chinese like me who once studied in US, are also tired of you double standard hypocrites!WHY DOESN’T US LET HAWAII BE INDEPENDENT BUT ADVOCATE XINJIANG AND TIBET INDPENDENT?
NEVER SAY “HUMAN RIGHT”"FREEDOM” ANY MORE.YOU SHOULD FIND MORE AND MORE PEOPLE DISLIKE WESTERNS.
REREAD “BIBLE” PLS, “DO NOT JUDGE!”
YOU GUYS ARE NOT JESUS, BUT HYPOCRITES LIKE PHARISEES!
Posted by: CZHANG1974 | July 9, 2009, 11:18 am 11:18 am
Are you kidding? You compared this woman to the student who stood in front of the tank in 1989?!!
Posted by: Grace | July 9, 2009, 11:36 am 11:36 am
As we all learned that there are these small sections of Islamic population that are extremely violent and cruel, it is US and Eupropean countries’ interest to support Chinese government and outlaw so called Uighur’s movement in Western Countries. These people share same religion as those extreme Sunni Muslims in Iraq who killed so many US soldiers. These small but very violent sections of Muslims are dangerous to the whole world, including US, Europe, and China as well. China is gradually and surely moving into civilization and these Uighurs want to drag that western part of China into Muslim country like Iran or Afghanistan. Ask your Congressman or Senator to stop funding for these extreme Uighur Muslims otherwise US only are sowing more terrorism in China. These people are Taliban’s brothers and that is why many of them ended up in Guantanamo!
Posted by: Adam | July 9, 2009, 11:43 am 11:43 am
I support the chinese government on this. To CZHANG 1974, many Americans know how biased our media is, and believe me we hate it as much as you, and I don’t doubt these Muslims killed other innocent Chinese. Just know that we don’t believe everything the media says. Just trying to get on the same page with you.
Posted by: Caboose | July 9, 2009, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm
I am a Han Chinese. I thought there was gold everywhere before I came to the sates. Needless to say, I also thought the media in the states was also doing good to the world, or at least to its people. Chinese journalists may often face the situation that they are not able to speak freely their own views of an event. I believe American journalists are more privileged in this respect. But soon after I came to the states, I realize that life is as stressful as in China for people are lack of means. And now when the 156 dead bodies in China still lay unrest, yet abcnews is trying to make a hero out of a family member of possible suspects of the slaughter, I learned another big lesson in my life. Just as the country — The United States of America — singing the song of human rights all the time — could take no pain waterboarding its detainees, taking pictures when it is raping its war captures, the free media can be evil and cold blooded as well. At the end of the day, the beholders should really realize that it is actually called FREE media, not media with integrity and humanity.
Posted by: jay | July 9, 2009, 12:50 pm 12:50 pm
The correspondent who wrote the report must be a silly man. Do all reporters in the BBc News report news like this? I am a ordinary person must tell you that don’t report news according to a picture. We need true imformation but not bosh.
Posted by: gordon | July 9, 2009, 12:58 pm 12:58 pm
So the Uighurs just one day decided to get up and beat Han Chinese? Did you think that maybe the allegations of discrimination at the hands of the Chinese govt. or Han Chinese had anything to do with it?
Maybe people would have a better opinion if there were not cases of abuse of Tibetans and Uighurs. Maybe people would have a better opinion if the Chinese govt. did not kill all those innocent people at Tienanmen Square (or where they terrorists as well). You have a right to criticizing our media, because we believe in that right. Our media is not perfect, but you know what we can say that, and even demonstrate against our govt. without being killed, tortured or jailed. Its called freedom of speech which you only enjoy through these venues. So before you start criticizing our media, take a look at yours.
Posted by: ben | July 9, 2009, 1:00 pm 1:00 pm
Clarissa, This old Uighur lady is lucky that she still can have the hope that, if her relatives were not the killer on 7/5 or they are not related to the exterme terrorist group, they will be free soon after the police investigation. And she is brave because she know Chinese Police Officers will not just kill innocent citizens if they were not involved in crime. For the 156 victim’s Mom, Dad, daughters and son whom was killed on 7/5 by the terrorist act, they will never be able to go home? What do you say to their Mom? Do you ever care? THis is not the first, 2nd, 3rd days the new crew was there. What are you there for? and do you ever to have a plan to have a ” mission today to find” one of the victim’s Mom? younger daughters, son for a interview? do they ever have a voice or right in your mind? Your photo is misleading, She is blocking the police to save life, to do their job to bring back the law and order! you just disgrace them and demonize them.
Sad, US media should not be the spoken person for the terrorist group; US should NOT be the save haven for the terrorism either. 156 innocent life had lost for just because they were at the wrong place and at the wrong time in Urumqi, China. US should investigate, if Rebiya Kadeer is truly behind or related to the planning of the terrorist riot on 7/5/09 in China, US should deport her back to China for a fair trial by the LAW for the crime she committed.
Posted by: WC Read | July 9, 2009, 1:00 pm 1:00 pm
So chinese officers/police will not kill innocent people. You mean like in Tienanmen Square? Where you are not allowed to take pictures of even talk about what happened. Give me a break.
Posted by: ben | July 9, 2009, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
The only information I have on what is happening in Urumqi is what is reported by journalists. In this story, it is reported by the woman that her husband and brothers are guilty of nothing, they were taken away and she doesn’t know where they were taken or why. She may be lieing, but there is no evidence that she is. There seems to be a lot of ethnic prejudice between the Han Chinese and the Uighurs. Many of the comments seem to imply that because the people involved are Uighurs and muslims, they must be terrorists or at least support terrorists. This is similar to the attitude I have seen in US regarding middle eastern muslims and it is just as wrong.
In the US, it appears that most of this prejudice (which is wrong)is acted upon by private individuals. It appears that in China, the government is taking actions based on ethnic prejudice, not the rule of law and factual evidence. That is why to me, an American, the situation seems unjust.
Posted by: Dave | July 9, 2009, 1:25 pm 1:25 pm
You make me sick again by picking up one point to cover the whole thing.
You what-so-ever must get used to the rising China and the people and the culture.
I must say I was one of the pro-dem student in China at the time, and even now I do not like the current China regime and the gov, but, your ways of reporting China make me sick of you, who and what have made you so much biase when dealing with China issues.
Posted by: davidwangsd | July 9, 2009, 1:27 pm 1:27 pm
How do you know that her husband is a killer ? it is a common behavior that chinese governmet arrest 50 innocent people for one criminal .
Posted by: tedcombat | July 9, 2009, 1:39 pm 1:39 pm
We have been lied to in the media about the Uighur incident. They started a riot and killed over a hundred Han Chinese in cold blood. THAT is why Han Chinese came out on the streets the next day with weapons, ready to get even.
The Chinese fear of a Uighur separatist movement and Uighur terrorism is real, despite the long history of Chinese govt domination of the region.
We want the truth….we’re not getting it.
Posted by: J House | July 9, 2009, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
to WC Read :
What you mentioned about Tienanmen Square is sth that happened 20 years ago, you have no idea how much change has happenned in China since then, not just in the economic development, but also in politics civilization. So please don’t keep your mind staying in 20 years ago, if you’d like to comments sth involves China, just keep your mind refresh.
Posted by: titian | July 9, 2009, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm
YOu mean like how in the olympics people were carted away. How after promising freedom of expression people were arrested for voicing their opinion or complaints. How parents whose children died in shoddy schools because of govt. corruption, who tried to complain were arrested,or silenced by the govt. Come on you guys are incredible. You know no matter how much you complain about the US our opinion our media, there is still nothing in China that allows freedom of expression or transparency in govt. as in the US. The U.S. is not perfect, but our liberties and rights for our citizens is what makes us great and china has nothing to compare with it.
I dare you to go to Tiananmen Square and say the Communist party *$#@!!, I can go to Washington DC stand in the memorials and say Obama *%$@#$, I can hold a protest against the Iraq or Afghanistan incursions by the US. You on the other hand, can do none of that, so your media and your govt. are much worse when it comes to freedom of expression and guaranteeing civil liberties and rights to its citizens.
Posted by: B | July 9, 2009, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
I’d be the last one to defend the Communist Chinese Govt, but the fact is, Uighurs started a riot and murdered over a hundred people in cold blood…it isn’t a coincidence they are ethnic Han.
The Western media has lied about it and covered it up because they want the narrative to be the repressive policies of the govt to be to blame.
The world media simply cannot be trusted anymore to report the facts and not shape the ‘news’.
See the photos of innocent Chinese women walking down the street with their heads bashed in and tell us the media cannot tell what happened?
It is pathetic and makes one wonder what else they are hiding from us, including what really happened in Iran.
Posted by: J House | July 9, 2009, 2:43 pm 2:43 pm
Tell me, you Chinese responders, if your government is in the right of the treatment of the Uighur, how come your government has felt the need to block internet use to its people?
The American government would NEVER do this. FREEDOM OF SPEECH is one of the basic HUMAN RIGHTS guaranteed in our country. The same can’t be said of China.
Face it, your government is afraid of you and if you say anything bad about your beloved government, you will disappear, just like Tursun Gul’s husband and brothers.
Posted by: Rachel | July 9, 2009, 2:44 pm 2:44 pm
We may not be getting the whole story, but what I am saying is that a people just does not rise up and start beating other people for no reason. Specially knowing the kind of retribution they can get from the govt. If there is prejudice and discrimination against the Uighurs which from comments by interviewed chinese its apparent that there is. Maybe the Uighurs rose up because of that. People can only take discrimination up to a certain point, specially if the govt. does nothing about it or encourages it.
Posted by: b | July 9, 2009, 2:53 pm 2:53 pm
I am appalled by the biased article and news ABC is spuring out.
The Uighers discontent comes from the fact that they cantcompete with the Han chinese bussiness wise, feels marginalised in the economic development, this despite a serie of pro minorities goverment policy implemented to te benifit of the Uighers.
Language barrier, poverty, education is amongst the reasons, NOT chines or goverment discrimination.
Many Uighers have started to become more and more violent ever since the 1980s, its a common knowleage in China, with the policy of “Show leniency to Minority in crime investigations” instigated by the late Party secretary Huyaobang also during 1980s, the situation quickly deteriorated, cuz this means that if a Uigher commit crimes like assault, stabbing or stealing he would be releaed the next day as long as the victim didnt die, while a Han chinese doing he same thing would ahve been sentenced to jail.
The result: Large criminal Uigher gang in all major cities across China, most of them thieves and robber, violent crime commited by the Uigher since 80s have soured while police cant do much, if you can do a crime and get away with it, why not do more?
If the chinese goverment have done anythign wrong it is this law, it is that they are trying too much to please Uighers and forgot to give them the respect of been equally treated, giving them too much benifit for thier own good.
Posted by: MJ | July 9, 2009, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm
China Historian, yes you are right in the US the govt. of the 19th century did prosecute the Indians. But we learned from that and look at us know, an African American as president. Tell me, can a non ethinic Chinese be elected to the highest position of power in China? Ooops silly me, I forgot you don’t have elections.
Posted by: b | July 9, 2009, 3:12 pm 3:12 pm
Or civil rights.
Posted by: b | July 9, 2009, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
First, I must say I do not like the CCP regime and the govt, but, I have also seen it is improving.
You make me sick by picking up one point to cover the whole thing.
Wake up West Media and the people, you must learn to get along with the rising China and the people and the culture.
I must say I was one of the pro-dem student in China at the time, and even now I do not like the current China regime and the gov, but, your ways of reporting China make me sick of you, who and what have made you so much biase when dealing with China issues.
Posted by: davidwangsd | July 9, 2009, 3:18 pm 3:18 pm
I have heard of some americans express regret over the Black forced assimilation and slavery, and destruction and annexation of Native american culture and land, yet, you are still living on the very fruit of those crimes, its much easier for people to reconsider something and feel disbelief when they no longer live in the situation, when they are past all the difficulties and doesnt have to pay a price for regreting it.
Posted by: MJ | July 9, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
China gov discriminate minorities? You must be kidding. Minorities have so much advantage policies, I don’t even want to mentioned. Actually the dominate Han chinese is the only one to be discriminated. Han chinese need to plan babies, Han chinese need to study harder because they have no score plus in college entrance test, Han chinese do crimes will be punished by laws with no leniency, Han chinese have no money from central gov to improve their living because their Han identity, they only need to depend on their hands, and pay the tax normally.
Posted by: titian | July 9, 2009, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
The chinese commenters keep saying we keep picking on one thing. From what I have seen in these posts, we are not and you are only looking to respond to one thing. Like others have said here, we have freedom of speech, civil rights, China does not as proved in the Olympics and what happened to those poor parents who lost their children due to corrupt govt. practices in regulating construction. Yes, we had our issues with racism, but we got over it, we resolved it. We still have issues, but we also have amazing successes. You only need to look at our african american president for that.
Like I said would a none ethinic chinese be allowed to head the Chinese govt.? Then again you do not have elections. You criticize the US, when your media freedoms or civil liberties are nothing compared to ours
Posted by: b | July 9, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
abcnews seems ashamed to accept my data!
FYI: it is said that the pictures and videos of the killing are not available within China. Numbers of death are also not available in Ethnic groups. The reason? Han Chinese are wished not to take revenge.
Posted by: jay | July 9, 2009, 5:40 pm 5:40 pm
It is wired now. It is accepted!
Posted by: jay | July 9, 2009, 5:42 pm 5:42 pm
Rachel,
Such stories are what the Chinese government is blocking to prevent further violence, and what ABC and the like turn a blind eye to–
“As The Times stood outside what is left of No 447 Zhongwan Street, a Han neighbour approached. She had watched the killings from her home in an apartment block overlooking the store.
“We saw hundreds of Uighurs running down the street on the afternoon of July 5. About ten suddenly rushed into the store. They began to hit the people inside, even the old mother, with bricks and stones. They tried to run outside. Then they were dragged back inside.
“There were terrible screams. Just wordless screams. But then very quickly they fell silent.”
She said that the son tried to hide in a chicken coop but was dragged out and his head was cut off. All the victims were left to burn inside the building. The corpses of the boy and his father were found beheaded. Mr Yu said: “Even the 84-year-old mother was stoned and then burnt. It was terrible, terrible. So cruel.” “
Posted by: JOel | July 9, 2009, 6:12 pm 6:12 pm
As I said in an earlier post, this woman was facing absolutely no danger, even without all the cameras. Here’s in her own words–
“She said that the fact that she was a woman probably determined the response by the People’s Armed Police, who appear to be under strict orders to exercise the utmost restraint. “I think they felt sympathy for me.”
A senior Uighur officer approached her and tried to calm her, giving her his telephone number.
“He told me to trust them, to trust the Communist Party and everything would be all right.” She left and tried to call him later but there was no answer.
She hopes that the riot will not lead to deeper divisions in her city.
“The Han don’t hate the Uighurs and the Uighurs don’t hate the Han,” she said. “I have sympathy for the Han people who were killed. We need to have ethnic unity.” ”
Times Online
Posted by: JOel | July 9, 2009, 7:03 pm 7:03 pm
I can see many Chinese spy here.
Posted by: King | July 9, 2009, 8:03 pm 8:03 pm
In addition to showing the photo of the Uighur woman standing up to the police, ABC news should also show the photos of Chinese that were beaten and killed. I just want the media to show the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Readers from halfway across the world should not be influenced to only sympathize with one group. The attackers will get what they deserve! The arrested will be punished!
Posted by: vjwv | July 9, 2009, 8:50 pm 8:50 pm
The writer must be kidding.The student stood in front of tank is a hero.How about this old lady? Her husband might be the murder ? How could you compare them together? The writer must test his IQ.
Posted by: Rick | July 9, 2009, 8:56 pm 8:56 pm
It’s a humiliation to that brave student to compare him to this disgusting, evil criminal!
How could you praise such a brutal criminal and how dare you to present this artical to those who have lost their beloved family members in this riot?
Posted by: Daniel | July 9, 2009, 10:29 pm 10:29 pm
all the posters framing all uighurs as violent are NAIVE who does not know the truth.
actually nobody knows the truth but it is clear though that decades of abuse and discrimination have made a group of uighurs to commit some violent crimes on sunday.
but looks like han vigilantes have been killing and looting uighurs properties in the presence of police and military. the free media is totally banned that shows who has something to hide han govt. or uighurs who cannot even speak freely.
Posted by: mohamad | July 9, 2009, 11:01 pm 11:01 pm
It seems nobody is willing to tell the truth in this…
CN govn is reluctant to release the truth in the fear to trigger further hate and revenge from one side to the other…
Western media is reluctant to tell the truth for the reason that should not surprise us…
You can bend it and twist it… You can misuse and abuse it… for your own little interest, But even God know it and you cannot change the Truth.
Posted by: david | July 9, 2009, 11:15 pm 11:15 pm
This trouble goes back to Qing Dynasty. But like America, would you be willing to take this country back to Native American Indians?
The Uighurs of today are still very lucky because the present Chinese government are giving them privileges not available to Han majority with the hope they’ll improve their lives but it obviously, they are not making good use of it (not all but most).Their entrance exam passing score is lower so they can go to college,they can have up to 3 kids and many others that may not sound fair to majority Han.
The Uighurs previleged life will be put to test in the next generation of Chinese leadership who are less patient.
Posted by: cris | July 9, 2009, 11:29 pm 11:29 pm
Come on, it is just a “peaceful protest”!
“We saw hundreds of Uighurs running down the street on the afternoon of July 5. About ten suddenly rushed into the store. They began to hit the people inside, even the old mother, with bricks and stones. They tried to run outside. Then they were dragged back inside.
“There were terrible screams. Just wordless screams. But then very quickly they fell silent.”
She said that the son tried to hide in a chicken coop but was dragged out and his head was cut off. All the victims were left to burn inside the building. The corpses of the boy and his father were found beheaded. Mr Yu said: “Even the 84-year-old mother was stoned and then burnt. It was terrible, terrible. So cruel.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk
Posted by: Jane | July 9, 2009, 11:31 pm 11:31 pm
I am an American living in California. I can read any report I want and therefore not being brainwashed by any government. When I first heard about the riots in Urumqi, I knew right away that the western media would immediately take side on the Uighurs and blamed everything on the Chinese government. No matter what the Chinese government does, it would be interpreted negatively. Words like “brutal crackdown”, “oppression”, “force”, and “paramilitary” will be used often to describe the government. Western media often accuse the Chinese government of brainwashing the Chinese people; but in reality, it is the western media that is biased and promoting hatred toward others. If these riots of moslems attacking others in the US, it would be a totally different story. Shame on your ABC News. Shame on you Clarissa.
Posted by: Agusto | July 10, 2009, 12:01 am 12:01 am
I understand there is more to this story than the head line but as a woman with a DISABILITY- how could someone in this day and age use the word CRIPPLED” in a headline
Posted by: tammy | July 10, 2009, 1:00 am 1:00 am
nothing new by BBc or many journalist – who use pen to kill more than guns. In peace time – where there is not many news, some one has to create news. Some even goes to the extent of hollywood news, no – it is called conllywood news. It is true but not the whole truth – this is today conllywood news. Enjoy it like any movie. Hope the journalist get a Conscar Award for writing the smallest true story. cheers
Posted by: asia michael | July 10, 2009, 1:00 am 1:00 am
“but what I am saying is that a people just does not rise up and start beating other people for no reason”–OK,How about the ’911′?
Posted by: Weir | July 10, 2009, 2:34 am 2:34 am
It is clear to me that Uighurs fault is guilt by association. It is now perfectly legitimate to kill and maim Muslims under the pretext of terrorism. China, culturally, is oppressive and not so open minded to people from other cultures. So, Uighurs are now being slaughtered and the victim is not Uighurs, but the killers. I can clearly see that they are rising up against influx of “others” meddling into Uighurs resources and yet Uighurs are being discriminated in their indigenous land-They have to rise up against state sponsored encouragement of oppressing Uighurs.
Posted by: The_Mentalist | July 10, 2009, 2:36 am 2:36 am
I am a foreigner and now working in China.As far as I know, the Chinese government has offered many priviledge treatment to ethnic minorities,to the tune of even condoning them if they have committed crimes.Typically the police would not like to handle any crime that involves ethnic minorites,for fear of receiving instruction from high up to thouroughly investigate each case, and end results are always in favour of the minorities.Rationale is, it is the government’s policy to specially look after the ethnic minorities, towing the communist party lines.The consequences are, the minorities become uncontrollable.Each local government has to tolerate the anti-civic behaviours by them, in Guangzhou, these minorities can carry sabres and walk around without interference from the police at times.And if the have ever commit a crime, they know that they will get special treatment by minimising the punishment, sometimes being freed without questioning.So when they are instigated by people who have motives,they will disregard law and order.So the Hans now think that this may not work.Perhaps they should be treated equally,just like minorities in US.otherwise the Hans will find that their government is over protecting the ethnic minorities,resulting no progress of the people in the long run,simple minded, and never consider themselves being part of the country.Unlike the melting pot policy practised elsewhere.
In my fair assessment, the chinese government is trying its best to handle ethnic issues,with humanity in mind.Just that they have a more complicated situation than US.The US also have the Red Indian who claimed that certain territories are owned by their ancestors,and when the White was in charge,they were more brutal.
Posted by: CT | July 10, 2009, 3:25 am 3:25 am
I think we’re getting off at the wrong hand, making this a issue between the Chinese and the U.S.. Fact is, the Chinese government is not nearly as good as the U.S. government in many ways, mostly freedom. However, that is not an excuse to examine all the issues in China as human-rights violations. Regardless of being Uighur or Han, the Law should come first, and if the government arrest a suspect lawfully, you should respect that decision regardless of it may or may not be correct. Chinese law isn’t perfect, and it leans towards Chinese Government’s favor most of the time, but that doesn’t give anyone the right to be the judge and carry out his/her own justice through unlawful means (like murder or obstruction of justice and officers who are trying to stop the situation from escalating and save lives of both Uighur and Han).
Every issue should be viewed from both sides. Because most of us weren’t there, we will never know how much fault everyone involved has, not just in China, but in stories across the world. That is why we rely most of the time on journalists who are there to report the whole story, mechanically, not personally. However when the story seems personal and very one-sided, I cannot say that this information is wrong, but it is definitely not to be trusted. I watch ABC world news everyday for the past 8 years, because I think it’s much more informative than news from CNN. However this one seems to be much more shallow than what it suppose to be, and in that sense I am quite disappointed.
Posted by: tz | July 10, 2009, 10:21 am 10:21 am
Cris,
You can’t compare the dictator China with USA. If Uyghur people are under USA control, they would never ask for independence. How can you compare the two government and how can you compare the Han Chinese to American people? interesting…..
Doesn’t your government give you privilege that are given to the Uyghurs? Then why don’t you shut your mouth and stand up against your stupid government? Is your problem caused by Uyghur people?
I don’t know what is your entrance exam score. But if you are not satisfied, why don’t you talk to your government which you are defending? If you are satisfied one-kid policy, why don’t you say, “Mr Hu jintao, We need more kids.”. Why do you open up your ugly mouth just to blame the minorities?
Learn from Tian An Men uprising. Investigate why that uprising failed. How do you defend a racist party who even killed the students? Shame on you sir.
Posted by: kiku | July 10, 2009, 2:58 pm 2:58 pm
Calm down, US media not finger pointing china, they just love criminal by nature.
Posted by: Hlbb | July 10, 2009, 5:14 pm 5:14 pm
how can you compare the Han Chinese to American people? interesting…..
~~~~~~~~~~ I totally agree, 5 miuntes in America is boring to death already.
Posted by: hlbb | July 10, 2009, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
It’s not about race or country. It’s about this ABC article being unprofessional. Regardless of who’s right, who’s wrong, please show us a bigger picture of what’s happening on both sides, and let us, the reader, decide who’s right, who’s wrong, instead of you (Clarissa or ABC News) deciding it for us and subjectively filtering and molding the information. Please do not force us into having to resort in other news agencies for more complete stories on world issues.
Posted by: tz | July 10, 2009, 7:12 pm 7:12 pm
Whoever disagreed with government should all be arrested
Posted by: Chairman | July 11, 2009, 1:31 am 1:31 am
the riot started with killing of innocent Uyghurs by Han people. The vidoes of these killings are on the internet.
The government did not have open investigation and this let ordinary people on the streets.
These things don’t happen out of nowhere. The Chinese government has to face the decision – to continue suppression of Uyghurs for the sake of using the oil and gas in Uyghur lands or to reconsider its chauvinist policies.
Free East Turkestan!
Posted by: Sapienti sat | July 11, 2009, 8:56 pm 8:56 pm
Tursun Gul is praised because she represents the stand against the totalitarian military regime in Beijing.
First, the regime has either forced or encouraged relocation of large numbers of Han to Xinjiang. Clearly, this is an attempt to supplant the indigenous population and culture.
Second, it is an attempt to repress dissent and to extract national resources rightfully belonging to the indigenous people.
Third, it represents a stand against a regime that is responsible for 200 million Chinese who are dislocated. It makes a statement regarding the six million Chinese known to be in forced labor, a figure half again larger than the Soviet Gulag at its height of four million. It speaks to every foolhardy infrastructural development scheme on the part of the party whether it be the Olympics, the space program to the moon, or the nightmare of Expo 2010 in Shanghai. These ludicrous ideas wreak havoc, line pockets of corrupt officials,
Turksun Gul, Rebiya, and the Dalai Lama speak for truth and disclosure of wanton repression in China and urban Chinese have foresaken human rights in exchange for higher incomes, better perquisites, and improved standards of living. These serve only to further corruption.
Posted by: Michael Rollo | July 12, 2009, 2:55 am 2:55 am
So you think your definition of human rights is more important than improved standards of living?
Try telling that to the 800 million people living in poverty, the people who cannot get adequate nutrition and medical care.
How can you think it’s humane to forsake 800 million people in deep need of improved stands of living just to satisfy an already privileged minority who cry for more?
Posted by: dx | July 12, 2009, 6:26 am 6:26 am
Hi, J house, you know what ?
US is surely killing a lots of innocent people around world, even worse than china government, so I get to laugh whenever
another terror act happens in your land.
Posted by: yoush*t | July 14, 2009, 10:33 am 10:33 am
There is a fact never revealed by anybody. Don’t know if Clarrisa Ward has observed in Urumqi. Most of Uighurs are slackers, not working hard as Americans and other Chinese are. It is the root cause they are left out in the economy boom. If you are just lying down wating for fruits, or spending time on praying everyday, don’t complain. You got to think about why you are discriminated.
Posted by: Jason | July 14, 2009, 11:29 am 11:29 am
A suggestion to Clarrisa Ward – in addition to your showy and superficial reports, can you dig out on which aspects Uighurs are being discriminated, and why? Also, can you show us how much risk you are taking out there? Do you need to hide yourself everyday? What does the hotel where you live look like? What do you eat there? Any real threats from officiers? Just got scared by the policemen’s wording of “get out”? What I am seeing is you are pretty free to go anywhere you want to go. Right?
Posted by: Jason | July 14, 2009, 11:49 am 11:49 am