Muslim Uighur and Han Chinese mobs spread ethnic strife in restive western China

September 23rd, 2009 11 indicted in China brawl that led to riotsBEIJING — Chinese prosecutors have indicted 11 people in a factory brawl that led days later to deadly rioting in the Muslim far west. The June 26 fight at the Xuri Toy Factory in Shaoguan pitted workers from the Uighur minority group against Han Chinese, who make up most of China's population.

September 11th, 2009 New needle attacks reported in Chinese citiesBEIJING — Mystery needle attacks appeared to spread in China's far western region as authorities arrested nine new suspects in three cities, officials said Friday. The suspects were recently detained in the Xinjiang region cities of Hotan, Altay, and Kashgar in connection with alleged attacks involving hypodermic needles, a press officer at the Xinjiang government press center in the provincial capital Urumqi said Friday.

August 9th, 2009 Plane hijacked in China's restive Xinjiang regionBEIJING —China's state news agency says a plane has been hijacked in the restive western region of Xinjiang, which was rocked by ethnic riots last month. Xinhua News Agency did not give any details about the hijacking in a brief report Sunday.

August 5th, 2009 Uighur accuses China of inflaming ethnic tensionMELBOURNE, Australia — China is inflaming ethnic tensions by deceiving its own people about last month's deadly riots in western Xinjiang province, an exiled Uighur activist whom Beijing blames for the unrest said Wednesday. Rebiya Kadeer, a U.S.-based activist who is in Australia for the screening of a documentary about her life, told reporters that Beijing should be held accountable for the violent crackdown.

July 30th, 2009 China issues most-wanted list for Xinjiang riotsBEIJING — China released a most-wanted list Thursday of 15 people it is seeking for their alleged roles in the worst ethnic violence to hit the country in decades. The government says 197 people died and more than 1,700 were wounded in the riots that broke out earlier this month in the western region of Xinjiang between minority Muslim Uighurs and majority Han Chinese.

July 27th, 2009 China unhappy with Uighur activist's Japan tripBEIJING — China's Foreign Ministry criticized Japan on Monday for allowing a visit this week by an exiled Uighur activist whom Beijing blames for deadly ethnic riots in western China. The Chinese government "expresses strong dissatisfaction" with the Japanese government for allowing Rebiya Kadeer to visit Wednesday and Thursday despite Beijing's "repeated and serious representations," ministry spokesman Qin Gang said in a statement.

July 13th, 2009 URUMQI - Police in China's restive Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have shot dead two Uighur men in an attempt to stop them killing another. According to authorities, a police team patrolling in Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang province, saw a group of three people trying to kill a passerby.

July 11th, 2009 Woman China blames for violence wants dialogueWASHINGTON — The woman Chinese authorities blame for violent unrest in western China's Xinjiang (shihn-jahng) region is asking for outside intervention to create a dialogue between her ethnic Uighurs (WEE-gers) and Chinese authorities. In an interview with AP Television, Rebiya Kadeer says bad blood caused by Chinese mistreatment and suspicion of its Uighur minority has created a situation that "doesn't come to the negotiating table that easily." Nevertheless, Kadeer says, the Uighurs still want a dialogue with the Chinese government for a peaceful settlement.

July 10th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Shafiqur Rahman Barq Friday said the Indian government should appeal to the Chinese government to stop the ethnic violence in Urumqi city of Muslim-dominated Xinjiang province of China. "Our government should appeal to the Chinese government to stop the ongoing violence in Urumqi city," Barq told IANS.

July 7th, 2009 Curfew declared in restive Chinese regionURUMQI, China — Chinese state media say that the government in the restive western region of Xinjiang has declared a curfew following the violence of recent days that has killed at least 156 people and paralyzed the main city of Urumqi. The official Xinhua News Agency said Tuesday that the curfew from 9 p.m.

July 7th, 2009 Uighurs stage protests in Turkey, NorwayANKARA, Turkey — Uighur expatriates staged protests on Tuesday outside the Chinese embassies in Turkey and Norway, denouncing violence in western China that has killed at least 156 people. Protesters briefly scuffled with police in Ankara, and the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned a top Chinese diplomat over the violence in China's Xinjiang region.

July 7th, 2009 Clinton urges restraint in riots in western ChinaWASHINGTON — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is urging restraint in clashes in western China. Clinton told reporters Tuesday that the United States is "deeply concerned" about worsening ethnic violence in China's oil-rich Xinjiang territory.

July 7th, 2009 Uighur supporters in US blame China for riotsWASHINGTON — An exiled Uighur (WEE-gur) leader is blaming the Chinese government for the rising tensions and ethnic violence in China. Rebiya (ruh-BEE-yuh) Kadeer (kuh-DEER) spoke to Uighur supporters at a rally in downtown Washington on Tuesday.

July 6th, 2009 Uighur leader denies inciting fatal riots in ChinaWASHINGTON — The exiled leader of a Muslim minority group is denying Chinese government accusations that she incited riots that have left 156 people dead in western China. Rebiya Kadeer is president of the Uyghur American Association.

June 27th, 2009 Ethnic clash in Chinese factory kills 2, hurts 118BEIJING — Ethnic tensions between workers at a toy factory in southern China sparked a brawl that left two dead and 118 injured, state media and a government spokesman said Saturday. The official China News Service said hundreds of workers at the Xuri Toy Factory in Shaoguan City fought for two hours before more than 400 police restored order early Friday morning.