Urumqi at peace one year after deadly riot
Source: Xinhua |
July 5, 2010, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TEAMS of police armed with guns and batons patrolled the streets in Urumqi yesterday, part of stringent security precautions put in place ahead of the one-year anniversary of the July 5 riot that killed 197 people in the capital city of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Urumqi's public security bureau said yesterday that residents were going about their business as usual, following campaigns to seize illegal weapons and explosives and increased security in areas with higher rates of crime.
The landmark International Grand Bazaar, with its 4,000 shops and booths, is considered Urumqi's main business area.
It was closed for 18 days after last year's deadly riot which also injured more than 1,600, most of them Han people.
Yesterday, Unity Road in front of the bazaar was crowded. Two tour buses were parked at the roadside and a guide, with a flag of his travel agency in hand, was being followed by curious visitors, taking in the first stop on a city tour.
Officials reckon the city's major hotels have had a 60 percent occupancy rate since the government unveiled a major support package to boost development in Xinjiang in May.
Airlines and railways have increased services to Urumqi and tourists are everywhere. At Red Hill Park, many tourists climbed to the top of the hill to take pictures yesterday.
Normal life has resumed, but under the watchful eye of the armed police.
The city's 3.5 million inhabitants have become accustomed to the heavy security. A young couple kiss on a bench as police in camouflage fatigues march by, neither noticing the other.
Meanwhile, retired women wearing red armbands, members of the "joint defense teams for public security," offer help to strangers.
In a Geely Motor showroom, photos on the wall show scenes from the riot. It was looted and vandalized, with losses of more than 6 million yuan (US$882,000).
According to sales manager Wang Xiangrong, business has been climbing steadily since it reopened in December.
Uygur dancing - suspended after the riot - has resumed at the Flaming Mountain Steamboat Restaurant, while in Apple's Father Restaurant, young Uygurs, Kazakhs and Han people dance together to pop and Kazakh music.
Excavators move back and forth at Heijiashan in Tianshan District, demolishing one of Urumqi's shanty towns. The area was considered a hotbed of crime and poverty.
Ahat Wujit, a Uygur resident of Erdaowan East Community, where people from seven ethnic groups live, said: "I've seen many Han people learn Uygur dances on the square, and my wife usually dances with them. We never feel estranged."
"The rioters damaged our image and reputation, but my Han neighbors are still kind to us. I am grateful to them," Ahat said.
Urumqi's public security bureau said yesterday that residents were going about their business as usual, following campaigns to seize illegal weapons and explosives and increased security in areas with higher rates of crime.
The landmark International Grand Bazaar, with its 4,000 shops and booths, is considered Urumqi's main business area.
It was closed for 18 days after last year's deadly riot which also injured more than 1,600, most of them Han people.
Yesterday, Unity Road in front of the bazaar was crowded. Two tour buses were parked at the roadside and a guide, with a flag of his travel agency in hand, was being followed by curious visitors, taking in the first stop on a city tour.
Officials reckon the city's major hotels have had a 60 percent occupancy rate since the government unveiled a major support package to boost development in Xinjiang in May.
Airlines and railways have increased services to Urumqi and tourists are everywhere. At Red Hill Park, many tourists climbed to the top of the hill to take pictures yesterday.
Normal life has resumed, but under the watchful eye of the armed police.
The city's 3.5 million inhabitants have become accustomed to the heavy security. A young couple kiss on a bench as police in camouflage fatigues march by, neither noticing the other.
Meanwhile, retired women wearing red armbands, members of the "joint defense teams for public security," offer help to strangers.
In a Geely Motor showroom, photos on the wall show scenes from the riot. It was looted and vandalized, with losses of more than 6 million yuan (US$882,000).
According to sales manager Wang Xiangrong, business has been climbing steadily since it reopened in December.
Uygur dancing - suspended after the riot - has resumed at the Flaming Mountain Steamboat Restaurant, while in Apple's Father Restaurant, young Uygurs, Kazakhs and Han people dance together to pop and Kazakh music.
Excavators move back and forth at Heijiashan in Tianshan District, demolishing one of Urumqi's shanty towns. The area was considered a hotbed of crime and poverty.
Ahat Wujit, a Uygur resident of Erdaowan East Community, where people from seven ethnic groups live, said: "I've seen many Han people learn Uygur dances on the square, and my wife usually dances with them. We never feel estranged."
"The rioters damaged our image and reputation, but my Han neighbors are still kind to us. I am grateful to them," Ahat said.
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