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Traffic curfew lifted in Urumqi

URUMQI: Urumqi appeared to be calm under heavy paramilitary police presence on Wednesday after an overnight traffic curfew, but sporadic standoffs and clashes were still reported.

The city adopted a “comprehensive traffic control” from 9:00 p.m. Tuesday to 8:00 a.m. Wednesday to avoid further chaos amid the ongoing unrest. Traffic restrictions were still imposed in some major streets as of Wednesday, with members of the Armed Police guarding or patrolling. Armoured personnel carriers stood by, but more people appeared in the streets on Wednesday than Tuesday.

Urumqi Mayor Jerla Isamudin said supplies of water and electricity were normal and many gas stations resumed services.

Most of the bus services had resumed as of Wednesday noon. The number of buses running in the streets was 90 percent of that in the normal period, he said at the press conference on Wednesday.

Urumqi Airport is crowded with people anxious to leave. Li Qian holding her seven-year-old son hurried to catch a flight. She flew to Xinjiang for tourism but cancelled her plans. After the riot, Ms. Li said she just wanted to go back home. “We fear Xinjiang is not safe anymore,” said a passenger, who refused to be named.

President Hu Jintao cut short a state visit to Italy and returned to Beijing on Wednesday due to the situation in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. Mr. Hu reached Rome on Sunday for a state visit at the invitation of his Italian counterpart Giorgio Napolitano. He was scheduled to attend a summit of the Group of Eight and major developing countries and pay a state visit to Portugal as well. Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo will attend the summit on Mr. Hu’s behalf.

China’s top police officer on Wednesday urged no leniency in the punishment of thugs who took part in the Urumqi riot.

Meng Jianzhu, state councillor and public security minister, made the remarks when visiting those injured by rioters and family members of victims in Urumqi, capital of north-west China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. Those who led rioters should be punished with the utmost severity and those taking part in the riot, who were provoked and cheated by separatists, should be given persuasion and education, he said. — Xinhua

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