Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Twitter In Xinjiang Amidst Uyghur-Han Riots

Melissa Chan of Al Jazeera is in Urumqi and sending out constant updates of what she is seeing. It seems like the situation is getting worse. Here is a peek:
  1. Equally bad if you're a journalist who is Han-looking in Uighur neighborhoods. We all feel kind of stuck.
  2. It is dangerous to film around Han Chinese if you have blonde hair and white skin. They get angry.
  3. The city is now under martial law.
  4. A Han Chinese man with a stick just tore open our car door to beat our producer. Averted just in time.
  5. There is no right or wrong anymore. Just vigilantes, Han and Uighur. Mostly men but some women and even children.
  6. I asked a Han Chinese girl if she was scared. Yes. But this is to defend my country she says with stick in hand.
  7. Heading to an ethnic neighborhood.
  8. A few hundred Han Chinese with sticks and knives have come down the road singing the national anthem.
  9. Locals tell up there are riots now in three or four locations in the city.
  10. Looking Han Chinese doesn't make me feel safe I must say.
  11. From the other point of view the police did manage the situation well - it could have escalated far more.
  12. The last we saw it looked as if the protesters were dispersing but armed police had guns not by their side, but in hand.
  13. For those wondering how I am twittering. Have been text messaging a Beijing friend who is posting my messages via proxy.
  14. There are rottweilers with the police. I fear if we leave bad things will happen to these people. #urumqi
  15. The government have finally reacted and they are now trying to round us up back to our buses.
  16. Some men have started throwing rocks.
  17. Chinese plainclothes with sticks now have shown up.
  18. Shot police are moving in the protesters are shouting, "Let them free."
  19. Uighur women with babies and children; hundreds protesting and asking for release of husbands.

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