China vows to crush government opponents in Xinjiang

DHAKA: China vowed to strike with an ‘iron fist’ at separatist forces in its restive Xinjiang region, as it rolled out a heavy security presence for the third anniversary on Thursday of deadly ethnic riots.

The pledge to crack down on ‘separatism, religious extremism and terrorism’ came as Amnesty International condemned China for what it said was repression against ethnic Uighurs in Xinjiang who had spoken out against rights abuses.

Regional Communist Party chief Zhang Chunxian visited riot police in the Xinjiang capital of Urumqi on Wednesday ahead of the sensitive anniversary date and told them they must crush government opponents.

‘Remain on high alert for every kind of hostile force and strike with an iron fist at the forces of separatism, religious extremism and terrorism’, Zhang said, according to a statement on the regional government’s website, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1512 HRS, JUL 5, 2012

Edited by Robab Rosan, Cultural Affairs Editor