Comments on: The Uyghur Who Saved a Han http://www.farwestchina.com/2009/08/uyghur-who-saved-han.html Travel and Live in Xinjiang, China's Silk Road Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:23:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Guest http://www.farwestchina.com/2009/08/uyghur-who-saved-han.html/comment-page-1#comment-21 Guest Sat, 08 Aug 2009 10:27:03 +0000 http://farwestchina.webfactional.com/2009/08/the-uyghur-who-saved-a-han/#comment-21 Is it better to spam the media with false statements of ethnic brotherhood (which, incidentally, no-one there really believes), and blame bogus external 'cliques' for the violence - or deal with the real underlying causes?<br /><br />As someone who has been based in Urumqi since 2005, and was there from July 6th to July 21st, I can say that neither side comes out of this very well. They're both playing fast and loose with the facts to suit their own agendas. Is it better to spam the media with false statements of ethnic brotherhood (which, incidentally, no-one there really believes), and blame bogus external 'cliques' for the violence – or deal with the real underlying causes?

As someone who has been based in Urumqi since 2005, and was there from July 6th to July 21st, I can say that neither side comes out of this very well. They're both playing fast and loose with the facts to suit their own agendas.

]]> By: Frank http://www.farwestchina.com/2009/08/uyghur-who-saved-han.html/comment-page-1#comment-14 Frank Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:49:55 +0000 http://farwestchina.webfactional.com/2009/08/the-uyghur-who-saved-a-han/#comment-14 Sakura:<br />What are you suggesting?<br /><br />Government should stay aside, let people sort out the difference by themselves?<br /><br />That will solve the Xingjiang problem very quickly. Sakura:
What are you suggesting?

Government should stay aside, let people sort out the difference by themselves?

That will solve the Xingjiang problem very quickly.

]]> By: AJ http://www.farwestchina.com/2009/08/uyghur-who-saved-han.html/comment-page-1#comment-12 AJ Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:50:18 +0000 http://farwestchina.webfactional.com/2009/08/the-uyghur-who-saved-a-han/#comment-12 Is anyone else having problems accessing Urumqi by telephone I haven't been able to get through all this week (28/8 - 4/9)? Is anyone else having problems accessing Urumqi by telephone I haven't been able to get through all this week (28/8 – 4/9)?

]]> By: Sakura http://www.farwestchina.com/2009/08/uyghur-who-saved-han.html/comment-page-1#comment-11 Sakura Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:20:56 +0000 http://farwestchina.webfactional.com/2009/08/the-uyghur-who-saved-a-han/#comment-11 Josh, thanks for this interesting anecdote. I have heard a lot of stories like this one too. To those who haven't seen the riot coverage on Xinjiang TV, a disproportionate percentage of the news aired accounts of inter-ethnic compassion, basically Han and Uyghurs helping each other out during the violence. While it was comforting to see this, I was frustrated that simple human kindness was co-opted by the state media to further their agenda (ethnic harmony, and so on), and to prevent any real investigation of the events that transpired. Josh, thanks for this interesting anecdote. I have heard a lot of stories like this one too. To those who haven't seen the riot coverage on Xinjiang TV, a disproportionate percentage of the news aired accounts of inter-ethnic compassion, basically Han and Uyghurs helping each other out during the violence. While it was comforting to see this, I was frustrated that simple human kindness was co-opted by the state media to further their agenda (ethnic harmony, and so on), and to prevent any real investigation of the events that transpired.

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