Eyewitnesses give alternative account of incident in Siriqbuya on November 16
For immediate Release
November 20, 2013, 4:30 pm EST
Contact: Uyghur American Association +1 (202) 478 1920
The Uyghur American Association (UAA) casts doubt on the Chinese authorities’ version of a deadly incident in Siriqbuya township on November 16. According to three eyewitnesses who spoke to UAA on condition of anonymity, the events on Saturday in the township, which is close to Kashgar, began with a protest about heavy-handed policing in Siriqbuya since an earlier incident occurred in April 2013. Chinese media characterized the incident as a attack carried out by nine assailants.
“It is clear from our interviews with people in Siriqbuya who witnessed the entire incident that the Chinese government’s account should be treated with deep suspicion,” said UAA president Alim Seytoff in a statement from Washington, DC. “Given the account provided by the eyewitnesses, the Chinese police conducted a series of extrajudicial killings of Uyghur protestors that necessitate further investigation. We simply cannot accept the Chinese government version of this event and move on. State violence against Uyghurs is only intensifying; by uncovering more information beyond the scant details given by Chinese police, we can end this tragic pattern.”
According to the three eyewitnesses, Uyghurs in Seriqbuya had been subjected to a severe security crackdown following a violent incident in April, which allegedly killed 21 people. The Chinese characterized the April incident as terrorist inspired without offering any evidence that could be independently corroborated.
BBC reporter Damian Grammaticas visited Seriqbuya after the incident in April and spoke to resident Uyghurs, who claimed the incident was sparked by police harassment of a local family. Police targeted the family because of their religious practices and beliefs. To this day, the escalation of violence in the township to result in 21 deaths is unclear. Chinese authorities eventually ordered Grammaticas to leave Seriqbuya, who wrote that the accounts he heard form local Uyghurs “raises questions about how at least one of the men died at the hands of police, and, possibly, whether there was justification for shooting [an]other three as well.”
The three eyewitnesses explained how Uyghurs in Seriqbuya had grown frustrated at indiscriminate searches and severe beatings following the April incident. In order to express their unhappiness, young men went to the township police station on November 16 to demonstrate against the harsh security measures. The eyewitnesses described how the police panicked and fired on the protestors killing an undetermined number of them. In retaliation, some of the Uyghurs killed two of the police officers. No further details were given. The remaining officers withdrew inside one of the buildings comprising the police station compound and most likely called for a SWAT team. An unspecified number of the Uyghurs involved in the protest also sheltered in the police station grounds. During the standoff other Uyghurs gathered at the scene and voiced discontent with the police reaction to the protest. After its arrival, the SWAT team killed Uyghurs hiding in the police station. In a report dated November 16, 2013, Radio Free Asia cited a police officer as seeing “four or five bodies lying on the ground” after the first exchange.
Chinese state media gave scarce details on the November 16 incident, only acknowledging: “Nine attackers, armed with knives and axes, were shot dead…Two employees working with local police were killed and another two were injured.” Local state authorities declined to comment on the incident when asked by the Global Times.
Besides the questions raised by Damian Grammaticas about the April 2013 incident in Seriqbuya, doubts concerning details provided by the Chinese government about alleged violent incidents involving Uyghurs have been expressed in the overseas media. Also citing eyewitness reports, New York Times’ Ed Wong cast doubt on an incident in Kashgar during the run up to the 2008 Olympics. In addition, the New York Times’ Andrew Jacobs, reported on an alternative account to an incident that happened in Hanerik, near Hotan in June 2013.
The right to life is protected in Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which states: “No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.” UAA believes concerned governments and officials should question The People’s Republic of China over credible allegations of extrajudicial killings conducted by Chinese security forces in East Turkestan. UAA also believes The People’s Republic of China should be reminded of its responsibility to adhere to international standards of behavior and ratify the ICCPR.