UNITED FRONT: Nur Bekri (center), Chairman of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Government, recounts the riot in Urumqi when speaking to reporters on July 6. Wang Lequan (left), is Secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China (FILE)

In a July 7 televised speech, Wang Lequan, Secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), urged local residents to avoid ethnic confrontation in the region where the Han ethnic group makes up about 40 percent of the population, while 47 other ethnic groups, including Uygur, Hui, Kazak and Mongolian, form the rest.

"We should keep a sober mind and not fall into the trap of our enemies. We should not target our ethnic sisters and brothers. Our targets should be the hostile forces and criminals, both at home and abroad, rather than our own brothers and sisters of different ethnic backgrounds. Unreasonable behavior will only further worsen the situation," Wang said.

Wang said there is "solid evidence" showing that Rebiya Kadeer, the leader of the separatist World Uygur Congress who instigated the attacks in Urumqi on July 5, used the Internet and other networks to mobilize rioters.

"A majority of the suspects involved in the riot are now under investigation," Wang said. "Some of those involved are students. Most of the youngsters were unaware of the truth. If they did not play a major role in the violence, they will be released. Their future should not be ruined."

Wang said that the injured had received medical treatment, and that the government would comfort and compensate bereaved families and try hard to help restore business for those who suffered losses during the violence.

Special police officers from across the country had been sent to Urumqi to assist local police forces in maintaining public security, said Meng Jianzhu, State Councilor and Minister of Public Security, while visiting residents injured in the riots and family members of the victims on July 8.

Meng said that adequate evidence has proved that the riot was masterminded and remotely controlled by overseas separatists and that it was a serious struggle to maintain national unity against separatism.

Key rioters should be punished with the utmost severity, while those who took part in the riot who were provoked and cheated by separatists should be given persuasion and education, Meng said.

"It was a violent crime that was premeditated and organized," said Nur Bekri, Chairman of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Government, in a televised speech on July 6.

He said the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism made use of a fight between Uygur and Han ethnic workers in a toy factory in southern Guangdong Province on June 26 to create chaos. Two Uygur workers died in that altercation.

Bekri said stability is the foundation on which everything in Xinjiang is built and that people should work to maintain the harmonious and stable social and political order.

"The casualty rate and losses from this incident are the worst in Xinjiang since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949," Li Zhi, Secretary of the Urumqi Municipal CPC Committee, told a press conference on July 6. "All rescue work for the victims and arrests of suspects are being carried out in accordance with the law."

The authorities are sparing no effort to protect the security of residents from all ethnic groups, Li said.

"The rioters violated laws and harmed the fundamental interests of all Chinese ethnic groups," said Li.

The police have started interrogating suspects, Li added, saying that those who were found not to be involved would be released. As of July 6, police had detained 1,434 suspects in connection with the July 5 riot, according to official sources.

"But there will be zero tolerance for those found to be responsible," Li said.

"The violence has not only upset the peace and order of Xinjiang, it has ignited grave anger among people," said Jerla Isamudin, Mayor of the Urumqi Municipal Government, at a July 7 press conference.