International

Severe punishment for Xinjiang culprits: China

BEIJING: Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday night convened a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) to discuss the deadly Xinjiang riot.

Standing Committee members agreed that stability in Xinjiang was the “most important and pressing task,” according to a statement issued on Thursday. They also vowed “severe punishment” of culprits in accordance with the law.

Mr. Hu, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, cut short his trip to Europe and skipped the G8 meeting due to the situation in Xinjiang.

The government would “firmly crack down on serious crimes, including assaults, vandalism, looting and arson” to maintain social stability and safeguard people’s fundamental interests in Xinjiang, said the statement.

The Standing Committee ordered authorities to “isolate and crack down on the tiny few” and “unify and educate the majority of masses”. “Instigators, organisers, culprits and violent criminals in the unrest shall be severely punished in accordance with the law,” it said. “Those taking part in the riot due to provocation and deceit by separatists, should be given education”. Sunday’s violence in Urumqi, capital of north-west China’s Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, had a “profound” political background, said the statement. — Xinhua

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