【ABC】Tensions rise as historic Kashgar falls to wrecking ball

nbnbren

Tensions rise as historic Kashgar falls to wrecking ball
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/07/28/2638307.htm?site=news


By China correspondent Stephen McDonell for AM



Posted Tue Jul 28, 2009 8:44am AEST
Updated Tue Jul 28, 2009 1:46pm AEST


Slideshow: Photo 1 of 2

A man walks through the rubble of demolished buildings in Kashgar. (ABC : Stephen McDonell)


Slideshow: Photo 2 of 2

A bulldozer demolishes traditional homes in Kashgar's old city. (Stephen McDonell: ABC )



There are fears a demolition program in China's westcould re-ignite the tensions which saw almost 200 people killed and1,600 injured in street clashes three weeks ago.

Thousands of families are being forced out of the historic city ofKashgar in Xinjiang so that most of the traditional buildings can beknocked down.
The Government says houses in the mud and brick communities aren't safe.

But critics say the aim of the project is to control the local Uighur people and stamp out separatist activity.

China correspondent Stephen McDonell is in Kashgar and described the scene.

"I'm sitting on the roof of a grass-mud house, looking out over what remains of old Kashgar," he said.

"On one side of the road below, traditional buildings have alreadybeen destroyed and construction teams are working on the flash newstructures that will replace them.

"On the other side of the road are the minarets, poplar trees and ramshackle mud-brick communities of the old city.

"The Government says that most of the old buildings are unsafe and,if there was ever an earthquake in Kashgar like that in Sichuan lastyear, the death toll would be huge amongst the 50,000 people living inthe old city."

Deputy Mayor Xu Jianrong says some houses can be renovated, somewill be destroyed and, in areas, the city will be rebuilt in atraditional style.

"If you're asking me for a percentage - how many will be restored -our current plans are area by area and we haven't completed them," hesaid.

"But if the local people are happy, we'll take it to the next step. We'll accomplish this task together."

The ABC asked one 90-year-old man what he thought of the claim byofficials that they will rebuild many parts of the old town usingtraditional Uighur designs.

"It's a total lie. They never tell the truth. There's not one official who speaks truthfully in Kashgar," he said.

"All of them have lied and sent people to jail. They beat people,they wrong people, they receive money from the rich and that's who theypromote."

In a cluster of little blacksmith shops, more than 400 years old,the smiths are finishing their last full day of work. The whole blockwill be levelled by the end of the week.

The blacksmiths here have a verbal agreement from the Governmentthat the area will be rebuilt and that they can come back in the future.

But they do not know whether to believe what they have been told.

The arguments for and against the demolition are complex. Accordingto some Uighurs, the Chinese Government sees Kashgar as a hotbed ofseparatism, so it is moving people out of the rabbit warren of the oldcity and into flats, where it is easier to control people.

The deputy mayor says that is utter nonsense.

"We only want people to live in earthquake-resistant, safe,comfortable houses to improve their living conditions andsurroundings," he said.

Following the clashes in Urumqi, which killed nearly 200 people andinjured 1600, foreign journalists have been rushing to Kashgar to seeif this city with a majority Uighur population would also explode intoviolent conflict.

The Government is now escorting journalists to the airport and telling them to leave.

-You can see more of this story on ABC1's Foreign Correspondent tonight at 8:00pm.