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Supporters of Xinjiang separatists demonstrate in Washington

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-09 01:46

WASHINGTON: Some 150 supporters of Xinjiang separatists on Tuesday held a demonstration in front of the Chinese embassy in Washington D.C., in an attempt to drum up support for their separatist activities.

Waving flags and banners, and shouting "Xinjiang independence," the crowd led by Rebiya Kadeer marched three kilometers from DuPont Circle in Washington to the Chinese embassy on Tuesday afternoon.

Rebiya, now head of the separatist World Uygur Congress, is believed behind a deadly riot on Sunday in Urumqi, capital city of China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The riot left 156 people dead and some 1,000 others injured.

Related readings:  Urumqi to raise $14.6M to comfort riot victims  Riot-torn Urumqi lifts curfew as tension remains  Islamic leader calls riot a 'crime' Brief Intro To Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region  Riot timeline in Xinjiang  World condemns violence in Xinjiang

Chinese police said evidence shows that the organization instigated the riot with postings on the Internet calling on Uygurs to "be courageous" and "do something big."

During Tuesday's gathering, Rebiya made an agitative speech, calling on foreign governments to support their separatist movement.

The demonstration was tightly watched by U.S. police and security authorities, and faded out in about three hours.

Rebiya Kadeer, who was born in Altay, Xinjiang, in 1951, became head of the separatist World Uygur Congress in 2006. She now lives in the United States.