Uighur crowds force opening of Urumqi mosques

[Soylent Brice]

Riot police broke up a small group of Uighur protesters outside a mosque in the troubled capital of Xinjiang after officials relented on an earlier decision to cancel Friday prayers.

Earlier, hundreds of Uighur men had gathered at the gates of mosques in Urumqi despite notices saying services were suspended. Officials cited "safety" reasons after brutal inter-ethnic attacks which began on Sunday.

Police had begun DNA testing to identify 156 people killed that day, thought to be primarily Han Chinese targeted by Uighur rioters, state media reported. The official news agency Xinhua said authorities would pay the families of "innocent" victims 200,000 yuan (about £18,000) compensation.

More than 1,000 people were injured in the riots. Subsequent days saw revenge attacks on Uighurs by Han Chinese, but no details of resulting fatalities or other casualties have been offered. Several Uighurs told the Guardian they believed at least four people had died.

more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jul/10/uighur-urumqi-friday-prayers