Uighur group denies charges

URUMQI, China, July 8 (UPI) -- The World Uighur Congress, based in Munich, Germany, condemned Chinese authorities for the crackdown on Muslim Uighurs in Urumqi.

Denying accusations by Chinese authorities of masterminding the Sunday riots in the capital of China's northwest Xinjiang-Uighur region, the WUC said the protest by the Uighurs was peaceful, CNN reported.

"The Chinese authorities should acknowledge that the peaceful protest was sparked by the unlawful mob beating and killing of Uighur workers at a Guangdong toy factory more than a week ago," the group said, referring to ethnic violence last month between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese migrant workers in which two Uighurs reportedly died.

"The authorities should also acknowledge that their failure to take any meaningful action to punish the Chinese mob for the brutal murder of Uighurs is the real cause of this protest."

Chinese authorities have accused the group and its leader, Rebiya Kadeer, of being behind the Sunday violence in Urumqi in which 156 died and more than 1,000 were injured.

"The violence is premeditated, organized violent crime. It was instigated and directed from abroad and carried out by outlaws in the country," Nur Bekri, who is the equivalent of governor of Xinjiang region, said in a speech reported by local television, CNN said.

The governor also accused the WUC of spreading rumors and provoking the people to riot. He accused Kadeer of using the Internet to incite people.