Stability rests on community: Urumqi mayor
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As Urumqi, capital of the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, attempts to heal from the July 5 riot, its government will increase surveillance on migrant communities and boost spending on daily activities that contribute to social stability.
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Jerla Isamudin, mayor of Urumqi |
Jerla Isamudin, mayor of Urumqi, told China Daily in an exclusive interview on Thursday that the city still faces an arduous task in maintaining stability.
He said the Urumqi government would better address social problems this year, such as employment, so that the "three forces" - extremists, separatists and terrorists - won't use them to "promote ethnic hatred".
"We've learned from the July 5 riot that maintaining social security requires constant and persistent effort from the government. It is the daily and minor things that matter the most," he said.
The riot in Urumqi left 197 dead and more than 1,700 injured. So far, 198 people have been convicted for involvement in the riot. The authorities have blamed the "three forces" for instigating the unrest.
"All victims of the July 5 riot and their families are being taken care of. It is continuous work to provide help to the injured both financially and mentally, so that they can escape the shadow of the violent event, which ignited grave anger among people," Jerla Isamudin said.
The mayor said Urumqi would increase its effort in maintaining social stability by keeping a closer eye on communities, especially migrants' communities.
"Government officials are now stationed in all 588 communities in Urumqi to manage and control the social situation at the grass-root level," Jerla Isamudin said. "Patrol vehicles for each community are already in place."
"Our budget on public security has been substantially increased this year in order to have the social situation under control and prevent further unrest," Jerla Isamudin said.
The government will improve its emergency response capacity, so that it can stop all sabotage activities and plots beforehand, he said. "Prevention is the key," he added.
About 3,000 special police have been recruited to strengthen police resources and their equipment has also been upgraded. Surveillance cameras will be widely installed across the city this year, he said.
"Urumqi residents have learned a precious lesson from the July 5 riot, which is: Nothing can be achieved without a stable social environment," he said.
The city's economy was seriously damaged by last year's riot and the financial crisis.
"I've been the mayor of the city for two years and the most difficult time for me was during the riot," he said.
"I didn't sleep for four days and four nights after it happened because I knew I have the responsibility to take Urumqi residents through it.
"I am glad we are on the right track now."
