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Police out as torch hits Xinjiang Police out as torch hits Xinjiang
(about 1 hour later)
Security was tight as the Olympic torch began passing through China's mainly Muslim Xinjiang region, on a highly sensitive part of its trip to Beijing.Security was tight as the Olympic torch began passing through China's mainly Muslim Xinjiang region, on a highly sensitive part of its trip to Beijing.
Police were out in force as the flame left People's Square in the capital, Urumqi, on its run around the city.Police were out in force as the flame left People's Square in the capital, Urumqi, on its run around the city.
The torch will spend three days in the region, which is home to around eight million Muslim Uighur people.The torch will spend three days in the region, which is home to around eight million Muslim Uighur people.
Ties between Chinese authorities and the Uighurs are tense. Officials fear separatists could target the relay. Relations between Chinese authorities and the Uighurs are tense. Officials fear separatists may target the relay.
The relay has been moved forward by a week, in an apparent attempt to avoid unrest. The torch's visit to another potential hotspot, Tibet's main city, Lhasa, has also been moved up. The relay has been moved forward by a week, in an apparent attempt to avoid unrest.
CHINA'S UIGHURS Ethnically Turkic Muslims, mainly in XinjiangMade bid for independent state in 1940sSporadic violence in Xinjiang since 1991Uighurs worried about Chinese immigration and erosion of traditional culture In pictures: Life in UrumqiView from Urumqi
Many Uighurs resent the large-scale influx of Han Chinese settlers into the resource-rich region, and some groups are fighting to establish an independent Islamic nation, which has led to periodic violence in Xinjiang.
Beijing accuses the groups of links to al-Qaeda and claims this year to have foiled at least two Xinjiang-based plots targeting the Olympic Games.
But human rights groups accuse the Chinese authorities of using the alleged terror links as a way of cracking down on the independence movement.
The torch's visit to another potential hotspot, Tibet's main city, Lhasa, has also been moved forward in an attempt to avoid disruption.
Terror allegationsTerror allegations
In Urumqi, very tight security was put in place ahead of the relay.In Urumqi, very tight security was put in place ahead of the relay.
CHINA'S UIGHURS Ethnically Turkic Muslims, mainly in XinjiangMade bid for independent state in 1940sSporadic violence in Xinjiang since 1991Uighurs worried about Chinese immigration and erosion of traditional culture class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7457294.stm">In pictures: Urumqi class="" href="/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/7456710.stm">Views from Urumqi Police carried out vehicle checks and set up checkpoints in the normally busy city. Firecrackers were banned and many local people asked to stay away, reports said. Police carried out vehicle checks and set up checkpoints in the normally busy city.
People entering People's Square had to pass through metal detectors while police searched their bags, AFP news agency reported. Local residents who live and work along the route of the torch relay were instructed to stay inside, keep well away from their windows and watch the proceedings on television, the BBC's James Reynolds reports from Urumqi.
The majority of the crowd that gathered in the square were Han Chinese, the agency said. Our correspondent saw a handful of people daring to look out of the window in one office block, but every other window was empty.
Many Uighurs resent the large-scale influx of Han Chinese settlers into the resource-rich region. That's the government's view: China is facing a serious terrorist threat - and this threat comes from where I'm writing these words - Xinjiang James Reynolds class="" href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/jamesreynolds/">Reynolds' China: Xinjiang in mind
Some groups are fighting to establish an independent Islamic nation, leading to periodic violence in Xinjiang. People entering People's Square - where the relay began - had to pass through metal detectors while police searched their bags.
Beijing accuses the groups of links to al-Qaeda and this year claims to have foiled at least two Xinjiang-based plots targeting the Olympic Games. The majority of the crowd there were Han Chinese, and they waved flags of support, chanting "Go, China!" and "Go, Olympics!"
But human rights groups accuse the Chinese authorities of using the alleged terror links as a way of cracking down on the independence movement. Nicola Dean, a British student in Urumqi, went to watch the torch relay. "There were a lot of people crowding the streets, little babies with Chinese flag stickers on their faces," she said.
"But the police wouldn't let anyone closer than 40m away from the path of the torch. There were traffic police, ordinary police and special forces police - and there were snipers in the tall buildings around the area. There were policemen in each building."
Kashgar flashpoint?
The flame's passage through the city was peaceful, but the danger of disruption to the Xinjiang leg has not passed.
On Wednesday the torch will move to the Silk Road oasis city of Kashgar, then to the cities of Shihezi and Changji on Thursday, before moving on to Tibet for a relay in Lhasa on Saturday.
Kashgar is already under tight security in preparation for the torch's arrival, and soldiers and firefighters are reportedly patrolling the main square.
The city is seen as one of the main Islamic centres in the region - more so than Urumqi.
"Nobody is allowed to watch the torch relay tomorrow unless you are being organised by your work unit. I feel a lot of regret," Chen Guangsheng, a Han Chinese resident in Kashgar, told Reuters news agency.
"The police are coming to my house tonight to inspect it and to register everybody living there."
Are you in Urumqi or Kashgar? Did you witness the torch relay in Urumqi? Will you be attending the procession in Kashgar? Send us your comments and experiences.
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