Beijing: China has restored email services
and access to 32 blocked internet sites in Uyghur-dominated
Xinjiang province, eight months after ethnic clashes broke out
in the northwestern province, state media reported on Sunday.
"Restriction on the number of mobile text messages has
also been lifted," Hou Hanmin, a spokesperson of the
regional government was quoted as saying by Xinhua newsagency.
Authorities are trying to restore communication step by
step in Xinjiang that was controlled after ethnic riots
between Han Chinese and Muslim Uyghurs in July last year,
which China alleges were orchestrated by the separatists via
the Internet, text message and long-distance telephone call.
The report quoted a local resident Xiao Yong as saying
that he could now send and receive emails as usual and there
are no longer restrictions in surfing 32 websites.
Access for Xinjiang residents to two websites, namely
xinhuanet.com and people.com.cn, were restored on December 28,
followed by access to two other portals sina.com.cn and
sohu.com, on January 10.
Other services have also been gradually resumed,
including international long-distance call of some departments
and text messages from banks, securities dealers and weather
forecast departments, it said.
Internet connection, international long-distance phone
call and mobile phone text message services were cut off in
Xinjiang after the July 5 riots that lasted for several days.
"These restrictions played an important role in
maintaining the stabilisation of the region, but also brought
inconvenience to the residents. However, people of various
ethnic groups in Xinjiang have shown understanding of and
fully supported these measures," said Yang Maofa, director of
the communications administration bureau of Xinjiang.
More websites would open gradually, Hou said, without
revealing the exact time.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, March 21, 2010, 22:24