Sydney: Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer Tuesday rejected Chinese reports that her own children blamed her for inciting deadly unrest, as she arrived in Australia for a visit which has drawn strong protests from Beijing.
The exiled US-based head of the World Uighur Congress (WUC) touched down in Sydney for a 10-day trip during which she will attend the premiere of a documentary about her life and meet members of Australia`s Uighur community.
She told Radio Free Asia that China`s official Xinhua agency had forced her children to blame her for inciting last month`s violence in China`s restive Xinjiang region which the
government says left at least 197 dead.
"China has power," Kadeer said, according to the radio station.
"They are able to control my children`s speech and turn their tongues against me, but they can`t control the love created by God between me and my children."
"It`s not worth wondering who wrote that letter, I know my children. No one wants to blame his or her mother for something, even if they did do something wrong," she added.
The two letters, which were widely quoted in Chinese media, were purportedly from Kadeer`s son Khahar and daughter Roxingul, as well as her younger brother Memet.
"Because of you, many innocent people of all ethnic groups lost their lives in Urumqi on July 5, with huge damage to property, shops and vehicles," Xinhua quoted a letter addressed to Kadeer as saying.
Bureau Report
