The event that set off the violence was just as murky. The Uighurs, a mostly Muslim people, say the trouble erupted when police burst into a prayer meeting. The Chinese say it began when a group of young Uighurs, whipped up by unnamed ““hostile foreign elements,’’ staged an independence march that turned into a riot. Whatever the provocation, cracking down on Muslims won’t win China any friends in the Islamic world, where Beijing has spent decades cultivating better ties. Yet any hint of weakness in Xinjiang could inspire more disturbances at home. China’s leaders can do little but keep a lid on the story–and hope it goes away soon. Not likely.
