Letter and spirit

According to the Chinese media, children and relatives of the alleged mastermind of the Urumqi riot wrote two letters: One to her, appealing that she wash her hands off activities which harm her motherland and ruin peace in her hometown; the other to the victims' families, expressing apology.

The two handwritten letters, dated and signed, were shown on TV, and their contents were published in the print media and posted on the Internet, too.

But our Western colleagues are unconvinced. Quoting denials by overseas Uygur separatists, they doubt the authenticity of the letters. They suspect that the letters, if not forged, must have been written under pressure.