Feature: Thirteen lucky number for 700 during Xinjiang riot

URUMQI, July 11 (Xinhua) -- "Thirteen is an ominous figure for some westerners, but it was lucky for us on July 5," said head of Xinjiang Art Theater Kamil Tursun, when he spoke of the riot that killed 156 people in Urumqi.

More than 700 dancers and audience from 13 ethnic groups were enjoying the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's third dancing contest at the theater when a man rushed in at about 8 p.m., breathless from running.

"There are rioters outside," he said.

Kamil decided to suspend the contest and went upstairs to the eighth floor.

"Through the window I saw rioters on the road, beating passersby and setting fires on vehicles," he said. "It was all a mess."

He told the Han people, the elderly, women and children to stay in their seats, while the others from ethnic minorities were asked to gather in the hall.

"I had never thought the young people would support me so much," he said. "They all promised to protect everyone in the theater."

Boys who had prepared to go on stage for competition stood at the gate to form a defense line. They were still wearing their costumes.

"There was hell outside the line, and heaven inside," he said.

　Surveillance videos showed the theater opened the gate several times that night to receive scared survivors outside.

The next question was: What to eat?

"When I told them that I found 200 steamed breads in the canteen, everyone laughed," he said. "That was the first time I saw them laugh that night. They had been relaxed."

Kamil asked the canteen staff members to cut the breads into pieces and distribute them to each person.

"Everyone queued for water and food, which was handed out within 10 minutes. No one complained or scrambled."

"I saw people share one piece of bread and pass bottles of water to each other," he said. "People from 13 ethnic groups just formed one family."

As smoke and shouts hovered over the city in the blood, people in the theater began to sleep.

The elderly were arranged in VIP rooms, women and children in comfortable offices. People cuddled up to each other, and went to sleep.

Dil Nur, 39, who was nine-months pregnant, slept on a bed used as a prop. The pillows and quilts were all props.

"Everything seemed to be going on as a drama. But it was real," she said. "I cannot imagine what would happen to me if I had to walk home that night."

For a whole night, Kamil and several staff members sat and walked in the light at the center of the stage.

"Thus everyone could see me. They would not be worried as the theater head was present," he said.

The next morning, Urumqi was silent. People in the theater began to go home at 9 a.m..

Since the riot began, it had been 13 hours.