Story: Old Uygur man saves people's lives

One of the heroes of the July 5th riot is an 81 year-old Uygur man who saved the lives of 18 innocent people in Urumqi.

One of the heroes of the July 5th riot is an 81 year-old Uygur man who saved the lives of 18 innocent people in Urumqi.

This is our hero Hamit Ahmat. Early in the morning, he comes to Ren Min hospital to visit security guard Xu Geping.

Xu Geping said, "Without him, I might be dead already. My neighbors might be injured too."

The night of July 5th, Hamit was at a family wedding. He rushed home when he heard about the riots. Outside his residence he saw numbers of frightened people hiding near the yard with rioters approaching.

Hamit Ahamat, Local Resident, said, "There were old people, children, women and disabled. I opened the gate to let them in."

Hamit and guard Xu Geping locked the gate, but the rioters broke through.

Hamit Ahamat said, "They burst in and began to beat Xu. I was trying to stop them."

Xu Geping said, "He protected me like this, and I was saved."

Hamit says he was born in Urumqi. He believes life is much better than in the past and faced with such a situation, all people would do the same as he did.