On December 28, a fight broke out between Han and Mongolian students at the Mongolian Middle School in Baotou, Inner Mongolia. Some students were injured, and special police arrived at the school in the early morning to control the situation. (Photo courtesy of the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center)
On December 28, a fight broke out between Han and Mongolian students at the Mongolian Middle School in Baotou, Inner Mongolia. Some students were injured, and special police arrived at the school in the early morning to control the situation. (Photo courtesy of the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center)
A brawl broke out between Han and Mongolian students at an ethnic middle school in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, on Sunday (the 28th), leaving dozens injured. Overseas human rights organizations quoted Mongolian teachers as saying that the students and teachers were trapped in the classroom and had to be rescued by police. The cause of the brawl is under investigation. (Hai Lan Report)
During evening study on Sunday, a dispute broke out between Han and Mongolian boarding students at Baotou Mongolian Middle School. A school staff member admitted to this station on Wednesday that students had fought, but was unsure of the specific circumstances. The school's holiday began on Tuesday.
The staff member said, "We don't know the exact date of the holiday. Anyway, we closed yesterday, and we're finishing up today and will reopen on the 4th."
Reporters called the school's principal, Batu, who denied any knowledge of the incident. The principal's phone calls went unanswered.
Enhe Batu, a spokesperson for the Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center in the United States, quoted Mongolian teachers and students at the school as saying that a Mongolian student and a Han student had fought that evening. Students from both sides subsequently joined the fight. After the brawl, the Mongolian students were restrained in the classroom. The larger group of Han students refused to allow them to leave, even the teachers present. It was reported that some Han students were armed with knives. Around 1:00 a.m., special police arrived at the school to apprehend the students, freeing the Mongolian teachers and students from the classroom and returning them to their dormitories. Injuries were reported on
both sides, though the exact number is unknown. Teachers said that approximately 60 to 70 students were involved in the brawl, and police are investigating the incident. Enhebatu said, "I don't know who was injured, but the official website claims over 30 people were injured. In fact, both sides were injured. Although the official version claims over 200 people were involved in the fight, the Mongolian students deny this."
He also pointed out that the official website had different versions of the story, and that school teachers dismissed the report as false, believing it targeted only Han students. There are 1,300 boarding students, including approximately 400 Mongolian students. Many netizens have called on the authorities to address the matter seriously.
Reporters called the Baotou Municipal Education Bureau, but staff directed inquiries to the department responsible for ethnic minorities, but the department's phone number was unreachable.
The China Legal Supervision Network reported that a vicious brawl broke out at the school between 3:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. on Sunday evening. An investigation revealed that a dispute between a Han and a Mongolian student occurred on the playground. The Mongolian student then gathered a group and assaulted the Han student and the onlookers. Eventually, over 200 Mongolian students, some armed with axes, machetes, and iron bars, attacked any Han students passing by, including female students. Currently, over 30 students are hospitalized, and one student received approximately eight stitches after being stabbed by a sharp weapon. Special police were dispatched to the school to control the situation. Students also boycotted classes pending the principal's response.
The Mongolian Middle School, located in Baotou's Binhe New District, was founded in 1962 and is the city's only comprehensive ethnic middle school offering both Mongolian and Chinese language instruction. It has a student population of over 1,820, including 752 Mongolian students and approximately 1,300 boarding students.
