Uyghur convict sets out on trip to heal ethnic wounds(2)

On the back of his motorcycle, beside clothes and blanket, there flies three red flags that read "Xinjiangers live in harmony with people of all ethnic groups." A stereo in the back often plays loud Uyghur music.

As well as talking and explaining to people he met with on the road that "most Uyghurs are good" and "we are one family," he has tried to do good deeds along the road.

After meeting vagrants, he has bought them clothes, food and tickets home.

Another thing he feels proud of is helping quell a dispute between a Han and a Uyghur in Kaili, Guizhou province in February.

A young Han stabbed a Uyghur after he found that the cell phone the Uyghur sold him was counterfeit. The incident triggered tensions between the local Uyghur community and their Han neighbors, according to Southern Weekly.

After being informed about the case, Dolkun reached out the Uyghur family to act as an intermediary. After two days of persuasion, the family agreed to accept the compensation the Han man offered. The local police provided 5,000 yuan ($800) to Dolkun for gratitude and to support his ride.

Many others offered him a helping. Some Hans helped him mend motorcycles, some Uyghurs offered him free noodles, and some donated him money. A qq chat group to cheer for Dolkun was established, and 26 people have joined and offered to host him when he reaches their cities.

Dolkun said he recorded every donation, totaling 32,000 yuan. But he is still usually broke, surviving on two yuan packets of instant noodles.

Recently he found a good method to earn money while promoting his cause: carrying passengers on his motorcycle at the weekends while waiting for someone at the local Youth League to process a stamp on his notebook.

"I wear ordinary clothes and a helmet. When the passenger gives me payment after we arrive at the destination, I take off the helmet and tell them I'm a Xinjianger," he told the Global Times. "And I charge two yuan less than others."

He previously tried to do that in Uyghur dress one day, but no passengers flagged him down at all, he said.

Troubles of fame

Dolkun feels happy to be reported. After media report, he was more widely recognized and less barriers were in his journey. But on another, troubles also came. After the rednet.cn revealed his cell phone number, he received numerous threatening calls in Uyghur or other languages. Some threatened to kill him, and some offered to pay him to stop. He has changed his phone number twice.

"Some hatred grows from illegal and biased law enforcement," Dolkun said, saying that several Uyghur complained to him that some policemen detain Uyghurs and beat them for no reason.

"There should be more official publicity of national unity and strict regulations on law enforcement," he said.

Dolkun said he would try to finish the journey in next May.

"We plan to hold a bigger welcoming ceremony when he returns," Parhat, secretary of the Yining Communist Youth League Committee, told the Global Times. "And we will award him a certain amount of money." Besides, he said they would help him with an interest-free loan to start a business.

The person Dolkun wants to see most after his journey ends is his son, now six-month old. "My wife called him Daniel, like the prophet," he said.