Inside China Today

Earthquake victims in Pengzhou suffer relief fund embezzlement

st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }
/* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;}

Victims of the recent Sichuan earthquake who tried to recover disaster relief supplies have been further wounded after two Communist Party secretaries absconded with local government subsidiary funds, said a local rights activist who wished to remain anonymous. One of the Party secretaries was eventually arrested. The local activist revealed the second Party secretary physically assaulted residents while he was making off with the funds. The residents are currently receiving hospital treatment in Yin-Chang-Gou.

Local rights advocates said many victims in the disaster area do not dare expose the situation to the media because they fear a withdrawal of supplies and persecution. This was after the Chinese government issued an ordinance to conceal the truth and crackdown on those who reveal the truth.

The local activist said corruption has run rampant in Pengzhou City and victims in the mountain regions are suffering the worst of it without government aid. The houses of these victims were completely destroyed and weeks later residents are still living in self-made tents.

Several victims who were willing to accept interviews said the government did not fully honour the commitments to disaster victims.

A victim in Pengzhou said the Communist government promised a three-month commitment, granting 10 Chinese Yuan per person per day in the disaster area. However the payment only lasted two months.

Mr. Li, a victim in Pengzhou said the biggest difficulty resident’s face is repairing their houses with the meagre funds from the government.

Mr Chang, a victim in Pengzhou City, said he is a farmer with a two-year old baby and his crops had incurred heavy losses. The daily nutrient from rice porridge is simply not enough.

Local rights advocates also revealed victims in the disaster areas who had spoken to media were warned by local police authorities and did not receive any aid.