Inside China Today

Inside China Today – Sunday 9th May

- CCP covers up kindergarten attacks

- Petitioners speak of World Expo detention

- A hundred miners terminally ill from poor conditions

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CCP covers up kindergarten attacks

April 29th was a day which shocked China as a knife-wielding man went on a rampage in a Chinese kindergarten. Initial Xinhua news reports stated children were killed in the attack. However to the surprise of many, official reports said there were no deaths and just severe injuries.

The attack occurred at the Central Kindergarten in Taixing Town of Jiangsu Province. Local police sealed off the kindergarten immediately after the incident, and parents were forbidden from entering to see their injured children. On April 30th, the day after, over ten thousand people gathered on the streets protesting the inhumane decision, demanding a stop to the cover-up of the truth.

On May 1st, Shanghai began the opening ceremony of the 2010 World Expo. Major Chinese media outlet Sina began circulating an internal notice to media outlets asking them to withdraw the initial report by Xinhua. The notice read: ‘In light of the World Expo’s opening ceremony, this news cannot be displayed on the home page for now.’

Ling Feng, a renowned commentator on China, told SOH the Chinese Communist Party bears great responsibility for the incident. By covering up the truth the regime has shown a lack of humanity.

Ling Feng told reporters (recording):
“We’ve seen from news reports that over ten young children were slashed, and hospitalised. Unexpectedly, parents were forbidden from seeing them. When young children are injured, their mind is most vulnerable and fragile. Their biggest wish is to have their parents by their side. However, their parents weren’t allowed to see them! Is it because they [the CCP] are afraid to let people know the real number of injured children? What is it they’re afraid of? As a result, over 10,000 people took to the streets to protest instantly. Why are parents forbidden to see their injured children? The CCP is just inhumane to such an extent. Don’t they say the CCP can represent the parents? The government can represent the parents? Their conduct is very offensive. It’s all politically oriented. They completely disregard humanity.”

More surprisingly, before being allowed to see their children, most parents were required to sign an agreement sparing the hospital from any liability, in the event the children died during emergency treatment procedures.

Ling Feng had more to say about the situation (recording):
“It’s been over 30 years since the [CCP] adopted the reform and open-door policy. However, today’s situation is no different from Mao’s time. The authorities completely disregard humanity and suppress it. Where do you say we’ve made progress? Such conduct is outrageous and can easily incur people’s protest. That’s why over 10,000 people gathered to protest. There were a few dozen children injured; their family and relatives probably add up to a few hundred. However, over 10,000 people came out onto the streets, because they couldn’t bear the sight of such outrages. When the government fails to resolve the problem properly, the conduct is further intensified. If there are more such incidents, these people know they’ll be in the same situation – they will not be allowed to see their loved ones. At the very least, the incident reveals the government is incapable of protecting these young children.”

Renowned race car driver, and writer and blogger Han Han publishes regular articles in his blog about China’s social issues. He published a recent article titled, ‘Children, You Have Dampened the High Spirits of the Grandpas.’ Han Han wrote the following quote:
“Our pitiful kids, you are the ones poisoned by the tainted milk; affected by the vaccines; buried to death in the earthquakes, burned to death in fires. Even when the rules of adult society cause problems, you are the victims of the adult avengers who stabbed you with knives. I hope what the Taizhou government announced was true; that all of you simply suffered injuries and none of you died in the incident. These adults and the elderly have failed to fulfil their obligations. I hope when you grow up, you will not only take extra care of your own children; I hope you will make this society care about all people’s children.”

Incidents of large-scale killings in schools and kindergartens in China have occurred frequently in recent months. It has left parents in fear and has shocked the Chinese people.

Jing Ru of the SOH Radio Network

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Petitioners speak of World Expo detention

As expected, the opening of the World Expo has coincided with the police arrest and detention of petitioners. On May 1st and 2nd, 17 petitioners visiting the World Expo were detained and are being sent back to where they came. The petitioners claim they’re fully entitled to visit the Expo but have endured harassment the moment they arrived. We hear from some petitioners, who despite being arrested, managed to contact reporters.

Song Yujie, a petitioner from Liaoning Province, was forced into a car by police from Beijing. Ms Song managed to make a phone call to reporters while she was waiting in the police car, she told us (recording):
“I’m in a car, escorted by special Beijing police. I am with Liu Chunbao. Jiang Jiawen is not in the car yet. We have to go. We were chased down by the Directors of the Liaoning Provincial government, Feng and Duan.”

Song further told us (recording),
“I did not come here to attend the World Expo or to appeal. Feng promised to stop at Shenyang. If I am forced to go back to Dandong instead of Shenyang, I will commit suicide.”

Song is Taiwanese and began petitioning when her property was seized by the Dandong authorities. She sought help from the Straits Exchange Foundation, an organisation responsible for interests between China and Taiwan. The Exchange however falsely claimed she was not Taiwanese.

She had one last thing to say to us before her call was cut off (recording),
“I am now in a special police car not knowing where we will go or what will happen.”
After this statement police confiscated the mobile phones and ID cards of the petitioners.

Wang Xiuzhi a petitioner from Langfang City of Hebei Province was taken at 4pm on May 1st. incidentally; she still had her mobile phone and managed to speak to reporters (recording):
“At 4pm, 11 people from Langfang City forced me onto a car. They were awfully rough, showing no willingness to resolve my issues.”

Wang began petitioning when her partner was murdered. Ever since then she has been seeking justice for his death, she spoke of her experiences (recording):
“I have been detained over 100 times, kidnapped to mental hospitals or drug rehabilitation institutes on numerous occasions, and sent to labour camps three times.”

Wang said her mobile phone could be snatched from her at any time, leaving her with no access to the outside world. She hopes her efforts will bring attention to her situation and her safety.

Feng Yongji, a petitioner from Xinjiang Province, was illegally detained in Shanghai at an office respresenting Shihezi City of Xinjiang. She said (recording),
“I’d rather stay at the assistance centre than come here, but they forced me into the car.”

Feng couldn’t understand why the authorities were dealing out such heavy security (recording):
“The Prime Minister said let justice be sunnier, let ordinary Chinese citizens have more dignity. Does sunny mean arresting people at will? Is this dignity?”

Feng began appealing because her husband was wrongly sentenced to nine years imprisonment. Her husband was later set free and she began petitioning for compensation. For that she was detained and sent to labour camps many times.

Ma Yongtian from Jilin Province who was also detained told reporters (recording),
“We are still at the assistance centre. There are four of us left.”

Ma said local authorities from Jilin were getting ready to take her away.

Peng Jingmei from Datong, Shanxi Province was the last petitioner to be released from the assistance centre.

Fu Ming and Li Ming of the SOH Radio Network.

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A hundred miners terminally ill from poor conditions

Nearly one hundred miners in Gansu Province have contracted ‘black lung disease’, also known as pneumoconiosis, a condition prevalent among miners. The case occurred at the number 460 goldmine on Mazhong Mountain in Jiuquan City. Families of victims spoke to SOH reporters saying there was no proper protection against dust inhalation in the mine. Many families have incurred major debts paying for treatment. Victims now are unable to work and many are terminal.

The number 460 goldmine on Mazhong Mountain was a fresh opportunity for many impoverished villagers. Villagers gathered from surrounding towns like Heisongyi Town, Shuigou, Xuanma River, and Xizhuanzi. They all found however poor conditions and corrupt management. The mine itself is devoid of effective dust prevention measures, protective equipment or ventilation. For six years one miner after another developed pneumoconiosis or what’s more commonly known as black lung disease.

Yu Tianyue from Shuigou village said his father, Yu Qinghai worked many years in the 460 goldmine. Last year he found out he had pneumoconiosis. Apparently the disease has no effective cure.

Yu Tianyue described his father’s condition (recording):
“It doesn’t work with medicine and becomes more serious every day, it’s getting very serious and the expense is huge. He has difficulty breathing after walking a few steps and breathes heavily afterwards, he can hardly breathe and coughs terribly. The minimal insurance cover only covers a few hundred dollars, it basically isn’t enough. He’s worked many years in the Mazhong mine, the powder from rocks is particularly dusty, and it’s the reason behind the disease. There is no dust prevention equipment as the owner wants to save money.”

Yu Tianyue revealed to us that victims often can’t continue working due to their condition. Consequently they struggle to support their families or send their children to school. It is now commonplace seeing teenagers leave to work in other cities to support the family.

Yu Tianyue told us (recording):
“Many people in the village go there for work, and they only breathe pure air a few days at a time. There is now medical aid. There are no contracts and they reject our pleas, there is nowhere to appeal. There are thirty to forty year older fellows suffering from the disease in our village. Many cannot go to work but they are the main breadwinners for the family, many children go to school but there is no financial source.”

Mr Li from Miaotai village, a worker of the mine, said his father Li Fayu and six of his uncles all suffered pneumoconiosis, one of them passed away last year. He said the goldmine was located in a remote area and there were little water supplies. The management often provide very poor meals, and water is often of very bad quality.

Mr Li spoke to our reporter (recording):
“The condition of this mine is extremely bad; in order to conserve production costs the owner avoids implementing protective measures. The masks provided are of inferior quality. We breathe in dust from the rocks into our lungs. Because we don’t understand contracts, we are exhausted from working in that place. We can’t even earn a few hundred dollars a month and can’t support our families. Further the owner often deducts fees from our wages. They go up the mountain for six month stretches, we are migrant workers and don’t know how to defend our rights.”

Mr Li also said his family has supported his treatment. Now they are in debt, and many families become penniless and incur debt.

He said (recording):
“There is no machinery for the farm work on the mountain, they all use bulls to plough fields. We can’t work using our own strength; we even need our relatives and friends to help. This is very difficult for the family… we also have to spend money on medicine and families are falling apart, just like our family. My uncle’s family is the same; the people who work in the mines all face this problem. Firstly spend the money earned on the disease, then borrow money from friends and relatives after all the money is gone, and then wait to die after all the money is spent.”

There are over five hundred mining corporations in the Jiuquan region of Gansu. Illegal mining is commonplace. The owner of the 460 goldmine, Pan Zhanlin, also happens to be a representative of Suzhou in the National People’s Congress. Originally the company was approved to mine an area of 0.5 square km. The mine has currently exploited over 50 square km. At present three people have died from pneumoconiosis in Miaotai village, and there’s one death in the neighbouring Shuigou village.

Wang Zhen and Lu Fang of the SOH Radio Network.

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