China Milk Scandal: Police Detain Parent To Prevent News Conference

BEIJING — Police detained the father of a child sickened by tainted milk apparently to prevent him and other parents from holding a news conference to complain that proposed compensation for their ill children is too low, a lawyer said Friday.

Dairies announced details of a 1.1 billion yuan ($160 million) compensation plan this week as at least 17 people went on trial for the contamination that killed at least six children and sickened nearly 300,000 others. The milk contained melamine, an industrial chemical that caused kidney stones in children.

Twenty-two dairies implicated in the scandal sent a mass New Year's text-message to Chinese mobile phone users apologizing for the contamination. "We deeply express our grief, sincerely apologize and earnestly hope to be pardoned," the message said.

The news conference, scheduled for Friday, was called off after organizer Zhao Lianhai was picked up Thursday, said Li Fangping, a lawyer for some of the parents. He said Zhao was being held at a Beijing hotel.

"The purpose was to prevent the parents from holding a news conference," Li said, adding that 10 parents had planned to participate.

The Communist government, which seeks to control what the public sees and hears, frequently suppresses comments about disasters.

The parents "said the compensation was unilaterally set by the companies with no participation from victims' families," Li said. "They thought the amount of compensation was quite low."

Under the plan, families whose children died would receive 200,000 yuan ($29,000), while others would receive 30,000 yuan ($4,380) for serious cases of kidney stones and 2,000 yuan ($290) for less severe cases, according to state media.

Another 200 million yuan ($29 million) would go to a fund to cover bills for lingering health problems.

But a farmer whose son suffered kidney stones and liver damage told The Associated Press this week the compensation wouldn't even cover his medical expenses.

Zhao, who has a 3-year-old child who fell ill but has since recovered, organized other parents and created a Web site about the contamination, Li said.

The scandal has battered China's reputation and set back government efforts to restore confidence in the safety of its products following warnings and recalls abroad about toxic or faulty goods.

Dairy suppliers added melamine, which like protein is rich in nitrogen, to watered-down milk to fool quality tests for protein content. Melamine is used to make plastics and fertilizer and is banned in food in China.

Comments

[Amennyc]

the USA has an affection towards other countries that also torture.

[realitycheck7]

to equate the US to china is simplistic at best

[OhgReaTone]

The problem with Chinese products is exemplified by WalMart - possibly the largest importer of Chinese goods. But boycotts of WalMart are impractical. The Government has some responsibility in regulating this nonsensical trade with a government run by sweat labor. ..........­..........­.......

http://thefiresidepost.com/2009/01/02/walmart-sweat-labor-the-case-for-tariffs/

[LeBeau59741]

Why are boycotts of WalMart impractical? I'm not trying to be a smartalec, I'm really trying to understand your position on that.....?

[neocon666]

Sounds like the Chinese are quick studies -they'll be Americanized in no time.

[Amennyc]

Don't upset the landlord!

[Amennyc]

Why does this surprise you? We love the Saudi's, so why not love the Chinese? It's the Cubans that are the worst! We must fear them at ALL cost.

[LeBeau59741]

And THIS, Ladies and Gentlemen, is the nation upon which the U.S. has conferred Most Favoured Trade status.

Disgusting!

And the American Consumer has been a mighty contributing force... We're so hell bent on having the latest toys and paying a few cents less for our widgets that we, collectively, are willing to turn a blind eye to the true cost of our comforts.

[MAragon]

Typical maneuver from the Chinese officials. Why we do so much business with them when they are so awful defies logic. There is a Chinese proverb though that explains it: When gold speaks, truth will fall silent.

[ArchAngel]

America has quietly helped to facilitate China's evolution from Communism to Fascism.

[realitycheck7]

china has always been like this

[Judyisacutie]

This is so sad. I hate to hear about such precious babies being hurt or made sick. That puts my mother instinct in overdrive!

[shanghaislim]

Well, you could always watch Nancy Grace?

[emerywood]

What the Chinese people have demonstrated again and again in their protests and fight for justice
is their power of hope and the yearning for the rule of law. Sooner or later, the Communist government will realize that the rule of law will make things a lot easier for them to rule the country. It is better to be late than never.

[harriettubman]

Why are nations so afraid of China? I haven't heard a peep of outrage over the tainted formula, poisoned pet food, tainted toys, medicine or any other garbage that comes ouf of that unregulated country.

[shanghaislim]

Tainted Spinach (E-coli). Tainted Strawberries (E-coli). Mad Cow Disease. Slaughterhouse Horrors.
Automotive Recalls. Millions and Millions of recalled Ground Beef sold to our schools. Tainted Product after Tainted Product recall. Guns Guns Guns and more Guns.

America the Beautiful

[ranch111]

Here's a tip. The majority of mothers can make milk in their breasts, and babies can get everything they need from it. Stop feeding babies formula. It's junk.

[thegirlnextdoor]

Good suggestion!

[lab221]

It baffles me why people are so cruel, to kill dogs with their poison, now it is little children. I try to avoid anything that is marked made in China.

[KCFreedom]

Good luck. Even much of the apple juice and vitamin C in our food supply is from China.

[Rawdeal]

Practically every piece of clothing, toys that you buy, every plastic bag you tote, electronic item you possess has components and elements manufactured in China.

[shanghaislim]

That should make you feel better knowing that the other 50% of the products you buy and use aren't marked "Made in China" but actually are?

Don't you think China can make labels? Any label stating from any country you desire?

[FZliveson]

What about the FDA that has been ransacked and gelded by the
last two administrations? We should be checking this stuff.
Our pharmaceuticals are from China too?
Feel good about our laboratories here being vigilant enough or
funded well enough to deliver safe goods to us?
Ha!

[KCFreedom]

Excellent point.

[Chavez08]

Or stop buying Chinese.

[dandypuddin]

And if you live in China?

[harriettubman]

You can't breastfeed a dog or cat though.

[justadood]

CHINA: where "The people" are its greatest resource....until "the people" might make "THE PARTY" lose face. Then "the people" must be silenced and controlled.

Gee, guess 'communist China' is more Capitalist than the Conserva-tards want you to think, if they're more concerned about the party and/or the rich tycoons losing face than about the health of their constituents....

Very Republican attitude....

[cantstopme2019]

They want their children to look like this

http://www.flickr.com/photos/coyote2012/3088888910/

[paulfree17]

Can someone explain to me why we do so much business and trade with China which is a totalitarian communist government 5000 miles away while we continue to embargo Cuba which is a totalitarian communist government 90 miles away?

Heck I know there are a lot of Cuban Americans that vote but aren't there also a lot of Chinese Americans these days?

[KCFreedom]

Apparently, China is "most favored nation" in trade these days.

I have worked with a few Chinese immigrants in the last decade, and they seem afraid to criticize the Chinese government, themselves. Whereas the Cuban immigrants I have worked with and known, criticize the current Cuban government every opportunity they get.

[realitycheck7]

because we have to borrow a lot of money from them to fund tax cuts for the wealthy

[Rawdeal]

Because it enriches the financial coffers of the American elites. Every dollar saved from labor cost, taxes and benefits means their wallets are more fatter. Look at the owners of Walmart who basically started this trend. Do you really think they care about American jobs?

[mairs]

Because their stuff is cheap.

A friend of mine has China make roto-cast stuff for him when there are casting places in the US. It's about price and nothing more.