China Accused Of Intimidating Families Of Earthquake Victims

The Independent:

Almost one year on from the Sichuan earthquake, Amnesty International has called on the Chinese government to stop intimidating parents and relatives of the child victims, who face harassment and arrest as they seek justice for the dead and injured.

The timing of the quake on 12 May 2008 was particularly harsh for the province's children -- it struck at 2.28pm, when most students were in class. Many of the younger pupils were having a nap before resuming lessons.

Read the whole story: The Independent

Comments

[cardineau]

I thought that China did a remarkable job of caring for the quake victims. Very much better than the US did with victims of the Katrina Hurricane. I know ... I was one. This article is another of the continuous barrage of China bashing from western sources. During the Katrina aftermath, I, along with many others, bewildered and confused and having lost a great deal of our lives, was marched around by overwhelming numbers of Blackwater guards with machine guns at ready. The US government is not angelic either.

[SmallChange]

As you are obviously an apologist for xenophobic China, I like how you overlook the fact that China is a communist country and has a history of doing these things.

[cardineau]

What has communism to do with this subject? China has a more peaceful history tha the USA. You have been led by the western press.

[patianneb]

Need I remind you of Katrina and the way that has been handled and the citizens treated?

[klaatu barada nikto]

How could you possibly know how they treated the quake victims? Were you there also? You must be bad luck.

[James Redmond]

China, you must change, and naturally, you're not the only one. Your weaknesses cannot be strengths unless they are learned from. Years from now people will simply wonder how basic human beings could get it so consistently wrong, and China will carry the consequences far into the future, unless it approaches it's senses. China, you are far too caught up in being controlled by the past, it is a human condition, but is unreasonable in the face of the differences people as a whole constantly realize, affirm and experience as we grow through life. It is denial of the overtly obvious, and is embarrassing to watch. Pride cannot be a blind substitute for responsible vision.

[patianneb]

Katrina.

[James Redmond]

Why i said "you're not the only one". Point taken.

[plages]

Sounds like they have much in common with US!

[VictorianNovel]

The level of corruption and intimidation within the Chinese government is sickening. I know all governments lie to their people, etc., and we all have a dark underbelly within our own societies, but the citizens of China have no freedom to file any type of complaint to the government. If you happen to be a Chinese citizen, you can be hit by a car driven by some high level official, and never receive any compensation. If you make a ruckus and protest, you'll be put into jail, or put into the many labour camps that they have.

[Betrayed]

Who is surprised by this? Anyone?

[patianneb]

Katrina.
Just proves politics is politics no matter where it is spawned.

[VictorianNovel]

The difference between this and Katrina and China and the US is that you can voice your complaints and criticize the American government for its ignorance, stupidity and indifference during katrina. If you do the same in China, you are beaten and hauled off to prison. I recently listened to a BBC World radio broadcast on China where that exact thing happened right in front of the BBC reporter's eyes.

The American government responds to its citizen's complaints with indifference, but that is different from the intimidation and suppression that Chinese people face from their government.

Recently a excellent documentary was made called, I think, "Trouble the Water" on the tragedy of Katrina and the incompetent response from the American government. There would be no way in hell that a comparable documentary would or could be made on the China earthquake in China. Censorship is King in China.

I understand that you're pointing out how all governments are the same in their abuses against their people, but the point I guess, I'm making here is that Chinese citizens are facing arrest and blatant harassment for complaining about their treatment. You can't deny that there is a difference in this respect between China and the US.