The Sichuan Earthquake stirred the blood and tears of everybody. Especially when seeing the pictures of young kids' deaths, the tragedy of no one surviving in whole schools, it makes us heart-broken and angry. The flames of anger are burning towards the corrupted officials and construction businessmen. The first batch of pictures from the disaster area already made most of oversea Chinese's heart kindling with rage.
One side is a heap of ruins and the playground covered by the children's corpses; another side, are the government buildings standing lofty and firm and the tents occupied by the official family members who were privileged to be rescued first. The contrast is so obvious that people are simmering with anger. Now, people have not recovered from the astonishment and sorrow. However, when most of people can get the clear pictures in their minds, they will question and blame the government.
Why did not the government send the army to help the disaster area quickly? Even though the army's rescue skills are not enough, it would be much better than no help. Why did not the government allow the international rescue groups with better skills, experience and equipment to come to the help at right away? What kind of ugly things that need to be covered is more important than the lives in the earthquake area? Which secret made the government prepared for the predicted earthquake in advance but not to notice the common people?
The Chinese government might use some excuses to defend itself. However, without announcement before the known incoming disaster, without immediate rescue after the disaster, and even cornering and speculating and re-selling the goods in short supply, officials failed the people. Those goods were sent from the people all over country for disaster relief yet they became the profit of those who have channels with the officials. This ugly situation happens when people in the disaster area do not even have water and food, and cannot stay warm. The government uses one hand to count the money, and uses another hand to spread its "honor and success" in the rescue actions in the media. This shameless action has already caused the surging tide of anger in the disaster area, in the whole China, and in the world.
The natural disaster cannot be the shield for Chinese government forever. When TangShan had the serious earthquake in 1976, Mao Zedong and the Gang of Four even could not be so cold and crude. And Mao's dynasty collapsed after the political earthquake following after the natural earthquake. This time, how could people forgive the government of Hu and Wen for its heartless and handicapped governing ability?
Even though the Chinese government does not care much about the common people, it still cares about its reputation and survival and it wants to escape from the incoming political disaster. Therefore contrary to its usual practice, the Chinese government adopts the attitude of "correcting immediately but never admitting wrong doing" towards the criticism from oversea Chinese people. The "quick change" comes from the purpose of preventing the mainland people from influence by the oversea criticism that might cause the political collapse. "Never admitting wrong doing" is because the government never had a habit to admit its wrongdoings. The government yields to public opinion due to the pressure rather than their own willing. And it never budges on the issue related to corrupted officials or any issues related to their interests.
On what kind of issue can the Chinese government make a compromise? When oversea dissidents strongly criticized the government for not sending the army promptly to the disaster area, especially not sending airborne forces to the area, the Chinese government finally altered its initial decision and sent the airborne forces and helicopters. When people who care about China blamed the Chinese government for blocking international rescue help, the Chinese government soon changed their publicized decision and allowed rescue groups from foreign countries, Hong Kong and Taiwan to enter the disaster area. Even though it was already delayed for several days and cost tens thousands people's lives, it is the correction of their mistakes indeed. As the government and its' followers are given this action too much self-compliment, we cannot say too much about it.
Yet, those corrections are not affecting the root principle and benefit of the Chinese government, so it does not matter much. However, something will be much harder to correct. Something is important to common people but not to the government. For example, the oversea public opinions strongly demanded the government to investigate and punish those corrupted officials and businessmen who made the low quality buildings that caused thousands of deaths. Wen Jiabao, who is good at putting his action on the show, now is so quiet about this issue. Hu Jintao went to the disaster as a short visit and checking up the disaster relief goods. It is the action of making a big issue smaller and looking one way and rowing another, in order not to take the most important responsibilities.
Some concerns are opposed by the government which are very important to the common people but hurt the corrupted officials and businessmen. One good example is the Beijing Olympic Games that are tied in with Chinese people's emotions, as well as corrupted officials' interests. At the second day after the earthquake, the oversea people suggested to stop the Olympic torch relay to show the mourning to the unfortunate victims. But the Chinese government does not take a second to think before announcing the torch relay celebration will be kept going with the original plans, even going through the disaster area.
It is an insult to the dead and a humiliation to the people surviving in the disaster area. After I answered the Australia Broadcasting Company's question that if the Olympic Games would be suitable after the disaster, the oversea public opinion became more concerned to the appropriation of holding Olympic Games in this time. More and more people suggested to stop or at least partially stop Beijing Olympic Games and associated celebrations.
The Chinese government knows that they are not reasonable. But they are expecting to find a happy medium, substituting one thing for another. They want to use a three-day mourning with flags at half-mast to compromise the criticism from the public opinion. However, they are not truly mourning the loss and sorrow of the common people; they would not sacrifice the opportunities to get more benefit from the upcoming Olympic Games. Such an action lacking of code of etiquette is worse than the ancient emperors. Only if a debauched monarch could lose all sense of shame and morals.
Broadcasted by Radio Free Asia
