Source: China Digital Times
Posted by Mo Ming :: 2007-04-06, 12:58 PM :: CDT Highlights
On Mar. 22’s Xiao Xiang Morning Post (潇湘晨报), Lian Yue (连岳), an active blogger and a freelance writer, published a column on a dangerous chemical project in South-Eastern China’s Xiamen City, Fujian Province.
In the article (translated by CDT), Lian Yue said the one million
people in Xiamen, if they are keeping an eye on the local media, should
be very familiar with the city’s P-Xylene (a harmful chemical) project,
which allegedly is going to yield an annual output worth 80 billion
yuan after completion. The project was put in the Fujian governor’s
government report. On the official website of the Xiamen government,
there is also an article about it dated on Jan. 14, 2007. The article,
named “Reporting to the Secretary General”, said that on Nov. 17, 2006,
the biggest industry project in Xiamen’s history, the 800 thousand-ton
PX project, kicked off. The report said that this means a world-level
petrochemical giant (Xiamen) is emerging.
(Photo: the kick-off ceremony of the biggest industry project in Xiamen)
At the just-concluded two conferences, Zhao Yufen (赵玉芬), a
member of the CPPCC, led a proposal on terminating Xiamen’s PX project,
because it poses a major hidden danger to public safety. The proposal
was co-signed by 105 CPPCC members, and was named the top proposal at
this year’s CPPCC meeting.
China Business, a weekly newspaper, reported on Mar. 19 that PX is a
dangerous chemical and carcinogen. Its production should be placed 100
kilometers away from cities to ensure safety. But in Xiamen, the center
of the PX project is only seven kilometers away from downtown and from
the national scenic area Guliangyu (鼓浪屿). Haichang district, which is
within a five-kilometer radius of the project, has a population of
100,000. The project’s port is located in Xiamen National Nature
Reserve of Rare Marine Species.
But the top proposal never appears in Xiamen’s media. To Xiamen’s citizens, the proposal is non-existent.
Lian Yue said at the end of the article that in the eyes of
government officials, “there is only the short-term GDP income. Public
safety and long-term benefit can both be sacrificed. It’s not hard to
imagine that within the whole country, there are many dangerous
projects being launched without a whisper of opposition. We all live in
a public space without public safety.”
The next day, Lian, who lives in Xiamen, published another column story on Southern Metropolitan News.
In the column, “The Environmental Officials Who Can’t Protect the
Environment,” Lian quoted China Business and said that Zhu Xingxiang
(祝兴祥), Chief of the Environmental Evaluation Section (环评司司长) of the
State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), expressed his
inability to stop the project. “A fundamental problem is the project is
approved by the State Development and Reform Commission. SEPA has no
say on the relocation of the project,” reported China Business.
The CPPCC has only one conference a year, and very few proposals are
signed by 105 members, Lian said. He asked at the end of the story: if
such a big power still can’t withdraw the dangerous project, then what
environment can the SEPA protect?
On Mar. 29, Lian published a post, “What Xiamen People Can Do,” on his blog. Below is a translation of the post.
Now the core of the event is that relevant information has
been blocked from Xiamen citizens. Before yesterday’s meeting of Xiamen
People's Political Consultative Conference, there were members who
heard about the PX project and the proposal by Zhao Yufen for the first
time from me. That means the cover-up is very successful. So for the
time being, the most important thing is anti-censorship. Below is a
list of things Xiamen People should do: 1, First, don’t be afraid. Talking about the CPPCC’s top proposal is not a crime, and you won’t be detained.
2, If you have a blog, please republish the China Business story. It’s
also not a crime to republish news from a legal newspaper, and you
won’t be detained either.
3, If you are afraid, please just talk to your friends, family, and
colleagues about this event. They might still in the dark.
4, If you are still afraid, just tell your family and your best friends.
5, If you are not afraid, you should tell your friends in Zhangzhou (漳州) and Quanzhou (泉州). They are also in danger.
6, You only need to say:
-- this is a project objected to by 105 CPPCC members, among whom there are the most authoritative experts.
-- The PX project should be placed at least 100 kilometers away from cities to ensure safety.
-- Xiamen people are still deprived of the right to know the danger of
the PX project. This is counterevidence that the project is against
people’s will.
-- The project will lead to the recession of Xiamen’s economy, the
depreciation of properties, and the decrease of visitors. Xiamen people
will also be viewed as weak and stupid.
-- The project will increase the possibility of getting cancer
-- You don’t have to behave very bravely. Just let people beside you
know this event, and you will not be held accountable for the death of
Xiamen.