Journey to My Home: China and Hong Kong 2008
In Memory of May 12th Wenchuan Earthquake
Lee Siu Hin
Part Four
Somewhere at the heartland China
It’s been over three months since the May 12th Wenchuan earthquake--the largest in modern Chinese history for over 80 years that killing 70 hundred thousand people, 20 thousand missing and affect another tens of millions of people.
I am at the last week of my 3 months trip in China, also carefully following the stories from Internet about the powerful Hurricane Gustav approaching to the U.S. Gulf Coast, at the eve of the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina that destroyed New Orleans.
Western media and always paint bias pictures about disaster happens at non-western countries—they portraits victims of natural disasters at non-western developing countries are nothing but desperately helpless refugees incapable to save themselves, just crying all the time without proper clothing, and suggest the only savior/hopes for them are sitting to wait aids from western countries.
But I want to tell you the different stories of the Wenchuan and how Chinese people had been handling the earthquake rescue….
The Wenchuan earthquake cover nearly the size of England, Wenchuan county is the earthquake center, locate at western Sichuan providence, one of the most historical regions in China.
The city of Beichuan, capital of Aba Tibetan Qiang Autonomous Prefecture (east of Wenchuan county) was completely destroyed by the earthquake, is the center of China’s Qiang ethnic minority group. Qiang is a very historical ethnic group formed date back China’s mythical period of 5,000 years ago. The region is also the center of ethnic Tibetans with many Tibetan Buddhist temples around the area.
Wenchuan and Beichuan regions are famous for its speculator mountain views (like U.S.’s Colorado mountain), is a very popular Chinese tourist destination, and also the home of wild Pandas with world famous Panda reserve and research center (it’s the same region where the Hollywood animated movie “Kong Fu Panda” based).
The region also is the very important industrial base for China’s machinery, high tech and military industries; between the mountains many aerospace and military factories are located. The earthquake destroyed much of the economic and industrial base of the region, however, it doesn’t means that there’s no help.
There’s two very popular and powerful quotes came after May 12th earthquake:
“(We have) many people with strong will, (we will) fight against earthquake disaster and organize relief.”
“(We have) many (natural) disasters, (but we’ll able to build) better country (future).”
These few short words had shown the heart and minds of China and the Chinese nationalism. It’s simply a propaganda words—but a reflections of one of the key elements of cultural-social-political history of our country, that we frequently facing floods, earthquakes, wars, droughts and diseases—instead to accept this is god’s giving destiny to us, we need to fight against our fate for our own survival and to better a better future.
Within few hours after the earthquake, China organized massive rescue efforts with hundreds of thousands of soldiers, rescue workers and volunteers pour into the region within 24 hours for quick and massive efforts to support and rebuild the area.
If you’re in China between May-July this year, you can feel the massive daily national mobilization to aid the earthquake: the Chinese TVs airs few hours per day about daily earthquake reports, the heroic stories of rescue workers, as well as the effort of rebuilding from earthquake. 46 billion Yuan (USD $6.6 Billion)—includes thousand dollars from my family--had been donated. Thousands of soldiers, government and volunteer aid workers are continue to stay at the region for a long period of time helping victims to build temporary shelters, medical cares and temporary schools for children.
While many argues the weak Chinese building codes and building qualities at the rural mountain area to be the blame for many building’s collapse, most Chinese public supports the China’s handling the earthquake rescue and recovery.
Many Chinese bloggers argues U.S. is the wealthiest country in the World with capable to launch two wars on the same time, but what they’d been done in Katrina? at Post-September 11? and the recent Midwestern flood?
Many Chinese on-line commentators offer their analysis: U.S. military are design to destroy the village, and not intend to safe one. You can see soldiers send to New Orleans during 2005 Hurricane Katrina their first tasks are not rescue and rebuild—rather, maintain order and protect business from “looters.” The first troops brought to the area didn’t bring adequate key rescue materials (such as water, medicine, food and tents, etc.), rather they bought guns and team of Blackwater mercenaries. On the other hand, Cuba’s handling the Hurricane Gustav their success on disaster rescue preparation and recovery—with no one killed from hurricane while at their neighboring countries dozen were killed. “Disaster rescue and recovery should be a national top-down effort, that’s why China could effetely organize rescue and recovery efforts….U.S.’s national top-down effort, however, are focus on invading other countries.” Many Chinese bloggers concludes.
Just before I left Los Angeles at early June, I’d organized a quick fund raising drive to support China earthquake relief, I raised some money from our activists members to donate to China.
I also want to thanks my late long time Los Angeles activist friend Don White who passed away last June, he was one of my good friend and the steering committee members of ActionLA and National Immigrant Solidarity Network, and before his dead he donated $100 to support our May 12th Chinese earthquake funds.
Furthermore, many countries also offer their supports, such as: money, tents and medicine. The most notable one were Russian government invite over thousand students and youth from the quake region—some of them earthquake orphans, to visit Russia for youth camps and medical recovery with Russian youth. In comparison, I cannot forgive and forget the cold even cruel responds from U.S. activists about China’s earthquake. It’s shock and broke my heart to see some American “left” made terrible racist remarks saying the China’s earthquake is a “Kama” against China (over Tibet), and nature’s “revenge against Chinese rule,” others argues no one should fund raise to supports China’s earthquake victims because “China had made so much money from U.S.”
It’s a good question every U.S. activists should think about what they mean when they’re “helping” other people, and what do you mean international solidarity.
Powerful Chinese music videos about Wenchuan earthquake
http://www.activistvideo.org/views.asp?id=436
http://www.activistvideo.org/views.asp?id=437
More stories from my trip from China will be coming…
Lee Siu Hin
National Coordinator
National Immigrant Solidarity Network http://www.ImmigrantSolidarity.org
ActionLA Coalition http://www.ActionLA.org
Peace NO War Network http://www.PeaceNOWar.net
Lee Siu Hin is a long time peace, labor, immigrant rights and human rights activists, and the long time Pacifica Radio KPFK Los Angeles, CA and WBAI New York, NY producer/reporter.