The huge number of cases of lead poisoning and other forms of pollution throughout China continue to trigger protests even as authorities attempt the issues. Here are some updates on what's going on.
In Wenping, Hunan, 15 people involved in a protest at the start of last month were arrested, then released with a reprimand. However, bizarrely, authorities claimed that followers of the banned religious sect Falun Gong were involved in the protest. While protests are often blamed on "small groups of troublemakers", it is rare that Falun Gong are blamed for such incidents, and some parents found the accusation so ridiculous they couldn't stop laughing. Reports:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g7wv0eo5eoz5m7jhnU24w4NIk6GQD9AF4DT80
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gHbDgm11mfxXuMgUeEbIvW_0VErA
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jtzAghtSnMigDIeYyfqPNfmzOQRQ
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=16223&geo=6&size=A
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-09/04/content_11992619.htm
The scale of lead poisoning is forcing the government to shut more and more plants:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/02/china.lead.poisoning.hunan/
Meanwhile, in the southeast province of Fujian, 10,000 villagers clashed with police and took officials hostage over pollution from a water treatment plant, part of a planned major petrochemical project in the area. Police were quickly called off, the plant shut down and the officials were released. For now the situation appears calm, although given the importance of the project to local government it seems unlikely it will remain so. Villagers are apparently standing guard with those closest to the plant ready to bang pots in warning should the plant start up again.
http://www.hkhkhk.com/engpro/messages/2708.html
http://chinaworker.info/en/content/news/831/
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/21898/
http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_china/2009-09-03/406621844043.html
http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=16210&size=A
http://in.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idINTRE5814KF20090902
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSPEK90265
Anymore reports I come across I will post as comments to this post.
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