Jun Wang：China’s Strategy in Disaster Prevention and Salvation！
--China should establish “Ministry of Disaster Prevention and Salvation”
Photo：China Democracy Party World Union Chairman Jun Wang in front of US Capitol Hills
There is criticism that CCP’s national strategy has been “Prevent the people more than prevent and salvage disasters.” No questions are allowed to be asked or discussed so there are never solutions, thus disasters were nurtured. From the Sichuan Earthquake, a chain of very heavy lessons can be concluded.
I remember in August 2007, a net-friend in Jinan named “Ruby Empire” was arrested for revealing disaster information. This unfortunate friend is a female, just 23, naïve. She trusted witness of her friend. Ginza Underground Shopping Center in Jinan flooded and drowned people. After the incident, Ginza was blocked by hundreds of policemen for several days and no outside sources were allowed to check the real happenings. Although Ginza Shopping Center is still unable to reveal to the society all original video tapes to prove what “Ruby Empire” said is not true, it keeps collaborates with the police in covering up the incident.
In fact, in that incident, it was definite that people were drowned in Jinan and the drowned was not a small figure. According to Jinan authority itself, at least 34 were drowned. These unfortunate casualties died in the storm in Jinan. They should not have died. This was a very miserable and serious matter. However, no one is responsible for it and the authority does not need to share any responsibilities but turned to arresting people. After “Ruby Empire” was arrested, dispute on the Jinan flood was transferred to WAN, You Guo; no one cares about how and why the casualties died and who should be responsible for it.
This reminds me of the Sichuan Earthquake which occurred this year. What a similar coincidence!
GUO, Yong Feng, initiator of China Citizen Politics Supervision Committee pointed out recently, although the Sichuan Earthquake is a natural disaster, not any effective preventive measures were taken before the quake, in spite of the forenotice among the people and by relevant specialists that there may be a big earthquake in Sichuan area. Animal wallop premonition was obvious. But under the pressure of the Olympic Games, in order to ensure stability of dictatorship government, especially for the smooth relay of the so-called “auspicious cloud” torch, which is really a “disaster fire”, the government firmly refuted the rumor and blocked the news and mercilessly suppressed those who “spread the rumor” and arrested more than 10 people nationwide. As a result, dozens of thousands of lives were gone in an instant.
Is Yongfeng Guo’s remark partial? No. He has adequate factual evidence. For example, his hometown Longnan of Guansu belongs to the same earthquake agglomeration with the earthquake epicenter is 8 degree and Longnan is 7.8 degree. There are 6 or 7 aftershocks every evening in epicenter and there are also 6 or 7 aftershocks in Longnan. He learned from calls from home that over 90% houses in his village were razed toground. The house of Yongfeng Guo’s home is close to the foot of the mountain, although it does not collapse completely, it is already a dangerous house with walls broken and leaning and roof tiles fell to the ground and house structure still stands tilt. Nearby villages witness collapsed houses and many casualties. It is fortunate that this earthquake happened at after 2p.m. and villagers either went to the field or out, those at home also escaped in time.
After the earthquake, salvation personnel were sent out with delay, equipments are old and out-of-date, and expertise of the salvation personnel was seriously backward and very backward hand job on the spot, all these were annoying. In addition, when they know they can not do the job, they wanted their faces and refused assistance of foreign succor teams. Later on, after multi-parties efforts and had no other choices, they reluctantly agreed to allow foreign succor teams to aid, but it was too late. Many lives were unable to be saved because of the delay. The dead may have died innocent like this. But can dozens of dead souls turn the authority into wakening and understanding?
Looking at the collapsed houses, I felt bitterly disappointed: even if those houses did not collapse, won’t you feel equally sad seeing such poverty? I could no longer keep watching! Helpless soldiers were equally miserable. Who does not have a hometown? Who does not need to enjoy his life peacefully? Poor students were living in such ruined classrooms. Although our strength is limited, we will launch donation for them, because true love is boundless.
Because traffic and information was interrupted, some counties in Gansu which suffered serious losses were neglected for a time. Unlike Wenchuan County, whose earthquake information was publicized and broadcasted at the first time, disaster situation in Wenxian in Gansu for various reasons was not known to the outside. Many people in Gansu Province itself were misled for a rather long period of time and thought disaster in Gansu was not serious.
According to the statistics provided by Wenxian County Propaganda Department, by May 20, during the Chuanbei Great Earthquake, in Wenxian 94 people died, 1083 wounded and more than 110,000 houses collapsed, becoming the most seriously impacted region in Gansu Province. If it was not for the more serious Sichuan, the above figures could make it a serious earthquake disaster since the founding of the country.
However, immediately after earthquake, it seemed statistics could not reflect the real disaster situation. Take the casualty statistics for example, the local report of casualties was only 12. The government was criticized because of this and public thought the government purposely hid disaster situation.
Relevant officials in Wenxian could obviously not accept this comment. They thought earthquakes are natural hazard. Local governments need not be responsible, so they did not have the motive to purposely hide anything. Quite some people confirmed after the earthquake, basic level leaders in Fanbei Town in Wenxian County did say openly disaster was “not serious” etc. It needs attention that those who “underestimate” disaster situation were not only basic level leaders. The following day after disaster, Red Cross Association in Gansu Province had planned to donate Longnan 1000 cotton quilts. However, before departure, they were told the disaster area did not need this. But in fact, due to collapsed houses, some villagers living in the mountains were unable to take from their homes a single object.
Some reporters found salvage tents were not delivered to farmers in disaster areas until the seventh day after the quake, which was May 19, 2008, and the quantity was far from enough. For example, in Fanbei Village, one tent was delivered to 15 people. A tent is 12 square meters big, enough for 8 people at most. After the quake, More than 700 armed policemen in Gansu were sent to assist villagers for salvation. The Reporter found these armed policemen had arrived at most villages, and their main task was to help victims snatch out the grain under the collapsed houses. However, the good-hearted policemen were refused by better-hearted villagers. Because the villagers found these policemen were actually kids from rural areas. “It does not matter a lot if our grain suffers loss; it matters a lot if those kids of other families were injured, said one villager. Local residents voluntarily sent vegetables and food to the soldiers but were all refused with thanks.
Unlike the attitude toward the soldiers, although local government made lots of efforts in the salvation, the people were still dissatisfied. In Fanba Village, Wenxian County, town government building was seriously damaged, so they were forced to move out to handle office business and they put up a simple shed with plastic films. It was broken by villagers who did not have a dwelling place. It could be seen from here that the people really have complaints about the government.
On May 19, 2008, the first airlift was transported to Fanba Town by helicopters. Because the landing spot was changed temporarily, villagers in a nearby village arrived first. After the reserved soldiers sent out by town government to receive the materials found this out, a conflict occurred. According to a policeman in Fanba Town police station, the reason of the conflict was that villagers were snatching salvation materials. But other witnesses said villagers were only helping to unload materials from helicopters and were not intended to snatching. It could be seen the government has deep-rooted distrust to the people.
And villagers never saw a helicopter. They went only to see something new. Later on, one villager went to town government to “argue for reason”, but he was surrounded and beaten. When interviewed, the villagers looked worried. They worried that their village would be hated by the government, which would affect their salvation they could get after disaster. Villagers in this village were nice and kind，when they learned that the town middle school would resume classes, they chopped down their own bamboo to help the school to build classrooms. It could be seen that it was the government that breached its duties and it was the people who were honest and sincere.
ZHOU, Cheng in China People’s University had a suggestion that China should set up a “Disaster Prevention and Salvation Ministry”. I think this is a good suggestion and put it forward for your reference.
As he said, Tangshan Earthquake almost shook the whole nation and made everyone busy for a long time. Then people gradually forgot this pain. However, 32 years later, an unprecedented Wenchuan Earthquake surprised us. It not only shook the country, it shook the whole world! People all over the country reach out to help and people in all countries of the world are all concerned. Salvation was fast and effective, but at times passive and fussy. For example, communication in the center of the quake was interrupted and life detection devices could not get to position thus making many victims lose the chance to be saved. People suddenly found out the an astonishing quantity of tents were needed and produced them urgently, afterwards, “Yansai Lake” became a new huge problem. Honestly, we were so strange to and unprepared for the huge earthquake!
Then it is necessary to consider this quake as a “Loss Prevention and Salvation University”! Reasonably, the government should consider setting up a regular Loss Prevention and Salvation Department and establish Loss Prevention and Salvation Ministry in the State Council. Loss Prevention and Salvation Bureau should be set up in provinces and regions. As for county level, some key places need to be chosen. The tasks of these Loss Prevention and Salvation departments are multiple, covering earthquake, fire, flood, windstorm and epidemics; from forecast, report to salvation and rebuilding; from fire department, public security, medical to students, workers, townsfolk and farmers; and coordinate the army and armed police and maketheir salvation more effective is more important.
Swift communication, timely salvation, adequate materials, through traffic roads, proper allocation are all concerns of the Loss Prevention and Salvation Department. With such a special department, safety of people’s lives and properties, stability and safety of society will be more secured!
I have one more point to add: a Loss Prevention and Salvation Ministry is not enough. Transparency and circulation of information is also needed. Otherwise, though there are 100 Loss Prevention and Salvation Departments, big or small, it is still black-box operation and can not solve any problems except putting more taxes burdens onto the people and raise more party grandpas riding roisterously on the heads of the people.
Therefore what China needs first is to release press and increase peoples’rights to know and get people more prepared: self-salvation, mutual assistance, coordinated salvation and minimize losses.
As we all see, this quake caused loosing of press control. This not only failed to cause chaos but promoted unprecedented unity. This is the power of the people! The government should trust this valuable power and must not wantonly damage it.
Written on May 31, 2008 in NYC, USA and amended on June 14, 2008.
(The author is Chairman of China Democracy Party World Union)
Website：http://www.cdpwu.org
Telephone：001-1-917-348-5230 Jun Wang
王军：中国防灾救灾策！
——中国应建立“防灾救灾部”
有人批评，中共的国策向来是“防民之口重于防灾救灾”，不准提出问题，不准讨论问题，所以也就无从解决问题，结果才酿成大祸。像这次四川大地震就可以总结出一连串极其沉痛的教训。
我记得2007年8月，济南网友“红钻帝国”就因为透露灾害情况而遭到逮捕。这位不幸的网友还是一位女性，刚刚23岁，涉世未深，她相信朋友的现场目击，济南的银座地下商场发生大水淹死了人。事后银座被数百警力严密封锁达数日之久，不准外界核实真实情况。虽然迄今为止，银座商场仍然无法向社会公布事发过程的全部原始录像以证明“红钻帝国”所说不实，但依然伙同警方钳民之口甚于防川。
事实上，那次事件中，济南肯定淹死了人，而且淹死的人还不是一个小数字。据济南当局自己的说法，至少淹死了34人。这些不幸的灾胞死在济南的那场大雨中，而他们本不该死，这是一个非常惨痛、非常严重的事情，结果却没有人为这个事件负责，当局也不需要承担任何责任，反而动手抓人。“红钻帝国”被抓以后，关于济南水灾的争论，就全部转移到万国有身上了；至于灾胞是怎么死的、为什么死的、谁应该对此负责，反倒没有人关心了。
这不禁使我想起了今年发生的四川大地震。似曾相识啊！
中国公民监政会发起人郭永丰日前指出，四川大地震虽属自然灾害，但在震前没有采取任何有效预防措施，即便民间和有关专家已经预告四川地区可能发生大地震，各种震前动物乱窜征兆明显，但在“奥运”重压下，为确保独裁政权稳定，尤其为了号称“祥云”的真正属于“灾火”的火炬顺利传递，政府坚决进行“辟谣”封锁，对有关“传谣”人员进行无情打压，在全国已拘捕十多人。结果，数万生命瞬间化为乌有。
郭永丰的这种说法是否有些偏激呢？并不是的，他有充分的事实根据。比如他的家乡甘肃陇南，和震中属于一个地震板块，震中为8级，陇南为7.8级，震中每晚发生六七次余震，陇南也发生六七次余震。听他家里打来电话，他们村房屋90%以上全部夷为平地。郭永丰家房屋由于紧靠山脚，虽然没有完全倒塌，已属危房，房墙破损倾斜，屋顶瓦片落地，屋架还在倾斜树立。附近村子不但房屋全部夷为平地，还死伤很多人。幸亏这次地震发生在下午两点多，村民老小都全部下地或外出，停留在家里的也及时逃了出来。
地震发生之后，救援人员的滞后派出、救援设备的陈旧落伍、救援人员专业技术和水平的严重落后、极其原始落后的现场手工作业，等等，都让人万分恼火。并且，明知自己不行，使不上劲，还死要面子，拒绝他国救援队前来救助。后来，经过多方努力，在万般无奈之下，才勉强答应让外国救援队前来救援，但已延误时机，耽误很多生命未能被及时救活，等等。也许死去的就这样无辜死去了，但数万的亡灵能否换来当局的潘然醒悟？
看着甘肃灾区大量倒了的房子，我感到心寒：这些房子即使没有倒，这样的贫寒，能不让人感到心酸吗？我已经看不下去了！无助的老人，同样的悲怆，谁没有家乡，谁不需要安享天年，可怜的学生却住在这样破败的教室里。我们的力量再是有限，也要为他们发起募捐运动！因为真爱无疆。
由于交通和信息一度中断，甘肃不少受灾严重的县一度被外界忽略。与汶川县地震消息在第一时间发布和滚动播发不同，位于甘肃的文县就由于种种原因，灾情无法被外界获知。不少甘肃本省的人在相当长的一段时间里都被误导，以为甘肃灾情并不重。
根据文县县委宣传部提供的数字，截至5月20日，在川北大地震中，文县死亡94人，伤1083人，倒塌房屋11万余间，是甘肃省受灾最严重地区。如果不是因为灾情更为惨重的四川，仅凭以上数字即可判定这亦属建国以来罕见的重大地震灾害。
不过，灾情刚刚发生之际，统计数字似乎并不能完全反映真正的灾情，以死亡数字为例，当地最初的上报死亡人数仅为12人。政府为此饱受诟病，公众以此认为官方有意隐瞒灾情。
文县有关官员对此说法显然无法接受。他们认为，地震是天灾，作为地方政府，无需承担责任，因此并不存在有意隐瞒的动机。不少人士证实，地震发生后，文县范坝乡确曾有基层领导公开讲过灾害“不严重”之类的话语。值得注意的是，“低估”灾情的似乎并不仅仅是基层领导，在灾后发生第二天，甘肃省红十字会曾计划捐助陇南一千床棉被，然而在出发前却被告知：灾区并不需要这个。而事实上呢？由于房屋倒塌，一些住在深山的村民未能从家中取出一件物品。
有些记者在文县采访中发现，一直到震后第七天的2008年5月19日，救灾帐篷才开始陆续发放到农村灾民手中，且远远无法满足需要。如范坝乡，按每15名灾民使用一个帐篷的比例发放，而一个帐篷的面积仅12平方米，至多供8人居住。地震之后，甘肃出动了七百余名武警协助村民救灾，记者走访时发现，大多村庄武警战士已经先期赶到，主要是帮助灾民抢出倒塌房中下面的粮食。然而，武警战士的好心有时却被更加好心的村民们拒绝了，因为村民们发现，这些战士其实也都是来自农村的娃娃。“我们粮食损失了没什么，人家娃娃要是受了伤可担待不起。”一位村民说。文县当地居民曾自发为部队官兵送菜送粮，结果均被谢绝。
与对待部队官兵的态度有所不同：尽管地方政府在此次救灾中表现出足够的努力，但灾民们仍有不满。在文县范坝乡，由于乡政府大楼亦受损严重，被迫搬出在外办公，并用一些塑料薄膜搭起一个简易棚，结果被尚无住处的村民将其扯坏。可见人民的对政府真有意见。
2008年5月19日，第一批空运物资由直升机运至范坝乡，由于降落地点临时改变，附近一村村民率先到达。乡政府派至接收物资的民兵发现后，与村民发生了冲突。据范坝乡派出所一民警称，冲突原因是村民哄抢救灾物资。不过另有目击者称，村民其实只是帮忙将物资从直升机上搬下，并无哄抢之意。可见政府对人民的根深蒂固的不信任。
另外，村里人表示没有见过直升机，主要是去看新鲜。事后，一位认为受委屈的村民到乡政府找人“评理”，结果却遭到围打。在接受本报记者采访时，该村村民显得充满顾虑，他们担心本村被政府“记恨”，进而影响到灾后的救济。但是当地村民毕竟是善良的，他们尽管对镇政府多有怨言，但在得知乡里中学将要复课之后，纷纷自愿将自家的毛竹砍下，无偿帮学校搭建教室。可见，失职的是政府，真诚而朴实的是人民。
中国人民大学的周诚有一个建议，认为中国应该建立一个“防灾救灾部”。我觉得这个建议很好，特别提出来，供大家参考。
正如他所说的那样，唐山大地震几乎震动了全国，使人们手忙脚乱了好大一阵子，人们也就逐步忘掉了这一阵痛。然而，事隔32年，一个史无前例的汶川大地震突然袭来，这回不仅振动了全中国，而且震动了全世界！全国人民伸出援助之手，世界各国人民无不关心，救灾进展迅速而大有成效。然而，在如此迅速而有效的救助之中，仍然不时显露出被动与忙乱。例如，震中地区通讯中断而长期无法联系，生命探测仪不能及时到位而使许多蒙难者失去被救助的时机，人们突然发现对帐篷的需要数量惊人而突击生产，然后“堰塞湖”又成了新的巨大难题，的确，我们对于大地震原来如此陌生而疏于准备！
那么，把此次大地震当作一所“防灾救灾大学”，就很有必要了！顺理成章的是，政府应当考虑成立常设的防灾救灾部门。在国务院中设“防灾救灾部”，在各省市自治区以及地区一级，也应普遍建立“防灾救灾局”，至于在县级当然只需要选择少数重点了。这些防灾救灾部门的任务，可谓千头万绪，从地震、火灾、水灾、风灾到流行病无所不管；从预测、预报到救助、重建，样样不离；从消防、公安、医务，到学生、工人、市民、农民，无一可例外，而协调军队和武警使他们救援更加得法，更是关键。
信息的灵通，救助的及时，物资的充裕，道路的通达，安置的妥善，乃是防灾救灾部门无时无刻、尽心尽力操劳的事。有了这样一个专职部门，人们的生命财产安全，社会的安全稳定，就会更加有保障了！
另外我还要补充一点：光有“防灾救灾部”还是不够的，还需要信息的透明和流通，否则，即使有一百个大大小小“防灾救灾部”，也还是黑箱作业，解决不了任何问题，而只能加重人民的税收负担，又多养了一批骑在人民头上作威作福的党老爷。因此，中国首先需要的是开放报禁。增强人民的知情权。使人民有足够的思想准备：自救、互救、协调救助。尽减损失。
大家都看见了，这次地震导致新闻管制松动，结果不仅没有天下大乱，反而促成了空前团结一致。这就是人民的力量！政府应该信任这股可贵的力量，而不是任意摧残她。
2008年5月31日于美国纽约写，2008年6月14日修改。
（作者为中国民主党世界同盟主席）
网址：http://www.cdpwu.org
电话：001-1-917-348-5230王军
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