(Broadcast on 5 April 2002)
Just as Liaoyang city, Liaoning province is getting itself ready to send the four Liaoyang Ferrous-Alloy Factory workers representatives to court, several thousand coal miners from the Fushun Mining Bureau in the same Liaoning province blocked the railroads in opposition to the governments retrenchment and early retirement plans. First I called the mining bureau office.
Office:
You should ask the information and complaint bureau about this, they know best about these things. Whether they went or not, whether the railroads are still blocked or to what extent they are blocked, they all know about it. They are there every day together with the (mining) bureau.
I could not get through to the complaint office at all, but I got through to another office of the mining bureau where they knew about the situation.
Official:
They have already been going daily for over 10 days.
Han Dongfang:
For over 10 days?
Officer:
Yesterday two of our people were responsible for home visits. We kept them company and didnt let them leave home (to join the demonstrations). Recently, we have to go every couple of days.
Han:
Is there any action today?
Official:
No, not today.
Han:
So, it is not certain which day there is an action.
Official:
Thats right.
Han:
Which day was the demonstration the biggest?
Official:
Maybe it was last Fridays.
Han:
How many people were there?
Official:
Over three thousand. Now that it started, even all the workers from smaller enterprises in the city who are normally too few to do anything have joined in. It swelled the crowd all of a sudden.
Han:
For how long did they block the railroad last Friday?
Official:
The whole morning, even the riot police were there. This cannot be contained by the mine district [police] itself. All the armed police, riot police and public security from the city have to be mobilized.
Han:
Was there any conflict?
Official:
Nothing major. Everybody understands whats happening. Even if the police are there, what can they do? Dont they all have damned retrenched workers in their families? Once the issue is raised, everybody knows they dont have a livelihood. Everybody understands; all they can do is explain that it is wrong to block the railways. But nobody is going to listen to them (workers) if they dont block the railroad.
This cadre went on to say that in this retrenchment and early retirement (action), they started with the aged, weak and infirm.
Official:
The remuneration is really low. They only gave them 280 yuan and sent them home. What can they do with it?
Han:
What type of workers were these?
Official:
These were workers laid off earlier and the sick ones. Its really a case of coercion you have to take it whether you like it or not. But now everybody is just waiting, they are not signing anything. But nobody knows what is going to happen in the end.
He went on to describe a new method adopted by the workers to communicate and announce the time and venue of the gatherings.
Official:
Now there is a lot of small notices posted everywhere, on the streets, on building entrances, with the date, time and place of the gathering and people go when the time comes.
Han:
Is there any signature [to the notices]?
Official:
No signature. If there were signatures, those who stuck their heads out would be picked up. So now they just post the flyers without any signature. When the time comes, the notices are posted everywhere and people gather from everywhere. Their own personal interest is at stake and they think if they can win they can get more.
Han:
So does every gathering use this method now?
Official:
Yes.
Han:
Are they not organised?
Official:
There is no formal organisation at all; nobody dares to organise anything. Would they organise anything, the leaders would have a hard time.
Han:
If it is like this, its very difficult to prevent it.
Official:
Exactly; so people in our line of work have not been doing well. This morning we came (to work) but still didnt know if we had to go anywhere. If there is a phone call, you have to go immediately. They tell you what time to gather at the garage and off you go at once.
Han:
Do you go to talk to the workers?
Official:
Yes.
I asked him if he had heard that the Daqing workers street demonstrations had been going on for over a month.
Official:
Yes, I have heard. I have heard that Daqing workers got 4000 yuan, and still they are demonstrating. It is difficult to compare peoples circumstances. Here the workers got 750 yuan and they are forced to sit at home all day and stopped from getting out [to demonstrate]. Its really unfair.
About the Liaoyang city government arresting and putting on trial the four Liaoyang Ferrous-Alloy Factory workers representatives, this official said the following:
Official:
This is really unreasonable. They cant even feed themselves; yet, they are not even allowed to grumble. So, there is no leader now. Its all little notices. They post notices to tell you what time and where to gather and people go all by themselves. They cannot trace who stuck up the notices; (the government) is still sending people every night to tear them down. You tear them down at one oclock in the morning, by three they are up again. When they see that you watch them real close, they stop for a couple of days. Who can stand watch every day everywhere?
Han:
So, will people follow as long as there are notices?
Official:
Yes.
Han:
At the gathering, is anybody standing in front to lead?
Official:
No, there is nobody. If there is no one there (from the police or armed police) they stand on the railway. If there is someone there (from the police or armed police) they stand along the two sides of the railway.
Han:
Are they just standing there doing nothing? Several thousand people just standing on the railway talking and when the police come to disperse them they leave?
Official:
Right, they dont have many other tricks.
Han:
Are they not demanding anything?
Official:
They dont let you raise any (issues). Anyway there is no use in saying it again. It all has been raised before. They have talked to the (mining) bureau chief; they have petitioned to the province; it did not solve the problems.
Finally, he went on to say that now he was doing persuasion work among the workers; but if one of these days he got retrenched, he would also join them at the railway.
Official:
What can I do? If the government tells you to perform this task then you have to do it. But I am all clear in my heart: If this happens to you, there is nothing you can do.
Han:
If there really were a day when this happens to you, would you also join them?
Official:
That is for sure! I feel very disturbed; you can talk about high moral ground. But however high these moral standards are, they cant push us to starvation. What are high morals for if we all f**ing starved to death? If there is no food on the table, who would talk about whatever business or career? This is just not possible.