From Chinese Press

Stop cruel demolition practice

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-05-20 07:45

A 91-year-old villager in Fujian province committed suicide because she couldn't bear the pain of her house being forcibly demolished in the next few days. This once again shows how important it is for local governments to take measures to stop forced demolitions of houses, says an article in Oriental Morning Post. Excerpts:

The relocation plan drawn up by Yongchun county government in Fujian province led to the death of a 91-year-old villager, Liu Xian. But the Yongchun government was shameless enough to say that it had nothing to do with Liu's suicide.

Facing forced demolition of their house, 92-year-old Tao Xingyao and his 68-year-old son set themselves on fire in Lianyungang city, Jiangsu province. Sun Zhongxue, a man in his 80s was crushed to death when his house in Lixin county, Anhui province, was forcibly razed. In a similar incident, a woman in her 70s was buried alive in Wuhan, Hubei province.

Treating disadvantaged senior citizens with respect and providing good living conditions to them are part of social morality and conscience. If suicide becomes the only option for elderly people whose houses face demolition, the public will lose faith in social justice. Local governments should rethink their merciless process and cruel attitude that are forcing innocent and helpless elderly people to commit suicide.

(China Daily 05/20/2010 page9)