CMP has confirmed with sources inside China’s media that the CCP’s
Central Propaganda Department (中宣部) has issued “numerous” directives
on coverage of the Sichuan earthquake, including a directive against
“critical reporting” on the disaster. The general atmosphere for
coverage, however, seems to remain relatively open. While media have
been instructed to follow the lead of central party media – Xinhua
News Agency, CCTV and company – regional commercial media can and
are, for the moment, pursuing the story with intensity. Homepage
Image: Screenshot of earthquake coverage on the news page at Netease.
We’ll summarize, analyze and translate that coverage as we can.
For now, though, we include the latest piece from CMP director Qian
Gang, in which he urges leaders to move quickly to the next level
of disaster relief planning, addressing the potential collateral
effects of the earthquake.
“Science and Expertise: This is What our Brothers and Sisters in Need
Hope For”
By Qian Gang (钱钢)
At last the rescue teams have entered Wenchuan. While the manpower
and equipment reaching the disaster area still lack the scale and
effectiveness needed, this is a crucial turning point. It means that
rescue work has begun in earnest in the heart of the disaster area.
We have every reason to expect that after today, May 15, the rescue
work in the earthquake-affected area will move rapidly into high
gear. Saving lives, staving off epidemic disease and settling the
disaster victims will become the next priority . . . as thousands
throng into the cramped spaces available. As countless anxious souls
are thrust together, new challenges will emerge: chaos, congestion,
and instructions from authorities overlapping or in direct conflict.
What is most urgently needed now is a high level of crisis management
ability (高水平的危机管理能力). Our nation has great strengths and resources
it can rally together, but in preventing and minimizing disaster
situations there has always been lack of coordination between different
government agencies. We have no standing body (常设机构) tasked with
organizing and coordinating disaster relief efforts. Even though
we have teams to deal with the various aspects of an emergency situation,
these are separate strands, not twisted into a single unified system.
At this moment, we have various different disaster relief teams working
on various complex disaster relief matters in a dynamic, rapidly
changing situation, so that leaders operating and controlling the
relief effort face immense challenges. And the level and efficiency
of logistical command is a matter of life and death for tens of thousands.
Those in command must have a thoroughly clear macro-view of the “disaster
area”. Disaster relief resources (and not just seismic waves) must
radiate out from Wenchuan across the whole Chengdu plain, from the
Chengdu plain to the Chuanyu (川渝) region Chongqing and the Jialing
River to the central plains (中原), to the southeast. The entire disaster
relief effort must become a tight, rationally managed systematic
effort (科学严密的系统工程). Right now, rescuing survivors has already become
the overriding mission. At the same time, I urge those in command
to handle the following tasks:
To seek out hidden collateral problems (次生灾害的隐患点) that might arise
with the greatest urgency possible. All water reservoirs, oil depots,
petrol stations, chemical storage facilities, stores of military
explosives, areas where landslides are an imminent risk, or where
they have already backed up river currents, geological prospecting
and exploration sites that might give off dangerous fumes, all must
be sought out quickly, demarcated clearly and strictly controlled
with the best possible resources.
Assemble the most experienced experts, and let them turn their expertise
toward organizing air and land transport issues that are becoming
more complicated by the day. At present, the disaster zone is a war
zone. Right now, transport and dispatch orders should be regarded
with the same seriousness as military orders.
Epidemic prevention teams should be sent out in force. Aircraft sprays
should be carried out immediately to stave of disease. From here
on out, strict standards must be enforced for the work of burying
the dead.
Expert teams must be deployed immediately to begin repairs to the
electrical and gas grid so crucial to cities and towns.
Our brothers and sisters in Hong Kong have already begun relief campaigns.
A lot of people ask: How can we quickly reach the disaster area?
How can we help the disaster victims? At the same time, people in
Taiwan and overseas have made urgent offers of aid and assistance.
I believe that we should put great stock in relief experts and medical
experts from Hong Kong, Taiwan and other countries, and should seek
to benefit from their expert opinions. IHT: “Japan to send disaster
relief team to China to join effort to rescue quake victims“.
Lastly, we should reconsider the persistent deployment of army soldiers
in rescue work. A disaster of this magnitude cannot possibly be
resolved in a space of a few weeks, and we should ready ourselves
mentally and spiritually for a prolonged effort. We must have teams
in reserve, and must allow time for exhausted soldiers doing rescue
work on the front lines to recoup.
In a word, our hearts must be hot, but our minds must be cool. Big
words and empty speeches, gaudy, showy and useless old habits, documents
that parade their achievements to those on top, posing and dramatizing
for the camera lens . . . At this moment, let this all pass away!
Science and expertise is what our brothers and sisters in need hope
for most.
Posted by David Bandurski, May 15, 2008, 4:21pm HK