CHINA, NATIONAL, SOCIETY, EDITORIAL: Which is More Important, Human Life or Profits?
By Li Zhen
According to news reports, at least 161 miners were confirmed dead in an explosion at Dongfeng Coal Mine in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on November 21st, 2005. Seventy-two miners were rescued and ten miners were missing.
The State-owned coal mine was run by the Qitaihe branch of the Longmei Mining (Group) Co Ltd. According to China Daily, two mine officials have been detained by police for alleged dereliction of duty. Ironically, Ma Jinguang, the head, was declared a role model in mine management just 10 days before the terrible accident.
In quickly developing China, on the one hand, there is a great demand for energy and coal still supplies two-thirds of China's total energy and generates 80 percent of its electricity; on the other hand, producing only 35 percent of the world’' coal, China accounts for 80 percent of the world's coal mining deaths. Old industrial modes of production, poor equipment, lack of automation, low spending on technology and poor execution of safety-ensuring measures are the key reasons for the frequency of mine disasters.
To increase yield, some mine-owners violate safety production rules and treat workers as "machines for money," demanding a much heavier workload instead of enhancing the efficiency. As to the workers, isolated from the outside world, working deep underground, most of them, who are illiterate, know little about their rights, let alone intricate laws and regulations. So, it is hard for them to safeguard their legal rights and struggle for a better working environment.
Upon deeper reflection, there are even greater factors that cause mine disasters. The third part, local government, such as the section of labor and administration, does not play an effective role in supervising various mine companies. The coalmines, as the backbone of the local industry, may be protected, rather than scrutinized by the government, even though many mine managers transgress laws and regulations.
The alignment of capital and power to gain more interests for themselves is the fundamental reason for the disasters. After accidents happen, the related government authorities try every means possible to conceal the truth, which makes things even worse.
To solve this problem that is detrimental not only to the poor workers, but also to the sound development of the whole society, the supervising power should be strengthened. On the premise of open information, the "public sphere," like the "fourth estate," media should function much better in raising the public's awareness of how to protect themselves. For their own long-term benefits, both the government and the mining companies should invest more in establishing safety procedures and in improving the working environment. Strict safety measures should be mapped out and executed by management personnel on-site as well.
People, especially "the disadvantaged," should be more important than profits. Their right of existence should always and forever be the first consideration.
According to news reports, at least 161 miners were confirmed dead in an explosion at Dongfeng Coal Mine in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on November 21st, 2005. Seventy-two miners were rescued and ten miners were missing.
The State-owned coal mine was run by the Qitaihe branch of the Longmei Mining (Group) Co Ltd. According to China Daily, two mine officials have been detained by police for alleged dereliction of duty. Ironically, Ma Jinguang, the head, was declared a role model in mine management just 10 days before the terrible accident.
In quickly developing China, on the one hand, there is a great demand for energy and coal still supplies two-thirds of China's total energy and generates 80 percent of its electricity; on the other hand, producing only 35 percent of the world’' coal, China accounts for 80 percent of the world's coal mining deaths. Old industrial modes of production, poor equipment, lack of automation, low spending on technology and poor execution of safety-ensuring measures are the key reasons for the frequency of mine disasters.
To increase yield, some mine-owners violate safety production rules and treat workers as "machines for money," demanding a much heavier workload instead of enhancing the efficiency. As to the workers, isolated from the outside world, working deep underground, most of them, who are illiterate, know little about their rights, let alone intricate laws and regulations. So, it is hard for them to safeguard their legal rights and struggle for a better working environment.
Upon deeper reflection, there are even greater factors that cause mine disasters. The third part, local government, such as the section of labor and administration, does not play an effective role in supervising various mine companies. The coalmines, as the backbone of the local industry, may be protected, rather than scrutinized by the government, even though many mine managers transgress laws and regulations.
The alignment of capital and power to gain more interests for themselves is the fundamental reason for the disasters. After accidents happen, the related government authorities try every means possible to conceal the truth, which makes things even worse.
To solve this problem that is detrimental not only to the poor workers, but also to the sound development of the whole society, the supervising power should be strengthened. On the premise of open information, the "public sphere," like the "fourth estate," media should function much better in raising the public's awareness of how to protect themselves. For their own long-term benefits, both the government and the mining companies should invest more in establishing safety procedures and in improving the working environment. Strict safety measures should be mapped out and executed by management personnel on-site as well.
People, especially "the disadvantaged," should be more important than profits. Their right of existence should always and forever be the first consideration.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home