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| China quake parents 'harassed' | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Parents who lost their children in China's earthquake fear they will not be allowed to properly commemorate the disaster's first anniversary. | Parents who lost their children in China's earthquake fear they will not be allowed to properly commemorate the disaster's first anniversary. |
| Many parents want to return to the site of the schools in Sichuan that killed their children when they collapsed. | Many parents want to return to the site of the schools in Sichuan that killed their children when they collapsed. |
| But the authorities have previously stopped them going to the schools on sensitive occasions, and are said to be monitoring the parents ahead of 12 May. | But the authorities have previously stopped them going to the schools on sensitive occasions, and are said to be monitoring the parents ahead of 12 May. |
| China has not said how many children were among the 90,000 dead and missing. | China has not said how many children were among the 90,000 dead and missing. |
| The government has admitted that nearly 14,000 schools - some of them poorly or hastily built - were damaged in the magnitude-8 earthquake. | The government has admitted that nearly 14,000 schools - some of them poorly or hastily built - were damaged in the magnitude-8 earthquake. |
| Schools sealed off | Schools sealed off |
| One mother, Hu Hongfang, wants to return to Juyuan Middle School to mark the first anniversary of the death of her 15-year-old son Guo Jun. | One mother, Hu Hongfang, wants to return to Juyuan Middle School to mark the first anniversary of the death of her 15-year-old son Guo Jun. |
| But she is not hopeful that she will be allowed to get to the collapsed school site, in the city of Dujiangyan in northern Sichuan Province. | But she is not hopeful that she will be allowed to get to the collapsed school site, in the city of Dujiangyan in northern Sichuan Province. |
| "On every occasion parents have wanted to pay their respects to their children, the whole school and nearby area have been sealed off," she said. | "On every occasion parents have wanted to pay their respects to their children, the whole school and nearby area have been sealed off," she said. |
| Other parents told the BBC a similar story. | Other parents told the BBC a similar story. |
| Zhou Siqiang, whose daughter died at the Juyuan school, said parents have been prevented from visiting the site on a number of occasions. | Zhou Siqiang, whose daughter died at the Juyuan school, said parents have been prevented from visiting the site on a number of occasions. |
| There is still no official report about why so many schoolchildren died | There is still no official report about why so many schoolchildren died |
| He said they were stopped from going to the site on last month's Tomb Sweeping Day, when Chinese people traditionally visit family graves. | He said they were stopped from going to the site on last month's Tomb Sweeping Day, when Chinese people traditionally visit family graves. |
| But he was undeterred. "I think I will join others and go to the school on the first anniversary of the earthquake," he said. | But he was undeterred. "I think I will join others and go to the school on the first anniversary of the earthquake," he said. |
| Across Dujiangyan, parents at another collapsed school detailed some of the methods used by the authorities to prevent them from staging public displays of grief. | Across Dujiangyan, parents at another collapsed school detailed some of the methods used by the authorities to prevent them from staging public displays of grief. |
| These includes stopping them from leaving their homes and taking them away from the city during sensitive times. | These includes stopping them from leaving their homes and taking them away from the city during sensitive times. |
| Seeking answers | Seeking answers |
| These parents, whose children died at Xinjian Primary School, say they fear the same will happen on the earthquake's first anniversary. | These parents, whose children died at Xinjian Primary School, say they fear the same will happen on the earthquake's first anniversary. |
| The local government and police did not want to immediately comment on the parents' claims. | The local government and police did not want to immediately comment on the parents' claims. |
| But the man who runs a cemetery where many of the Xinjian schoolchildren are buried confirmed that there is a special team monitoring the parents. | But the man who runs a cemetery where many of the Xinjian schoolchildren are buried confirmed that there is a special team monitoring the parents. |
| Chen Hua, who works at Baoshanta Cemetery, told the BBC that the special "work team" was attached to the local police station. | |
| Amnesty International this week released a report saying the authorities continued to intimidate and detain parents who had lost children in the earthquake. | Amnesty International this week released a report saying the authorities continued to intimidate and detain parents who had lost children in the earthquake. |
| It is particularly targeting parents who are still seeking answers about why so many schools collapsed during the earthquake, the rights group said. | It is particularly targeting parents who are still seeking answers about why so many schools collapsed during the earthquake, the rights group said. |
| "The government of China must cease harassing earthquake survivors who are seeking answers and trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives," said Amnesty International's Roseann Rife. | "The government of China must cease harassing earthquake survivors who are seeking answers and trying to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives," said Amnesty International's Roseann Rife. |
| Parents who spoke to the BBC do not expect that to happen. | Parents who spoke to the BBC do not expect that to happen. |