China executes ex-party boss for tin mine disaster
Published by MAC on 2004-02-24
China executes ex-party boss for tin mine disaster
Planet Ark (Reuters)
February 24, 2004
Beijing - China executed a Communist Party official for his role in the cover-up of a 2001 tin mine disaster that killed at least 81 people in the southwestern region of Guangxi, state television reported.
Wan Ruizhong, a former county party chief, was put to death for abuse of power, the report said. He had also taken bribes worth 3.21 million yuan ($387,800), the television added.
Wan's execution came two days after the Communist Party unveiled new rules to stamp out corruption in higher party ranks.
The 2001 mine-flooding accident went unreported for two weeks, prompting the government to issue shrill warnings on disclosing industrial mishaps and emboldening official media to work more independently to expose incidents.
After allegations emerged that mine bosses had tried to cover up the tragedy by bribing survivors to keep quiet and, on at least one occasion, by threatening journalists with weapons, Beijing sent a team to investigate.
Wan, the local county governor and another party official were all convicted of plotting to conceal the disaster at the state-owned Lajiapo mine.
Investigators found that the flood was a direct result of mismanagement and poorly conducted explosions. Wan's appeal was rejected by Guangxi high people's court. State television showed him on Friday looking resigned as sentence was passed.
The Lajiapo disaster prompted a government review of safety standards in the country's mines, which are some of the world's most deadly with thousands killed in accidents each year.