The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is concerned by reports that an order was issued by Chinese authorities to stifle media reporting of the demolition of a school, rebuilt after the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan with funds from the Hong Kong Government, and replaced with a commercial development.

On May 22, 2012, a mainland Chinese newspaper, Southern Metropolis Daily, reported that a rebuilt school in the city of Mianyang, in China’s southern Sichuan province, was demolished and replaced with a dual-purpose commercial and residential complex.

According the report, the Hong Kong Government was one of the donors for the school’s reconstruction, but was unaware that the school had been demolished and replaced. The rebuilt school was only used for two years, serving approximately 300 students in that time. The Hong Kong Government donated half of the 4 million Hong Kong Dollars (approximately USD 500,000) used to fund the reconstruction of the school.

In response to mounting media interest in the story, an order was issued by China’s Central Propaganda Department that no independent reporting was allowed except for republishing of the story published in Xinhua, the Chinese Communist Party’s official newspaper.

On May 27, Xinhua reported that the Sichuan Government had confirmed that the school was demolished without consultation with, nor consent from, the Hong Kong Government. On May 28, the provincial government was reported as disagreeing with the decision to demolish the school, proclaiming the decision was “totally wrong”.

“The Central Propaganda Department continues to act contrary to the statement by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao that the public has a crucial role in the supervision of government action”, IFJ Asia Pacific Office said,

“By limiting independent reporting on the use of public and donated funds, the right of Chinese citizens to monitor the performance of their government is undermined.

The IFJ urges China’s authorities to lift its restrictions on the independent reporting of public interest stories, such as the demolition of the school in Sichuan, so that the media is able to support the public in exercising its rights to information.”

The Hong Kong Government has announced that it is it is considering seeking the return of those funds provided in 2008 as aid for the construction of the school.

For further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0950 

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries

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