Post by dazbt on Oct 16, 2008 3:47:33 GMT -5
The official figures declaring Chinese coal mining deaths and major accidents show numbers beyond my comprehension. The fact that thousands are killed each year and even worse the acceptance that thousands will be killed next year is incredible, but much worse has to be the fact that these official figures aren't likely to be the whole truth. The accepted official government estimate of around 13 miners being killed every day in China is thought by some (Chinese labour support groups) to be more likely almost double that number. The 13 per day figure actually came from the total of declared deaths divided by 365 days, I estimate that using the same totals and using only actual working days then that figure should be nearer to 18 miners being killed each working day, based on the miners working 6 days a week and holidays.
The only reports released are relating to major incidents where usually multiple lives are lost or at least a large number of miners are trapped or involved. The single death accidents are never passed on to the world media and the chances are that incidents where only one or two miners are killed are not even reported internally. Illegal coal mine deaths are even less likely to reported for obvious reasons, no doubt that in many instances the dead miner's family are paid off by the illegal mine owner, whereas if they reported the death not only would they receive no compensation at all but run the risk of having the mine closed down, with the resultant loss of work for their community.
I've read of mining accidents where groups of miners have been killed or trapped underground and left abandoned to their fate or even worse in at least one instance the owner of an illegal mine blasted the mine entrances to seal them in and conceal the mine.
When these owners believe that it would be possible to conceal the deaths of one or two miners highlights the lack of government control, but when an owner believes that he could conceal the deaths of 30 miners killed in one accident it surely identifies a massive corruption of local government organisation, link below relates to one such failed attempt, but I wonder how many similar incidents are concealed successfully.
www.impunitywatch.com/impunity_watch_asia/2008/10/hidden-coal-min.html
The only reports released are relating to major incidents where usually multiple lives are lost or at least a large number of miners are trapped or involved. The single death accidents are never passed on to the world media and the chances are that incidents where only one or two miners are killed are not even reported internally. Illegal coal mine deaths are even less likely to reported for obvious reasons, no doubt that in many instances the dead miner's family are paid off by the illegal mine owner, whereas if they reported the death not only would they receive no compensation at all but run the risk of having the mine closed down, with the resultant loss of work for their community.
I've read of mining accidents where groups of miners have been killed or trapped underground and left abandoned to their fate or even worse in at least one instance the owner of an illegal mine blasted the mine entrances to seal them in and conceal the mine.
When these owners believe that it would be possible to conceal the deaths of one or two miners highlights the lack of government control, but when an owner believes that he could conceal the deaths of 30 miners killed in one accident it surely identifies a massive corruption of local government organisation, link below relates to one such failed attempt, but I wonder how many similar incidents are concealed successfully.
www.impunitywatch.com/impunity_watch_asia/2008/10/hidden-coal-min.html