Daily Lessons from Life 26 July 2010 - China's Zijin offered journalists cash amid spill

"China's Zijin offered journalists cash amid spill - Mon, Jul 26, 2010 AFP

SHANGHAI - China's Zijin Mining Group offered cash to journalists covering a toxic spill at a mine it operates in the southeast, state media said Monday, in an apparent bid to gain favourable coverage.

Poisonous waste water from the Fujian province copper mine operated by Zijin - China's top gold producer - has contaminated a major river in the area, killing off about 1,900 tonnes of fish.

An unnamed business magazine was offered 60,000 yuan (S$12,150) by Zijin earlier this month after it sent reporters to cover the leak, the China Business News and the China Youth Daily said."

It is hardly surprising, assuming it is indeed true, that someone would offer some good money to cover up an environmental disaster created by sheer human negligence or deliberate and blatant disregard for its consequences to fellow human being! In China or in any other countries that do not practice basic respect for human being!!

Lessons for me are:

1. there will be people who are bent on doing the 'wrong' things as long as they can profit from it. They will have no time for long term effect! Theirs are the 'now' and 'I want' mentality!;

2. the 'bad' things will get exposed eventually no matter how secretive and how oppressive you may be as truth will be revealed at the end! You cannot fool all the people all the time! You can definitely fooled yourself into believing 'bad' things only happened to others and that you are Special! Well, it is just an illusion!! You will be found out if you did do some 'bad' things!!;

3. 'the pens are mightier than weapons' saying will only be true IF journalists are for justice and know deeply why they want to be journalists - to expose the wicked and the evils while protecting the weak and the oppressed and the ignorants! The poison has found its way into the human being - slowly but surely. If you have a conscience, you must report the evils. It cannot be just about the money! If so, no one will life a finger to expose cheats and evil doers!

May the people affected by the poison somehow find a cure or find aids that will make their sufferring less painful. Also, may they have the pleasure of seeing those responsible be judged by the laws of the land and be given appropriate sentences!