South China Morning Post

Saturday July 19 1997, ADA YUEN

International labour and human rights groups yesterday voiced concern over the alleged crackdown on a massive labour protest in Sichuan province.

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and Amnesty International feared China had tightened its grip on the labour movement when armed police were sent in to disperse and arrest workers demonstrating in Mianyang city earlier this month.

The Belgium-based confederation yesterday launched an investigation into the incident and said it would file a complaint to the International Labour Organisation Freedom of Association Committee, run by the United Nations, if rights violations had taken place.

Confederation official Kathryn Hodder said: "This is a legitimate industrial action and we expressed concern that it had been clamped down on by the Government.

"We will contact our affiliated labour groups worldwide to probe into the matter and ask them to lodge complaints to the Chinese Government after the investigation."

Concern was echoed by the London-based human rights group Amnesty International.

The group's Hong Kong and China affairs researcher, Catherine Baber, said it would contact officers on the mainland to clarify the situation.

She said: "Our representatives and officials seem to think there had been people arrested as a result of the protest."

Exiled trade unionist Han Dongfang was also alerted by the crackdown. He sent a letter to National People's Congress Chairman Qiao Shi urging him to stop the action.

Mr Han said: "There have been too many labour unrests recently. I hope the Government can stop the oppression and release all workers jailed for expressing their opinions."

His letter included requests to release all workers arrested in the Mianyang demonstration.

Bao Ge, a Shanghai activist, also wrote to Mr Qiao. He suggested all local governments should ban officials using their power to fight workers and farmers for benefits.

Mr Bao's letter said: "The masses have been driven beyond the limits of patience by official corruption.

"In some places, as social contradictions sharpen, the apathetic, arbitrary manner of bureaucrats has become the fuse for conflict."

Human Rights in China, a New York-based organisation, said the number of arrests in Mianyang was as high as 80.

Hundreds of demonstrators were injured when the paramilitary People's Armed Police were sent in to put down the protest which involved more than 100,000 people.

However, an official from the city's Foreign Affairs Office insisted there were no scuffles, injuries or arrests.