National Guard Families Seek Compensation

The families of 58 national guards plan to lobby the central Chinese government in Beijing for greater compensation after their relatives were killed in a May earthquake, RFA’s Cantonese service reports.The 58 national guards were part of a group of 200 training for the Olympics in China’s southwestern Sichuan province when the 8.0 magnitude tremor hit, claiming more than 60,000 lives.

 

According to the petitioners, a victim’s family is entitled to a compensation of 3,600 yuan and an additional 299 yuan monthly allowance. But family members say that the compensation package is well-below what the government should be providing.

 

One family member, identified as Ms. Liu, said officials from the armored troops visited every victim’s family home to offer 30,000 yuan in an effort to keep them from petitioning the central government.

 

While several families have taken the offer, the majority plan to travel to Beijing to request more money.

 

Since the earthquake, the national guard families have petitioned both the county and provincial governments but say they have been offered only bribes to keep quiet on the matter.