| In grave grief, China mourns quake dead |
| Tuesday,May 20,2008 Posted: 12:01 BJT(0401 GMT) |
| From:驻斐济使馆经商参处 Article type:Redistributed |
Air raid sirens, and car, train and ship horns wailed and people stood for three minutes in silence on Monday to mourn the tens of thousands who died in last week's earthquake. The moment of grief was observed across the vast country of 1.3 billion people at 2:28 pm, exactly a week after the devastating magnitude-8 quake struck Sichuan. The death toll is estimated to be above 50,000. The silent tribute was the first of its kind for citizens killed in a natural disaster Flags were flying at half-mast across the country and all public entertainment has been suspended as the three-day mourning period started. The Olympic torch relay is also suspended during the period. From tent cities in Sichuan province to Beijing, cars, motorcycles and bicycles stopped on the road and sounded their horns. Pedestrians stood with their heads bowed. In Tian'anmen Square the somber mood quickly turned into a vocal show of patriotism. Thousands of flag-waving people chanted "Go China Go" and "Rebuild Sichuan", while singing the national anthem. President Hu Jintao, who just returned from a three-day visit to the quake-hit areas, paid a three-minute silent tribute to victims of the quake in the central government compound of Zhongnanhai in Beijing. At the ceremony that began at 2:28 pm, a sad and solemn Hu, in a dark suit with a white flower pinned to the chest, bowed under a national flag which was lowered to half-mast. Hu was joined by colleagues in the country's top decision-making body, the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, including top legislator Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao. Former president Jiang Zemin also stood in silence for the quake victims at a separate place in the city. Vice-Premier Li Keqiang paid his tribute in Beichuan, Sichuan, one of the worst-hit regions. He was there overseeing rescue and relief work. Across the country, people honored the quake dead in various ways: Some flew black kites, children stood with lit white candles, and villagers in the northwest burnt incense sticks and fake money in rituals to see off the dead. |
| (Source: English Site of Fiji) |
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