‘AIDS demolition team’ to be probed
Print Edition
AUTHORITIES in Nanyang, central China’s Henan Province, are looking into claims that a group has been threatening to infect people with AIDS if they refuse to move out of their homes.
The city government has confirmed the existence of the group, but said it did not hire it.
A photo of the words “AIDS demolition team” written in red on a wall caused a public outcry when it was uploaded to social media recently.
The graffiti reportedly appeared in a community slated for demolition under a government plan and was first posted on Weibo by media in Yunnan Province.
Residents said they have been harassed by the gang since early December. One member is alleged to have shown them documents “proving” he has AIDS, while others are accused of threatening to infect residents in a bid to drive them out.
Some people have left out of fear, one local said.
An official with the Nanyang government said a company in charge of the community’s demolition has been closed and is being investigated.
It is not yet known whether the team really included AIDS patients or just used the disease as a threat.
Henan was once known for its large population of HIV carriers, many of whom were villagers infected through illegal blood sales.
News of the demolition team surfaced just days after 200 villagers in south China’s Sichuan Province signed a petition to banish an 8-year-old HIV-positive boy from the village.
The boy’s grandfather, who also signed the petition, later said they were too poor to raise the child and hoped he would be better treated outside the village, and that a journalist had taught them to use the petition to attract public attention.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
