Father's search for son continues
By Zhang Xuanchen |
December 30, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
A 62-year-old farmer, who helped a brick kiln slave worker reunite with his family, is still looking for his mentally disabled son, who was lured to work nearly seven months ago and never came back.
Frustrated by the police's refusal to look into the case citing a lack of evidence, the father has decided to find his son on his own, who he believes is trapped at a kiln, mine or factory somewhere.
Every morning, He Zhimin sets off from home on a three-wheeled motorcycle, carrying an eye-catching sign with his son's profile and picture, as he scouts around Sanyuan County in Shaanxi Province.
Sometimes he travels to neighboring Gaoling County, where coal mining is prevalent, hoping his son would appear among the dark-faced miners off work.
He told China Youth Daily that his 35-year-old son, He Wen, went missing on June 2. He Zhimin's nephew said that He Wen left home on a bike after answering a call from an unknown woman. He overheard the woman offering him a job and a daily wage of 70 yuan (US$10.50).
On the same day, the family received a phone call from He Wen, saying he had been offered a well-paid, part-time job. After that, they lost contact with him and began their desperate search.
A surprising twist came when He Zhimin received a tip from a driver who said he saw his son sleeping on the street on December 18. But when he rushed there, he discovered the man was a former co-worker of his son.
The man, Liu Xiaoping, said he and He Wen were kept captive at a brick kiln, working for a man identified as Fang. Liu forgot how he had escaped, but remembered his promise to contact He Wen's family if he got the chance.
Liu, 29, said he was tempted by a woman to work in kilns in Gaoling County for 500 yuan a month. But he was trapped and tortured by the boss, who burnt the workers with hot bricks and didn't provide enough food.
He Zhimin and Gaoling police helped Liu reunite with his family on December 19. But his son was not at the kiln where Liu said they worked.
He Zhimin has reported the disappearance to local police several times, but was told that they cannot take action due to a lack of evidence.
Frustrated by the police's refusal to look into the case citing a lack of evidence, the father has decided to find his son on his own, who he believes is trapped at a kiln, mine or factory somewhere.
Every morning, He Zhimin sets off from home on a three-wheeled motorcycle, carrying an eye-catching sign with his son's profile and picture, as he scouts around Sanyuan County in Shaanxi Province.
Sometimes he travels to neighboring Gaoling County, where coal mining is prevalent, hoping his son would appear among the dark-faced miners off work.
He told China Youth Daily that his 35-year-old son, He Wen, went missing on June 2. He Zhimin's nephew said that He Wen left home on a bike after answering a call from an unknown woman. He overheard the woman offering him a job and a daily wage of 70 yuan (US$10.50).
On the same day, the family received a phone call from He Wen, saying he had been offered a well-paid, part-time job. After that, they lost contact with him and began their desperate search.
A surprising twist came when He Zhimin received a tip from a driver who said he saw his son sleeping on the street on December 18. But when he rushed there, he discovered the man was a former co-worker of his son.
The man, Liu Xiaoping, said he and He Wen were kept captive at a brick kiln, working for a man identified as Fang. Liu forgot how he had escaped, but remembered his promise to contact He Wen's family if he got the chance.
Liu, 29, said he was tempted by a woman to work in kilns in Gaoling County for 500 yuan a month. But he was trapped and tortured by the boss, who burnt the workers with hot bricks and didn't provide enough food.
He Zhimin and Gaoling police helped Liu reunite with his family on December 19. But his son was not at the kiln where Liu said they worked.
He Zhimin has reported the disappearance to local police several times, but was told that they cannot take action due to a lack of evidence.
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