By Choekyi Lhamo
DHARAMSHALA, Sept 8: Chinese authorities continue to impose strict Covid-19 lockdown measures in Chengdu city, the provincial capital of the so-called Sichuan province despite a huge earthquake that has killed at least 65 individuals in the region, just a day ago. The footage online showed how authorities prevented residents of apartment buildings from exiting one’s locality, a day after the 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Sichuan. Chengdu has extended the coronavirus lockdown of most of its districts indefinitely despite recording only a handful of cases.
The mega city was locked down last week as cases rose across districts; the official notice said that residents must follow the “stay home in principle” to combat waves of infections. The notice announced that each household would be allowed to send one person to buy groceries and essential goods a day, provided they have tested negative in the previous 24 hours. Almost 90% of flights at Chengdu airport were cancelled on Monday to contain the highly transmissible Omicron variant, authorities said.
The lockdown was expected to be lifted on Wednesday but local government officials said “there are still risks of social spread in some areas”. China’s latest hard-line Covid-19 policy including compulsory testing, lockdowns, quarantines and masking, despite WHO and other countries opening up, has confused the public. As of Tuesday, China reported 1,499 cases of local infection while the province of Sichuan where Chengdu is located, only accounted for 138 cases from the total figure.
State-backed official news Xinhua said that the earthquake damaged buildings in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Kardze where 37 people were killed. Over 28 people were killed in neighbouring Shimian County on the outskirts of the city of Ya’an. State media also reported 248 people injured, mainly in Moxi Mountain, and another 16 people missing. In addition, authorities reported that landslides caused by quakes damaged houses, power interruption and stranded people.
A handful of districts had the full lockdown lifted, but residents still have to undergo mass testing on Fridays and Sundays. Residents of districts which are not under full lockdown have been barred from travelling to other districts and are not allowed to leave their districts for non-essential reasons. The authorities said that the policies will be “dynamically adjusted according to the development of the epidemic.”
Experts say that the draconian ‘Zero Covid Policy’ that is currently implemented across Tibet, and particularly in the so-called Tibetan Autonomous Region has undermined basic human rights of the native Tibetans. Lack of basic amenities, indefinite lockdowns and below par quarantine facilities have jolted the masses, contrary to the official narrative that boasts successful and harmonious campaigns of control over the pandemic. Human rights advocates say that ahead of the 20th People’s Congress of the CCP, state apparatus is using the pandemic preventive measures to target dissidents, whistle-blowers and opposition of any kind to the government.
