01300000291746125385800198823.jpg (Photo : www.economist.com)
Yesterday a couple from Hubei named Liu received the government's official refusal to compensate for the forced removal of their newborn daughter from their home 18 years ago.
The courts and associated departments involved in the investigation ruled that there was no way to prove that the government had forcibly removed their newborn daughter from their home, as the Liu's were in violation of the One Child Policy. The document went on to say that the case had already surpassed the statute of limitations and the government therefore would not pay the 1.59 million RMB compensation that the Liu's were seeking.
The Hubei couple's daughter who was only 11 days old was forcibly removed from the couples home by a worker from the government. To this day her whereabouts are unknown. Over the last few days the Liu family received the judgment regarding their daughter's case. Yesterday the family's lawyer, Mr. Lin, announced that they had in fact received the counter argument and evidence from the local government regarding the case, as well as the rejection of their lawsuit.
According to the couple, on May 28, 1995 their third child was born, it was a daughter. Because the child was born in violation of the One Child Policy, on June 7th 1995 a government worker was sent to the house to persuade the couple to give the child up for adoption. The government worker's request was rejected by the family. The following day, the 11 day old child was forcibly removed from the house. The government left 400RMB as compensation. To this day the child's whereabouts are unknown. "At the time a Mr. Xia and two women took the baby away, right now we are just trying to find her."
In Oct., 2013 the Liu family sued the government asking that the local authorities disclose the details regarding their daughter's case, including the whereabouts of the daughter and where she was raised. On Oct.31, the Liu family received word from the courts in Gaobeidian, Hubei. In accordance with the evidence presented by the family the court was to set a date for a hearing.
After receiving word from the media that an investigative group was being formed in regards to the whereabouts and circumstances of the lost daughter, Mr. Liu and his son waited, wondering whether or not she was dead or alive or whether she could be found or not. They needed to know.
The investigative group never personally contacted the family. Despite suffering from the after effects of polio and being confined to bed all day, Mrs. Liu was so nervous that this affair would never be reconciled that on Nov. 4, she couldn't stand it any longer and went by herself, on crutches, to the local police station to find out what was happening.
While the police were taking notes Mrs. Liu could not stop questioning them, asking "Was that reporter on the take? How about that lawyer? Was he getting money too? And what about you? Who's controlling you?"
When asked by reporters about the family's case by phone, local officials were quick to answer that they did not understand the situation, that they were new in the department, or they simply just hung up the phone.
