China marked the one year anniversary of the Sichuan quake with ceremony and a memorial service. The earthquake was devastating, with nearly 90,000 people dead or missing and five million homeless.
President Hu Jintao addressed a memorial service before a destroyed school in the Sichuan province town of Yinxiu. While he pledged support for rebuilding and disaster prevention, many remember the dead children and the accusations of cost-cutting in schools, from last year.
The 30-minute ceremony followed a minute of silence beginning at 2:28 PM local time, the precise moment the magnitude 7.9 earthquake, the strongest and deadliest earthquake to strike China in decades, struck on May 12, 2008.
President Hu Jintao said:
"We must strengthen our will, and increase our momentum, and overcome difficulties, and spare no effort to finish the three year target of rebuilding within two years."
In terms of accusations of corruption, mismanagement, and cost-cutting, parents have tried to sue or petition local and central authorities, to no avail.
The topic is so volatile that last week, the government refused to release an official tally of students who died, saying the task was complicated and time-consuming. In reality, it was trying to quiet accusations, which are strong and divisive, even in a dictatorship.
Released in an response to public pressure, the figure showed 5,335 students were killed in the quake, but parents and activists say the number is too low.
Likely the truth behind any corruption will never be known, and all that citizens can hope for is forward-thinking commitment from their leaders.
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