November demonstrations in Panyu. Image from ESWN

On November 23 a protest in the district of Panyu, in Guangzhou, was held to oppose a garbage incineration plant. In the end protesters dispersed peacefully, and the incineration project delayed.

Although there have been reports of another incineration project in the north of Guangzhou, the one in Panyu is held in limbo.

Today The Beijing News reported that parents in the Panyu district have received instructions that their children will be taking part in a "performance," acting out their support for the incineration project.

The debate around Guangzhou Panyu (番禺) district has been fired up again. Yesterday, on the bulletin board of Panyu Lijiang Gardens community (番禺丽江花园) there was a post by parents saying that Lijiang primary school were asking their students to bring a letter to their parents. The letter stated that parents and children alike should support the waste incineration plant. This has caused parents' ire and anger.

For one month now, the garbage incineration plant in Panyu has been strongly objected to by neighboring tenants, and has become a focus for social commentary. Lijiang Gardens, which is only 2km from the proposed plant, is one of the most forthright opposition groups.

The letter is made up of one A4 sheet of paper credited to "Guangzhou Panyu district Lijiang Primary School," with an official stamp from the school. The letter demands that parents "co-operate with the school in educating the children," and "perform" together with the kids. A comment in the letter says, "Your knowing performance will perhaps give life benefits to everyone around you."

A part of the letter reads: "To child: Litter from life is piled higher everyday... Pollution from harmful waste is huge, and the best way to treat it is to incinerate it."

To mom: "Yes mom, I just saw it on TV, if we don't find a solution straight away, we will be living in a garbage dump!"

Mother and child (holding hands): "... Support the new technology of waste incineration, let the incineration plant eat up mountains of rubbish."

On the home-owners forum, around 10 angry parents said their children were being "brainwashed."

The letter asked parents to sign in order to prove that they've read it. The parents are worried that if they don't sign it their children will be shut out in the schools, but if they did sign it, they are worried that the letter will be used as evidence for a "people's survey," and their signatures used as "support."

Some of the parents told this reporter that they have asked the teachers whether it would be possible for them not to return the receipt. The teacher replied that they don't care whether the parent agrees or disagrees, "I only know that I need to receive the receipt." The parents signed but wrote on it, "I support the classification of garbage, but not garbage incineration."

Another parent revealed, however, that the school said that the letter was not a people's survey, but only to provide parents with knowledge of what's going on.

From sources, on the day that the letter was distributed to parents, some teachers were conducting the students in a performance with themselves, and the "guests" watching the show were relevant authorities on an inspection.

Official response
Panyu education bureau: the sole act of the school

Some of the parents have posted on the Internet asking if the letter came from the government, which the school later denied, saying that they are following "the spirit of the superiors," and made it themselves. Their aim is for the parents and children understand the importance of waste classification.

Last night, the schoolmaster of Lijiang primary school verified with this reporter that the letter was put out by the school. Ms He said, the school is educating the children according to higher orders. When asked whether she herself agreed with the contents of the parent letter, she asked rhetorically, "What do you think?"

The education bureau director of Panyu district, Feng Runsheng (冯润胜) denied having directed Lijiang primary school in giving out the letters, and said that it was only "an act by the school."