On Monday, the national family planning agency said
an investigation has found that reports of abuses by family
planning officials in Linyi City in the eastern province of Shandong
are factual.
"Initial investigation indicates illegal family
planning practices violating people's legal rights and interests
were used," said Yu Xuejun, National Population and Family Planning
Commission (NPFPC)
spokesperson.
He said the NPFPC and Shandong family planning
agency had sent two joint teams to investigate local family
planning officials since early this year, but did not say exactly
when.
The probe was launched in response to reported
population-control abuses in Linyi such as enforced abortions and
sterilizations, and the detention of relatives of those who refused
to be sterilized.
"Those who were responsible have been dismissed
from duty. Some are under investigation, some in detention. Further
measures will be taken by government departments concerned
according to legal competence and procedure," said Yu, without
specifying who or how high-ranking they were.
He said the NPFPC has required staff members to
learn from the case and "correct any infringements on citizens'
rights." There were no reports on the welfare of the victims of the
abuses, or whether they would be compensated in any way.
The commission said it would organize training
programs on the rule of law and quality of care in reproductive
health and family planning.
Yu told Xinhua earlier this month that the country
has worked hard to implement a human-centered principle in this
area since the 1994 International Conference on Population and
Development in Cairo.
(Xinhua News Agency September 20, 2005)