Chinese intellectuals urge Beijing authorities to stop ‘forcing’ tens of thousands of migrant workers out of city in wake of deadly fire
Petition protests against ‘ruthless human rights violations’ after safety drive sees some of the capital’s poorest residents forced out of illegally built homes
More than a hundred Chinese intellectuals have signed a letter urging the Beijing municipal authority to stop dislodging tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of migrant workers from their homes in the name of safety after a fire at a block of flats that killed 19 people this month.
The government has denied it is targeting specific elements of the population after the city authorities started a 40-day campaign last week to drive people from temporary buildings.
These structures are not fully licensed but have been serving as shelters for poor domestic migrant workers for years or even decades.
Small shops and restaurants on edge of the city have been shut down, tenants were kicked out with just a few days’ or even a few hours’ notice, and workshops were told to pack up and leave – forcing many domestic migrants to leave the capital.
The Beijing municipal authority’s campaign is “ruthless” and “a serious violation of human rights”, according to the letter addressed to the Chinese leadership, which was signed by the 112 scholars, lawyers and artists. The letter, dated Friday, then circulated online.