60 hungry Chinese people walked from a Belarusian village to Minsk
- 20.10.2009, 14:26
The workers of Shenyan foreign agricultural enterprise, based near Pruzhany town, have left without payment.
Belarusians have learnt about Shenyan, a Chinese enterprise, that was growing vegetables in Sharchova village near the town of Pruzhany. There were legends that 100 Chinese employees use only spades and hoes, have great harvests and earn $800 per month.
60 Chinese people were detained by militia near Pruzhany. They were going to the capital of Belarus. They have walked 30 kilometres, because they didn’t have money to take a bus. They didn’t have money at all, and wanted to tell this to Ambassador of China in order he to influence Shenyan management that haven’t paid them for some months.
The local authorities convinced the Chinese workers to return to Sharchova. Representatives of the Embassy of China and Belarusian management of the company came to the village. The conflict has been resolved, Shenyan commercial director Uladzimir Yerameeu says. Founder Sung Lee Yu is expected to fetch the money. To prevent to the Chinese from starving to death, they are given free food, while waiting for the money from the founder.
The enterprise sold vegetables throughout the summer at market spots in Brest, Kobryn and Pruzhany, but Shenian is loss-making, Uladzimir Yarameeu says.
“We don’t have great results. The enterprise is loss-making so far. I don’t know whether they want to return home. If they want, the may leave. I don’t know about their financial situation as well as about the payment conditions,” Yerameeu said.
It’s strange that the commercial director doesn’t know how much his employees earn. Shenyan secretary says the Chinese workers receive payment directly from China, nobody will tell the truth about the march now.
Alena, a dweller of Sharchova, said the villages often see hungry Chinese people.
“They lived in former military barracks. They visit the village, talk. But we don’t understand them. They don’t talk to us. Ti is said they are hungry. I don’t know why – probably, they don’t have money or for another reason. It is said they don’t work now,” the woman said.
The local authorities refused to comment on this situation; the only interpreter Ing Tao doesn’t take the calls.