【新唐人2013年01月08日訊】河南蘭考縣一家民間棄嬰收養所發生火災，造成7人死亡。事發後，蘭考官方宣稱當事人袁厲害屬於非法收養，企圖推卸責任。但這一做法引發眾怒，也遭到媒體的批駁。有分析指出，在中國不斷髮生的「毒奶粉」等惡性事件說明，兒童已經成為中國社會敗壞的最主要受害者。
火災發生後，素有「愛心媽媽」之稱的袁厲害一下子成為外界關注的焦點。 5號深夜，袁厲害在被警方帶走盤問之後，在一臨時住處接受了媒體採訪，講述了失火時的情形和收養棄嬰的初衷。
袁厲害回憶，4號一早她出門送孩子上學，家裏沒有大人，後來就接到女兒電話，說著火了。雖然鄰居們幫助撲救，消防車也來了，但因為房間過火很快，多名孩子被現場燒死。
袁厲害介紹，她從1989年就開始收養棄嬰，20多年來已累積收養100名左右的棄嬰。
袁厲害說：「蘭考沒有兒童福利院，她在縣醫院門口做生意，看著有些小孩沒人要，很可憐，為了讓孩子活命，於是就開始收養棄嬰。」
但隨著這一火災慘劇的發生，袁厲害除了要承受火災本身的災難之外，還要面對多方的不解和壓力。
有傳言說﹕袁厲害收養棄嬰賣掉賺錢，對此袁厲害坦言：「誰要養活得比我好，我就把孩子給你。」並且表白說：「如果我真是賣小孩，逮住了把我槍斃。」
海外作家盛雪：「在任何一個社會，至少這種行為（收養棄嬰）是會被大家去稱讚的。而且當一個政府它發現社會上有被遺棄的孩子被熱心人士收養的話，那麼政府肯定要去表彰這樣的行為。」
火災之後，蘭考官方曾指稱袁厲害屬於非法收養，但這一說法被批駁為有意推卸責任。
上海交通大學教授熊丙奇在博客發文指出，袁厲害的存在，只能說明當地政府在孤兒收養方面是失職的。如果是「非法收養」，早就該治理，為何當地政府一直沒有出面取締？現在出事，就認為她非法，把原本屬於政府的責任完全推給袁厲害，這樣的做法讓人寒心，只是在掩蓋問題。熊丙奇質問有關部門，如果不是袁厲害，那些棄嬰的命運會如何？
作家盛雪向《新唐人》表示，蘭考棄嬰事件反映了中國社會的制度性問題。民主、法制健全的國家都擁有完善的福利保障體系，不可能出現這樣的事情。
盛雪：「兒童在中國社會成為最主要的受害者。我們可以看到，這麼多年當中，中國發生了多少針對兒童的事件，比如説：毒奶粉事件、兒童被拐賣事件、然後兒童被殘害等等，這些事情從來沒有消失過。」
盛雪分析指出，這些事件都說明中國目前現有的政治體制非常敗壞。
盛雪：「整個公權力是完全掌握在極少數中共權力核心、利益集團手上，而他們這夥人本身就是黑社會的頭頭們。那麼整個中國社會層層疊疊、每一個社會階層實際上都在仿照最高權力階層的這種犯罪行為。」
報導說，袁厲害並不是個案，在蘭考還有其他一些類似的民間收養所。
權利運動網站創始人胡軍：「我覺得民政部門，特別是中央，（調撥）維穩費用的時候就是應該考慮到這些問題。你們為甚麼不去救助那些孩子呢？你花那麼多維穩費用，為甚麼不花點錢去救助這些被遺棄的孩子？」
在外界壓力下，蘭考當局被迫改口，改稱袁厲害是私自收養，並受到官方默許。
採訪/陳漢 編輯/李謙 後製/李月
Orphanage Fire Triggers Nationwide Outrage
Recently, an orphanage in Lankao County,
Henan Province, was on fire, where 7 people died.
Local authorities tried to shift responsibility, saying
this orphanage was private, and was unregistered and illegal.
Their words caused public anger,
media also criticized the authorities.
Analysts said that constant incidents, like those with tainted
milk powder, indicate that children had become the main victims of the corrupt society.
After the fire accident, the orphanage owner Yuan Lihai,
called “mother with a loving heart,” came under the spotlight.
On Jan. 5, she was taken away by the police for investigation,
and was interviewed by media in a temporary place.
She described the fire accident,
and the reasons for housing orphans.
Yuan recalled that on the morning of Jan. 4, she took
some of the children to school, as no adult was at home.
Later her daughter called her that the house was on fire.
Neighbors came to help, as well as the fire fighters.
The blaze spread swiftly over the house,
and several children died in the fire.
Yuan said that she has taken care of orphans since 1989.
She helped nearly 100 orphans over the past 20 years.
She said that there was no child welfare agency
in Lankao County.
She worked as a street vendor in front of a hospital,
and saw abandoned children, felt pity for them, and to help them survive, she began to adopt them.
After the fire accident, Yuan had to face many
misunderstandings and pressure, apart from the fire incident.
Rumors said, Yuan adopts the children to sell them.
Yuan’s response was: “If anyone can take better care of them, I will pass them over.”
She added: “If I sell them, you can shoot me
when you see me doing that.”
Sheng Xue (overseas writer): “In any society,
to adopt abandoned children will be praised.
In addition, if a government finds out that someone does so,
they would issue a recognition for such a behavior.”
After the fire accident, Lankao government alleged
Yuan housing children was illegal.
Yet their words were criticized
for shirking responsibilities.
Prof. Xiong Bingqi in Shanghai Jiao Tong University
posted articles on this topic in a microblog.
He said that Yuan’s behavior proved the government
didn’t take its responsibility on the orphanage issue.
If it is illegal, they should correct it earlier,
why haven’t the government stopped it?
After the accident occurred, they alleged Yuan’s actions
were illegal, shirking the responsibility to Yuan.
It’s painful; they want to cover up problems.
Xiong questioned, without Yuan, what would
the fate of those abandoned children have been?
Sheng Xue told NTD that the accident reflects problems
of China’s social system.
Countries with democracy and thorough legal system
have comprehensive welfare structures.
It is impossible to have
such things happening there.
Sheng Xue: “Children in China
became the main victims of the society.
We can tell that over the past several years,
many tragedies have happened to children.
Like the tainted milk powder incidents, kids trafficking,
and even killing of kids, the incidents are endless.”
Sheng Xue analyzed that these indicate,
the current political system is very corrupt.
Sheng Xue: “The power is in the hands of a few people
and interests’ groups, who are heads of gangs.
The entire society and each social class
are copying the top-level’s criminal behavior.”
The report said that Yuan’s case is not isolated;
similar orphanages exist in other places in Lankao County.
Hu Jun (founder, website Human Rights Campaign in China):
“I think the civil affairs department, especially the central government, should consider these issues.
Particularly when assigning maintaining stability fees.
Why didn’t they help those children? Spending so much
maintaining stability fees, why didn’t they allocate some money to help abandoned children?”
Being under strong public pressure,
Lankao government has changed its stance.
Now it is turning a blind eye on the case, saying
Yuan had privately adopted these abandoned children.
