Miners must be cleared of unproved fraud charge

TWO YEARS AGO, a miner surnamed Ren was detained for allegedly forging test results showing black lung disease so as to gain the medical insurance fund. Although Ren's lung disease was confirmed by doctors appointed by the police while awaiting a trial, the charge against him was not dropped until his death in May. Beijing News commented on Thursday:

This is a sad story. And Ren is only one of several miners in Zunyi, Guizhou province, who have been accused of forging diagnostic test results yet had that diagnosis confirmed in medicals organized by the police.

The Zunyi police department owes Ren's family and the other miners an apology and compensation, and an explanation of why it has not canceled the fraud charges even after the doctors have proved they truly suffer from the disease, which means they deserve the medical insurance fund provided by the government exclusively for black lung disease.