An orphan chokes back sobs
Nobody pays a reporter to weep. We're not sent to disaster zones to collapse and break down with emotion. You couldn't do your job that way. But, equally, it's almost impossible not to be moved by what we've all seen here in the aftermath of the earthquake.
Today, at a survivors' camp set up in a stadium in Mianyang, I met a 14-year-old boy trying his best not to break down. Li Tangmo and his 8-year-old sister, Qingyi, survived the earthquake - but their parents did not.
They've been brought to the stadium by an uncle. They sleep on thin cotton mattresses on the ground, jammed up against other survivors. Qingyi is too young to understand what's happened to them. When we spoke to her she was playing happily with her pencil case. But her elder brother is old enough to take it all in. He sat on the ground with a blank expression and glassy eyes.
We asked him what would happen to him and his sister.
"I want us to stay with my aunt and uncle," he said, "but if they don't want us, we will go." And then he choked a sob, trying to stay composed.
Later on, he took his sister to a makeshift school in the stadium grounds. They sat in the back row, looking lost. Everyone was asked to stand for a minute's silence. Qingyi looked straight ahead, not knowing what was going on. Tangmo kept his head down and fought to stifle his sobs in front of his sister. It was hard not to admire his bravery.
I’m 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~06~RS~)
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u did a good job on telling the story mate.
seems choke on words now, well then...
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While I often think people who have been suffering from the earthquake victims, who we sympathize, I can’t help being moved by and admiring their bravery and resilience.
Thanks for keeping sending quality reports.
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Dalai Lama is in London, still criticising China even every Chinese is in deep sorrow.
He clearly knows himself is just a tool used by the West to contain China, but he is happy to be used, because he is using the West to achieve his political goal also.
I pray the victims in Sichuan earthquake, Chinese will NEVER give in to Dalai Lama and the West. Let's go Albert Hall on Thursday to 'welcome' him.
I found it is intersting on BBC news "The UK, with its long historic connections to Tibet, may have a role to play.", this is very true, the "long historic connections to Tibet" bagan at early 20th century, when British troops invaded Tibet and killed thousands of Tibetan civilians, while China was in its weakest in its history and could not be able to do anything.
China has a "long historic connections to Tibet" also, from 13th century...
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tks for your report now we know that there are lots of children in Sichuan needed help and we chinese will never give up to help them...
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"Nobody pays a reporter to weep."
we already seen your attitude and "opinion" about China in your news report of the torch relay in London 6th April(that Jon Williams said 'It was wrong of us to suggest that the Chinese authorities tried to keep news of the protests off the air')
Is that the way you make your report depends on what you think it is or thats the overall attitude of BBC .I meant is it like the job requirement for BBC Correspondent in Beijingis is to have "fair"report about China?
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I have been chasing after your reports since May 12th, 2008 when the devastating earthquake happend in SiChuan, I am a normal citizen in Beijing. first, I would like to show my respect to you and all the people like you who showing their presence on the disaster site now to make effort and try their best to help the people there in different ways, I admire your guts. it is good to see that you share your seeing, thoughts, some true sotories in this blog, and I have very stong belief in our country and all its people, we chinese people show our confidence, reunity, and resolution now to go through this hardness and re-establish out hometown. thank you to you, your colleague and respect to you no matter which coutry you come from, what religion you belive in and what is your occupation, just want to thank all the people who are just being there, really appreciate your efforts
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For whatever reason, Mr Reynolds has a lot of fans. I sense a professional journalist and some form of English detachment in Mr Reynold's reporting style.
I also sense quite a number of overseas Chinese students' response.
The responses swing from self proclaimed confidence to self pity to unnecessary self centre.
Give everyone a chance, it told a lot of hard work to convince preset views or independent critics.
Given Mr Reynolds experience and extraordinary exposures than most of the readers, I know most journalist respond with their good consceinces, not only to Chinese , Tibetans or Africans.
There are some higher values and common humanitarium principles....... A journalist has his duty to report and to reflect.
I give Mr Reynolds a credt.
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My tears can't help coming down again and again. Too many such kids lost their beloved parents and other family members in this distar.
Here I have a story from one of my collegue's friend, who is one of the rescuers in the disaster zone. A 4-or-5-year-old boy offerred him a piece of biscuit. He said he's full(actually he only ate 2 boxes of dry instant noodes in 2 days' hard rescue) and asked the little boy to eat himself. The boy said, my brother and sister can't eat this biscuit now, this is for you. Hearing this heart broken word, his tears came out again. Me too, hearing the moving story.
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I express my condolence for those chinese people who lost their lives in this earthquake.
I pray especially for those little children who lost their parents. Reading the stories like that makes me choke.
Only hope that kind hands will be extended to them to walk again.
May god protect them..
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Thank you for your blog. Plain but deeply moving.
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Hope they can be strong and pray for them.
After I'vebeen back to China from UK on 16th this is the first time i visit your blog.(My hometown is Chengdu)
I am now access bbc from a town close to ChengDu called LongQuan. You can still see a lot of people spend the night in their car or tent distributed by government here because of the fear of after-shock.
Also a lot of pictures can be found from the following address:
http://bbs.tiexue.net/ShowPicClass_53_1.html
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I can't help but think back to recent stories from China about children (usually boys) being abducted and sold to other couples. I wonder now how many parents and families are now suffering still further through not knowing if their abducted child has now been killed in this earthquake. They will probably never know.
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Well James, congratulation! in the end you have showns that you are human being first and bbc reporter second. Kudo to your new realization and new found enlightenment
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I saw this report last night on BBC news. I felt so sorry for the little boy and other victims of the earthquake.
Would BBC be doing a special program on this later on, I am sure there are many footages and touching stories that weren't shown yet.
Tell us what we can do to help the Chinese people who are affected.
And lets not forget the Burmese people too.
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I can see Tangmo and his sister by your texts …………It’s not a report Mr. Reynolds. It’s a truly alive picture! Excellent job Mr. Reynolds. Thank you very much once again.
Pritam Konar
India.
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Just searched on Youtube by "James Reynolds" and watched a few video slips. I was quite amused by those.
I can not agree with some comments, James is a Cambridge graduate not that stupid at the least, and personal insults should not be justified.
However, James's reports in China upset a lot of people, including myself. You can do one-side story as what BBC has been doing on China reports, but you can not say untrue or unproved things.
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Excellent report. Its hard not to cry myself when I read things like that :(
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its the first time i'm reading this blog......
ur post are really full of feelings and emotions i must say.....
it made me felt guilty when i realise how fortunate i am right now although i might not be happy.....because at least i still have my family alive....still living with me......
i guess sometimes its just all the things that happened that made us take everything for granted.....just like basic family relationships.....for those who haven't lose any of their loved ones they wouldn't know how it hurts when your loved ones leave you all of a sudden without giving you any hints without giving you any clues......
i really admire the father who still strongly believes that his only son is still alive......and the little boy.....he's only 14! he has to carry the responsibility of taking care of his sister....what if....what if his uncle and his aunt refuses to take them in?? what can he do to get a shelter for the two of themselves??? how is he going to earn money to feed themselves??? what about the days when his sister needs to attend school on the future??? what about himself??? can he pursue his studies after that??? wouldn't it be too late???
although i'm not yet an adult, but i can still feel the fear ahead if i was that little boy..... not say he's only 14..... oh my god.....
May god bless all victims and survivors of the earthquake.
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'nobody pays a reporter to weep...' a truely moving story. It seems that every professional, no matter which professional s/he is involved in, sometimes cross this boundary when his/her fundamental humanity in challenged. And in that world of communication, only the basic instinct of humanity is valid, not creed, color, culture or origin. Well done! James.
To Fairreport, it seems that you are not reporting it fairly and entirely on to our board about the fact that the Dalai Lama is criticizing the Chinese government over its rights voilation in Tibet. Before the press conference even started in London, he said he was praying for the earthquake victims in China, and in fact, the Tibetan government in Exile issued a guideline appealing Tibetan protesters not to protest in front of Chinese embassies nowadays due to earthquake, and Tibetans in America joined the Chinese to raise fund for the earthquake victims. As a Chinese, what are you doing for the earthquake and for the unity of China? Your attitude will be the cause of China's disintergration and downfall. Real unity is not so much to do with power, but rather it has to do with human heart and will. Free Tibet!!
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Very good story. Thank you, James.
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You did an a great report..
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Good work James. When you write with your heart, you know the Chinese are just like anyone else anywhere in the world. That is what they are, no more, no less, plain and simple.
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Dalai Lama and his folowers threnten to use voilence againist China, I would say please carry on, then China government can do what US have done in Afghanistan.
West media(inclusing James) has successfully turned Dalai Lama into a God, and China into a monster, but it can not change the fact that Dalai Lama is a seperatist, and China just did what a country can do to denfend its people.
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thank you very much for this story. it really chokes me up - just as do the 3 emails I have received so far from a survivor friend whose home collapsed in Dujiangyan. She is a poet but stories like this are all poems.
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Thank you Mr. Reynolds for this touching story.
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It is stupid to the extreame for retarded CCP not to have a free media, because in a long run it will do far more good than harm.
Good article, James! Provided that you have neutral mind in reporting, the longer you stay in China, the more you will start to realize that the biggest competitive advantage of China at the world stage is not cheap products, but the her great people, dispite of being ruled by communists or whoever.
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I saw this on YouTube. It's touching to see children caring about other children and trying to do something about it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWDOt-ivp7g
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I am sick and tired of sarcastic attackes from meng0823, and the like. Their criticism is not based on this report but against the reporter.
My suggestion to the angry: if you have something to say about James' prior reports, take it to the appropriate venue.
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yes like drmarkmark said. it told a lot of hard work to convince preset views or independent critics.
but a professional journalist doesnt say whatever he want without investigating the fact and respect for others.Although we can see some changes in Mr Reynolds' report.Like at least he doesnt complaining about choking on pollution, had maggots for dinner like he said in his first report..
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Certainly Ms Sharon Stone have not been impressed! Her comment at the Cannes film festival that the earthquake were a karma due to the conflict between china gov and dalai lama exiled gov. The most absurd thing was her ignorance that Sichuan earthquake was located in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, where the ethnic Tibetan population is 53.72%. Does this mean those tibetan deserved to die because of karma? I remembered Gleen Hoodle , the former coach of England football team was sacked for his karma comments about disabled people. Just distasteful
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James, I largely agree with the ten you have picked. However, you must give the No. 1 place to His Highness The Dailai Lama because :
(1) He is a Chinese as has been declared by himself in many occasions. (2) He is definitely the most famous living Chinese at the moment, much more famous than anyone in your list especially in the western countries. (3) what he has achieved so far is beyond anyone's grasp, actually unthinkable to our layfolks. He has been awarded a Nobel price for peace although he was a former slave-owner and a separatist; he has been maintained his dignity while being used as an anti-China tool for so long time; he has successfully exhibited himself as an angel before the western world and fooled the majority of the western people; he has been winning the international public relation manipulation since his fleeing from his homeland; etc.
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You are amazing. Nobody else could write such a deeply moving article with so few words.
Good luck to China...
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it is sad that these children will have no parents.
please convey my condolences and sympathy to the affected parties.
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I also understand that you as a reporter should not 'choke up' during a heart-breaking news story...But, you are also a human being....
~Dennis Junior~
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