One of the advantages of being an anonymous blogger is that it enables you to circulate rumors that would, if published without attribution, could get you in a world of trouble. From an anonymous journalist/blogger an update on the situation in Jiliin, the site where the Songhua river chemical spill originated.

The violence and reported deaths in Dongzhou have attracted many foreign media’s top priority southward. But the eerie silence of domestic media on the deputy mayor’s suicide in Jilin and the deeper, still evolving story behind it underscore the fact that the drama is far from over in the northeast.

The Beijing News had a story. 21st Century Business Herald had a story. Caijing Magazine had a story. None ran it. Word in town is, several of this country’s top leaders have contributed their share of opinion on this and put an abrupt end to all the buzz. The deputy mayor’s suicide seems to be the cause. An new, more powerful investigation taskforce put together by the central government that was scheduled to arrive in Jilin last week was put on hold after the suicide. Is Beijing afraid of more suicides?

Another, much more vicious piece of rumor has surfaced in Jilin, which, if verified, could easily explain all the weird developments. The 100-ton-or-so benzene and nitrobenzene in the Songhua, according to government sources there, was not accidently flushed down the sewer but DELIBERATELY LEAKED. Again, no guarantee for the authenticity of this information but in the absence of true, open news coverage rumor would have to do, for here and for now.

AsiaPundit as well does not guarantee the integrity of this information.

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