Lawmakers say will push for photo authentication
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-03-04 16:53

BEIJING - Legislators from Northwest China's Shaanxi Province said on Tuesday they would actively push for the authentication of the controversial South China tiger photos and would keep the public informed of the results.

"But the provincial forestry department is still looking for an authoritative body for the authentication," said Zhang Shenian, Shaanxi's top forestry official, on behalf of the Shaanxi delegation to the First Session of the 11th National People's Congress set to open on Wednesday.

A purported South China tiger is pictured in this file photo taken by farmer Zhou Zhenglong. China failed to find any "concrete evidence" of South China tiger in Zhenping county, Shaanxi province, where controversial tiger photoes were taken in 2007. [Xinhua]

Zhang said his organization had chosen two to three authoritative bodies for the authentication. "But they all turned down our request, saying the case 'had not entered judicial procedures' and was therefore not for them to work on."

Several unofficial assessments have proven the photos fake.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua on Tuesday, Shaanxi governor Yuan Chunqing said the provincial government's attitude towards the tiger saga was "clear".

"But at the imminent parliament session, we should concentrate on deliberating the government work report," he said.

In early February, the Shaanxi Forestry Department apologized for publicizing the photos, but said nothing about their authenticity.

A deputy head of the provincial forestry department was allegedly sacked, and a spokesperson had to submit a self-criticism in written.

Related readings:  Field survey fails to find tiger at controversial photo site  Lawmaker demands timetable for tiger photo authentication  Province says sorry over tiger photos  Publisher sues farmer, official over tiger photo

The tiger photos, allegedly taken by Shaanxi farmer Zhou Zhenglong in his home county of Zhenping, were published in October and were used by the provincial forestry department as proof that the rare tiger still existed in the wild.

But Internet users accused Zhou of making the tiger images with digital software, and local authorities of approving the photographs to bolster tourism.

The "paper tiger" saga has aroused widespread interest among the public and deputies to the forthcoming parliament session.

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