Crowds Persist at Train Station

UNCLAS GUANGZHOU 000062 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELTN SOCI PGOV ELAB ECON CH SUBJECT: Crowds Persist at Train Station (U) This document is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Thousands of stranded travelers have successfully departed Guangzhou's train station in the last two days, but progress has attracted as many as 200,000 more travelers to the station. Police efforts to maintain general control appeared effective even as isolated incidents of disorder occurred. End summary. Trains Take Away Thousands; Thousands More Come -------------- -- ¶2. (U) Media reports indicated 116 trains left Guangzhou's two train stations on January 31, carrying approximately 200,000 passengers home for the Lunar New Year. Guangzhou Railway estimates of how long it would take to clear the backlog have varied, but the railway finally conceded today that it would be impossible to send all ticket holders home before New Year's Eve on February 6. ¶3. (SBU) Thousands of additional travelers have arrived at the area surrounding the main Guangzhou train station since service resumed. Many of the newly arriving travelers told Congenoffs they decided to travel today after seeing media reports of restored rail services. Xinhua News Agency criticized conflicting and overly-positive messages in today's Guangzhou Daily Newspaper, predicting that such news would cause increased demand for travel services at Guangzhou's train stations. General Order and Minor Incidents as People Move -------------- --- ¶4. (SBU) Despite general order at police roadblocks and traffic control points, Congenoff witnessed occasional outbursts as frustrated travelers struggled to find a path that would lead into the Rail Station Square and subsequently allow them to enter the station. Police and military presence remained heavy. Their efforts appeared to be well coordinated, but Congenoff observed some people tripping and others pushing as they were directed from a holding area into the station square. Congenoff also saw an isolated incident of three travelers beating a fourth after accusing him of stealing a wallet. Police eventually broke up the fight. GOLDBERG