Ex-Xinhua employee and author of the controversial book "Tombstone," which has been banned in mainland China, has accused his ex-employer of preventing him from leaving for the United States to receive an award for his book from the prestigious Harvard University.

Yang Jisheng, author of the 2008 book "Tombstone," a 1,200-page account of the Great Chinese Famine of 1958-1961, claims that Xinhua is preventing him from traveling to the US to accept his Harvard University prize.

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Harvard's Nieman Fellows awarded Yang Jisheng for his book detailing the trauma of the famine which allegedly claimed the lives of at least 36 million Chinese people.

                                                      Banned

"Tombstone," which has been banned in mainland China, caused a stir as Yang gained unprecedented access to restricted government archives.

Critics say the Chinese government has been allegedly involved in 'whitewashing' one of the worst man-made disasters for more than five decades and that any discussions of the famine currently is 'highly sensitive'.

Yang did not give details on how he was prevented from leaving the country by Xinhua. He refused to give any more details saying he was forbidden to speak to the foreign media.

                                                     Grief

The author said that in November, he was able to travel to Stockholm to receive an award for the book, which he claims to have "accepted with grief." He said he did not inform the officials back then about his trip.

The 76-year old writer accepted the Stieg Larsson award in Stockholm and in his speech said he "grieved for the 36 million starved dead."

"I grieve that this human tragedy that occurred five decades ago is still being covered up, while those who uncover this human tragedy are pressured, attacked and slandered," he said in his speech.

Yang is now in retirement after allegedly being forced to quit from his job with Xinhua as a journalist. He is still writing books and is currently working on a history journal. 

TagsYang Jisheng, Tombstone, Xinhua, Harvard Nieman Fellows Prize, Stieg Larsson Prize