Party chief: Protecting people's rights is key
Source: Xinhua |
October 19, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
SAFEGUARDING people's rights and interests is the fundamental means of maintaining social stability, the Party chief of a county in Guizhou Province said yesterday.
"After the unrest, we came to realize that social stability requires maximum efforts to protect people's rights and interests," Sha Xiangui, secretary of the Weng'an County Communist Party of China Committee, was quoted as saying in yesterday's People's Daily.
A violent protest broke out in Weng'an on June 28, 2008, when about 30,000 residents stormed police and government office buildings after rumors spread that police had covered up the rape and murder of a teenage girl. A further investigation revealed she had drowned.
Local officials admitted there were social grievances in Weng'an, citing issues such as county authorities failing to resolve disputes over mines, homes being demolished for urban building projects, residents being relocated for reservoir construction and state-owned enterprise reforms.
Sha said the unrest was a mirror reflecting the struggles backward areas face in transforming themselves through development.
"The county needs to develop its economy while simultaneously improving people's livelihoods," Sha said.
"It occurred because the government failed to improve people's livelihoods for too long, causing problems and grievances to mount," the county chief said.
The official said the county has been working hard to make up for the past by prioritizing education, creating jobs, enhancing the medical care system and constructing affordable housing units.
Over the last two years, the county has been working on a mechanism to make it easier for people to lodge complaints, as well as a mediation system for social problems.
Sha said the unrest exposed tension between local officials and the people, as well as a loss of credibility for the local government at the time.
After the unrest, the county government asked officials to visit residents and listen to their opinions, Sha said.
Ge Qiyi, a teenager who torched a government building during the unrest, turned to the police for help when he was involved in a recent business dispute, according to Sha.
"There are more and more people like him who trust law enforcement and other authorities when they are in trouble," Sha said.
The county has also strengthened the democratic management of community organizations.
"After the unrest, we came to realize that social stability requires maximum efforts to protect people's rights and interests," Sha Xiangui, secretary of the Weng'an County Communist Party of China Committee, was quoted as saying in yesterday's People's Daily.
A violent protest broke out in Weng'an on June 28, 2008, when about 30,000 residents stormed police and government office buildings after rumors spread that police had covered up the rape and murder of a teenage girl. A further investigation revealed she had drowned.
Local officials admitted there were social grievances in Weng'an, citing issues such as county authorities failing to resolve disputes over mines, homes being demolished for urban building projects, residents being relocated for reservoir construction and state-owned enterprise reforms.
Sha said the unrest was a mirror reflecting the struggles backward areas face in transforming themselves through development.
"The county needs to develop its economy while simultaneously improving people's livelihoods," Sha said.
"It occurred because the government failed to improve people's livelihoods for too long, causing problems and grievances to mount," the county chief said.
The official said the county has been working hard to make up for the past by prioritizing education, creating jobs, enhancing the medical care system and constructing affordable housing units.
Over the last two years, the county has been working on a mechanism to make it easier for people to lodge complaints, as well as a mediation system for social problems.
Sha said the unrest exposed tension between local officials and the people, as well as a loss of credibility for the local government at the time.
After the unrest, the county government asked officials to visit residents and listen to their opinions, Sha said.
Ge Qiyi, a teenager who torched a government building during the unrest, turned to the police for help when he was involved in a recent business dispute, according to Sha.
"There are more and more people like him who trust law enforcement and other authorities when they are in trouble," Sha said.
The county has also strengthened the democratic management of community organizations.
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