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On site mediation ordered
By Cai Xiong (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-10-14 05:57
SHENZHEN: Shenzhen government officials have been ordered to immediately
respond to mass protests in person.
By quickly and directly addressing discontented crowds, it is hoped officials
can resolve problems calmly and defuse highly charged situations.
The task is an important one for local government officials working to make
Shenzhen a harmonious society, according to an official who refused to be named.
The new requirements have been introduced following an attempted strike by
local taxi drivers that was successfully resolved by local officials earlier
this month.
According to the Measures to Prevent and Settle Incidents Involving Groups of
Residents in Shenzhen, local government departments must quickly respond to such
incidents in the city.
Major city, district and neighbourhood officials, as well as managers and
senior executives of State-owned enterprises, are required to arrive on the
scene as soon as possible after incidents are reported.
They must then resolve any problems and report details of the incident,
including the place, time, cause and steps taken to settle the dispute, to
higher authorities.
Officials who fail to do so will be punished or even removed from their
posts.
Xu Guangcai, a local taxi driver, said many local residents have welcomed the
introduction of the measures.
"The new measures will certainly help the government prevent and supervise
any possible such incidents," Xu said.
Early this month Shenzhen taxi drivers planned to strike in protest at taxes,
but industrial action was called off after government mediation.
(China Daily 10/14/2005 page3)
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