Andy Yee from Global Voices Online shares netizen reactions to the August 2009 document from the Central Commission on Political and Legal Affairs of China that “encourage[d] people to resolve their disputes by legal means and demanded local governments to intercept visit petitions to the central government.” A translated forum post reads:
Firstly, having the local officials to process and resolve those complaints is a wrong strategy. To local officials, people’s petition visit to Beijing implies that they have made mistake and will make them lose faces. Will those responsible for the grievances be so righteous to correct their mistakes? Such [an] assumption is merely wishful thinking.
Secondly, it is an issue of which government body should be responsible for monitoring the resolution of complaints.
Thirdly, there is no system to hold those officials responsible for people’s grievances into account, which means that they can do whatever they want without being punished. When things get out of control, petitioning to the top becomes inevitable. Since ancient times, ordinary Chinese hold the view that “the emperor is always virtuous, while officials below are often corrupted.” Complaining to the emperor becomes the only choice.
