Better Law Enforcement and Harsher Punishments for Farmers' Rights Violators

( 2012-March-10 09:47:06)

By staff reporter Zhang Hua

Discussing recent incidents of conflict between farmers and local authorities, Ren Qixing, deputy director of the Population, Resources and Environment Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), warned that if not properly handled, cases of farmers' rights violations could threaten social stability and even national security. He noticed that violations are mostly found in the areas of land acquisition, forced demolition of homes, sales of shoddy farming materials, mishandling of agricultural subsidies, the imposition of arbitrary fees or unjustified fines and corruption among village cadres.

Ren said the central government attaches great importance to issues concerning agriculture, rural residents and rural areas, and protecting farmers' legitimate rights is a top concern. He suggested the state should further enhance law enforcement, ensure violators are punished within the full scope of the law, require all village committees to open their account books to residents, and step up efforts to prevent and combat village official corruption. According to Ren, China already has in place a good many laws pertaining to land use and property expropriation, such as the Land Management Law, the Rural Land Contract Law and the Regulation on the Dismantlement of Urban Houses. Most conflicts are the result of poor enforcement.