The modern world offers new opportunities for people to express their anger when living in an authoritarian society. The Chinese government still refuses to recognize imposing dictatorial procedures invariably damages its legitimacy and police and the army can never be a substitute for the right of people to express their views. Riots and demonstrations have swept the county of Weng’an over the past few days after information was spread on YouTube and the Internet about the rape and killing of a fifteen year-old girl. The violence against her was the result of actions by three young men, including the son of a local deputy mayor. Her uncle was a popular school teacher and when he complained to authorities, the police beat him to death.
The resulting riots by thousands of people resulted in an angry response from Communist officials rather than proceeding with an investigation into the death of the girl. Xinhua news agency did issue a comment which blamed the riot on the face “some people did not know about the exact context of what had happened and were instigated to mob the police station and the office buildings of the county government and of Communist Party committees.” Why is it always that any riot is the result of being “instigated” by some unknown group? Why is it never the fault of government agencies or officials?
One day the Chinese Communist government will awake to the realization that democracy is the best weapon in dealing with the local corruption which is so widespread in the nation.