Beijing Moves to End Tradition of Petitions

[onebir]

Story in Wall Street Journal here.

A temporary moratorium on bad news is quite familiar from the olympics, but from the complexity of the new rules, it sounds like they're permament. And quite likely destined to remove a last chance of redress for people screwed over by local officials.

There seems to be a perception that central government is less corrupt than local government, and genuinely being run in the interests of the people. (Interested to know if others people come across this view?) I think this change could well weaken a perception which - if it's widely held - must be rather helpful in legitimating the regime...

[gato]

Not a big deal in of itself, as I don't think many problems are resolved through the petitioning system, any more. What I think is significant is the continuing emphasis (ever since two years or so ago when the Wang Shengjun took office as the president of the Supreme Court) on mediation as the preferred way to resolve disputes rather than through the judicial process. The Party feels that mediation is a better way to promote harmony.

http://www1.www.gov.cn/jrzg/2009-08/18/content_1395716.htm

中央政法委解读加强和改进涉法涉诉信访工作意见

问：如何充分发挥调解在解决涉法涉诉信访问题中的作用？

答：调解是我们的政治优势，也是我们的特色。《意见》提出，要建立和完善司法调解与人民调解、行政调解、仲裁等的衔接机制，依靠基层党组织、基层政权组织和其他社会组织，通过自愿协商和调解的方式化解矛盾纠纷。公安机关对一般治安案件，特别是邻里纠纷、交通事故、损害赔偿等案件，要依法加强调解，提倡调解结案。法院要把调解作为处理民商事案件、刑事附带民事案件、执行案件的优先选择。有条件的地方要设立人民调解、行政调解、司法调解的联调窗口，引导当事人通过人民调解、行政调解的方式解决矛盾纠纷；对必须进入司法程序的，要坚持调解优先、调判结合，努力做到案结事了。