Press Interpreter

They claim this will strike fear into criminals; expert in Shenzhen calls it regional discrimination

03/31/05 -- Several days ago, the police in Longgang, Shenzhen, hung large banners across Yifeng Road in their precinct. The banners read, "Resolutely strike at the Henanese racketeering gang" and "500 yuan reward for anyone who informs on or breaks a case against the Henanese racketeering gang." This action touched off a minor debate within society. Some people wondered whether this method of attacking criminals showed regional discrimination, but the police said that this action would have a deterrent effect against criminals.

Two days ago in the afternoon, this reporter was in the Yifeng Road precinct, where Shenzhen's Huanglongtang market is located, and saw several security patrolmen going about their rounds on patrol bikes. Banners inscribed with the words "Longxin Station Declaration" were hung in two places on Yifeng Road attacking the Henanese criminal gangs.

One security official explained that because the residential population of the precinct was largely Henanese, the crime rate among Henanese was high even though suspects were from all over.

Mr. Wang, who said that he had been doing business on Yifeng Road for four years, said that he originally was only aware that crime was common in the precinct, but he did not know the origin of those committing crimes. Since the police hung up banners on the street over 20 days before, the crime rate on the street had dropped, and he feels that apparently those committing the crimes were mostly Henanese. Mr. Zhang, a man from Henan, said that those committing crimes in society were not concentrated among the Henanese. By only hanging "Attack the Henanese Racketeers" banners, he felt that the police showed regional discrimination toward criminals.

Addressing this matter, assistant superintendent Luo of the Longxin station said that this action may be the operation of the People's Police within the community, but that the station was unaware of it. He explained that in addition to Henanese, a portion of those committing crimes in the precinct were from other places. He said that two considerations perhaps led the police to hang this kind of banner: First, to warn the larger population, and second, to strike fear into criminals.

As to why they hung the banner reading "500 yuan reward for anyone who informs on or breaks a case against the Henanese racketeering gang", assistant superintendent Luo said that in the past some citizens who had encountered extortion believed that racketeering was rare; they did not want to make trouble, so they dropped their cases. To a degree, this attitude led the criminal element to believe there was an opportunity to be taken advantage of.

Peng Bo, associate professor of law at Shenzhen University, said regarding the question of attacking criminals that the police should judge on the basis of actions, not station. If birthplace is stressed as the defining characteristic of a criminal, then this in practice creates regional discrimination, and is not in accordance with the principles of the Constitution.

[Full article]

This article appeared in The Beijing News, which is a daily newspaper venture of the Southern Media Group.

By Southern Metropolitan News reporters Qin Hongying and Li Chaohong for The Beijing News

-- Translated by Joel Martinsen

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http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/2005/0331/09@015055.html