Police chief, commissar face dismissal after violent protest in SW China

2008-07-04 09:25:17 [ Big Normal Small ]    　Comment

    GUIYANG, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Two officials of the southwest China county that saw violent protests over the death of a teenage girl at the weekend have been recommended for dismissal for "severe malfeasance".

    The Guizhou provincial committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) proposed to Weng'an county's CPC committee and People's Congress at a meeting on Wednesday to remove county public security bureau director Shen Guirong and political commissar Luo Laiping from their posts.

    Leaders of the county's CPC committee and government had an undeniable responsibility for Saturday's violent protest ignited by a controversial police report into the girl's death, said Shi Zongyuan, Party Chief of the province.

    The provincial committee also required local CPC discipline inspection and supervision departments to investigate allegations against other officials in dealing with the protest.

    Wang Fuyu, provincial deputy Party chief, who is heading an investigation into the violence, urged Weng'an officials to listen to the people and resolve problems that affected the public interest.

    He said the violent protest would not have happened if local officials had communicated appropriately with the aggrieved people after the first signs of protest emerged.

    Up to 30,000 people were involved in the protest, which was prompted by a police report on the death of the junior high school student Li Shufen last month. Police concluded the 17-year-old drowned, but her family and relatives contend she was raped and killed.

    The protest turned violent and rioters mobbed government office buildings. More than 150 police and protesters were injured, but no deaths were reported. About 160 offices and more than 40 vehicles were torched.

    Police believe 134 people committed the destruction, and later took 59 into custody. Sixteen are still in detention.

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