Editorial: China should leverage civil society groups to combat snowstorms and other emergencies
By David Bandurski – Chinese leaders launched an all-out publicity drive last week to demonstrate the party’s concern for the public welfare amid devastating winter storms. In the midst of that charm offensive, addressing hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded at the rail station in Guangzhou, Premier Wen Jiabao actually said, “I apologize.”
Over the next few days and weeks, one critical issue will be whether Chinese media are permitted to ask the question: “What exactly SHOULD Wen Jiabao be sorry for?”
Yes, these storms were “natural.” But their impact on China this month and last — and the clear failure of emergency response mechanisms — ultimately speaks to the inadequacy of the political structure and the urgent need for political and social reform.
[ABOVE: Screenshot of Sina.com featured editorial by Shu Shengxiang on civil society and disaster relief.]
As CMP noted last week, Caijing magazine has already addressed some political problems in the government response, particularly the over-reliance on central directives and the failure of local governments to jump into action earlier.
In today’s edition of Hebei’s Yanzhao Metropolis Daily (燕赵都市报), columnist Shu Shengxiang (舒圣祥) addresses the sensitive social and political question of civic organizations and their role in disaster relief in China.
Shu first butters up national officials by giving them their due: “We should admit that government efforts to deal with the emergency have been effective, that the government has not been struck down by these disastrous snowstorms, and that they haven’t let the people down,” he writes.
Then comes the crucial qualification:
But there are nevertheless regrettable aspects of this type of disaster response. Owing to [the government's] limited power and range of vision in dealing with the disaster, for example, only broad plans for relief were drawn up, and many people caught up in the disaster were unable to receive effective assistance. Additionally, owing to a bureaucratic mindset and formalistic attitude, many initiatives at the local and regional government levels were too late, too weak, too simplistic or simply stopped short of action.
We can see that basically our traditional method of dealing with disasters remains mired in a mode of “strong government, weak society” (强政府—弱社会). We have only the top-down vertical lines of government action and lack the right-left, horizontal lines of civic action. This means we cannot create an effective grid for dealing with emergency situations. As a result, the scope of effective action is limited and the “quality” of emergency response is hit-and-miss.
In fact, in the provision of social services — and particularly in assisting the disadvantaged and providing of disaster relief — civic organizations (民间组织) have natural advantages over the government. Civic organizations do not, for example, need to be as comprehensive in their response as governments do. They can seize on specific needs and issues and therefore stand a better chance of effectively achieving their objectives. In countries with highly developed civil societies, neglected pockets of society can be revealed quickly so that assistance can be rendered to those in need. Moreover, because civic organizations are not driven by calculations of political point-scoring and are not concerned with profit-seeking, they can more easily earn the trust of the public and become a force for rallying the disaster relief effort.
All of this is of course easier said than done in China, where officials traditionally regard non-governmental or other mass organizations as dangerous challenges to the authority of the Communist Party.
For examples, we need look no farther than the recent arrest of Chinese activist Hu Jia on charges of subverting state power, and the shutdown of the civil society-related publication Minjian.
The Yanzhao Metropolis Daily editorial is probably right that China could deal more effectively with emergency situations by permitting the growth of an active civil society. But Chinese leaders are terrified of the political implications of a society of do-gooders and people who actively care. Which is why veteran journalist Zhai Minglei asked rhetorically after the shutdown of Minjian last year: “What is the most difficult thing to do in China? The good deed.”
“The Chinese people have never lacked good-hearted individuals or the force of charitable action,” Shu Shengxiang writes. “What they do lack is institutional support (制度安排) for the effective mobilization of charitable action and giving.”
As the government reflects back on the snowstorms, it should look not only at [official] emergency response plans but also recognize the important power of civic organizations, and give civic organizations greater room for development at the legal and policy levels.
[Posted February 4, 2008, 3:05pm HK]
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COMMENTARY ON HK RESPONSE TO CHINA DISASTER
Backlash over `paltry’ aid to snowstorm victims
The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council yesterday unanimously passed an urgent request by the government to donate HK$250 million to help snowstorm victims in the mainland.
Timothy Chui and Damon Pang
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
The Finance Committee of the Legislative Council yesterday unanimously passed an urgent request by the government to donate HK$250 million to help snowstorm victims in the mainland.
HK$100 million each will go to the provincial governments of Hunan and Guizhou, with HK$10 million going to the Shaoguan municipal government in Guangdong.
THE ISSUE IS NEVER OVER MONEY, BUT RELIEF MISSIONS OF EXPERIENCED AND TRAINED STAFF THAT IS SENT TO HELP RESTORE POWER (BY FIXING DOWNED LINES, ETC.), DISTRIBUTE FOOD, FUEL, ETC.
CHINA NORMALLY DO NOT PERMIT NGOS TO OPERATE INSIDE CHINA, BUT HK CIVIL SERVANTS, POLICE, IMMIGRATION OFFICERS ARE NOT NGOS, BUT CHINESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND HENCE, CAN BE EXEMPT FROM THIS BAN AND DEPLOYED WITHIN CHINA WITH BEIJING’S AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT’S APPROVAL.
A sum of HK$21 million will be set aside for applications by relief agencies while HK$19 million will be used to prop up the government’s Disaster Relief Fund, which was sitting at HK$6.96 million after a transfer of HK$8 million to the Hong Kong Red Cross on Sunday.
IN OTHER WORDS, USELESS FOR HELPING VICTIMS AS THE APPLICANTS HAVE TO BE CHINESE BASED (IN ORDER TO OPERATE) — THE CHINESE RED CROSS QUALIFIES, WHO ELSE?
Chief Secretary for Administration Office director Jennifer Mak Yee- ming said the HK$210 million would be used for immediate disaster relief.
Although the measure was passed unanimously, lawmakers said the HK$210 million was too little and too late, with some doubting the transparency of how the funds would be used.
HOW TRANSPARENT ARE THE MEANS FIRE DEPARTMENTS USE TO PUT OUT A FIRE WHEN THEY ARE ACTUALLY AT WORK? WOULD THE LAWMAKERS HAVE A TRANSPARENT BIDDING PROCESS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR CONTRACTS TO PUT OUT A FIRE ON THEIR HOUSE ONCE IT STARTED BURNING?
COMMON SENSE, WHICH IS IN SHORT SUPPLY AT LEGCO AND WITH OFFICIALS, DICTATE THAT YOU PUT OUT THE FIRE FIRST, AND WORRY ABOUT PAYING THE BILLS LATER.
COMMON SENSE WOULD TELL YOU THAT THE VERY SUPPLIES URGENTLY NEEDED IN A DISASTER AREA WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO FIND LOCALLY (OR THEY WOULD NOT NEED IT TO BEGIN WITH), AND EVEN IF AVAILABLE, EXPENSIVE. THAT IS WHY RELIEF AGENCIES BRING THEIR OWN SUPPLIES IN, PROVIDE THEIR OWN TRUCKS, FUEL, ETC.
Medical sector legislator Kwok Ka- ki, a member of the Disaster Relief Fund advisory committee, said the package was a drop in the ocean in view of the large population affected.
THE PROBLEM IS, THE LARGEST NEED (MIGRANT WORKERS OUT IN COLD WITHOUT FOOD, DRINK, MEDICAL AND SANITARY FACILITIES) HAVE ALREADY PASSED.
ANOTHER NEED WAS FOR ADDITIONAL POLICE TO MAINTAIN ORDER, WHICH HAS ALSO PASSED.
League of Social Democrats’ lawmaker Albert Chan Wai-yip said the aid amounted to a paltry HK$3 per person.
IT IS NOT THE MONEY, WHY DON’T THEY VOLUNTEER TO GO THERE TO DISTRIBUTE FOOD / AID….AND SEE WHAT LIFE IS LIKE. MONEY DONATIONS DO NOT MEAN MUCH WHEN MONEY CAN’T BUY REAL RELIEF WORK — LIKE REBUILDING DOWNED POWER LINES, DELIVERING AND HANDING OUT GENERATORS, FOOD, FUEL, ETC.
He said while the government was willing to send US$2 billion (HK$15.6 billion) to prop up Thailand during the the Asian financial crisis, it was spending so little to help the mainland.
MONEY SENT TO THAILAND WAS IN THE FORM OF LOANS, NOT CASH.
“During the SARS outbreak, the central government provided us with supplies and we should repay their kindness, doubly,” he said.
DID HE FORGET OTHER THINGS THAT SHOULD BE ‘REPAID DOUBLY’, LIKE THE TOURISTS SENT TO HK DURING THE ECONOMIC CRISIS… ETC.
Chan was also concerned over the transparency on how the aid would be used. “I wouldn’t want to see in the future reports the HK$210 million we donated found its way to some corrupt official to maintain his mistresses.”
THAT IS WHY RELIEF AGENCIES DO THE WORK DIRECTLY — HKSAR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS COULD HAVE DONE THE WORK. OF THE NEARLY 30,000 POLICE AND SECURITY OFFICIERS AVAILABLE IN HK, A DEPLOYMENT OF 10,000 TO AID CHINA COULD HAVE BEEN ARRANGED WITH MODEST IMPACT ON HK.
THESE FORCES CAN BE USED TO MAINTAIN ORDER, TRANSPORT AND DISTRIBUTE FOOD AND SUPPLIES, ETC.
Albert Ho Chun-yan asked why efforts were focused on just two provinces. Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong legislator Wong Yung-kan said the government was slow to act.
WHY WAS THE DAB SLOW TO ACT, WONG? DID LIGHTING HIT THE DAB ON FEBRUARY 1? DID DENG XIAO PING SPEAK TO ALBERT HO IN A DREAM?
Under fire from Democratic Party lawmaker Martin Lee Chu-ming, Mak admitted the government had only spoken with Guangdong.
She said the rationale for not speaking directly to the 19 affected provinces was to tie the territory’s relief with mainland efforts.
HKSAR IS NOT A FOREIGN GOVERNMENT, IT IS A PART OF THE SAME COUNTRY AND HENCE, HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEAL DIRECTLY WITH ANY PROVINCE — THOUGH COMMON COURTESY WOULD HAVE BEIJING INVOLVED AND INFORMED OF EVERYTHING HKSAR DOES TO MAKE SURE EFFORTS ARE COORDINATED.
Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen expressed his gratitude at the support from Legco. “I hope our mainland brothers and sisters will recover quickly and have an enjoyable, warm and happy Lunar New Year with us.”
DID DONALD CUT SHORT HIS TRIP? DID HE CALL A EMERGENCY MEETING OF LEGCO TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN? DID A SINGLE HKSAR OFFICIAL GET DEPLOYED TO THE MAINLAND TO ASSIST OR EVEN TO COORDINATE AID AS OF TODAY?
LAST FRIDAY, TANG’S BIG CONCERN IS THE SUPPLY OF PIGS TO HKSAR.
More than 77.8 million people have been affected by snowstorms which claimed more than 60 lives. The direct economic loss has been estimated at 53.8 billion yuan (HK$58.4 billion).
Meanwhile, China Travel Service is offering HK$80 all-day passes with transportation to either Ngong Ping 360, Ocean Park or Disneyland for migrant workers stranded in Guangdong.
FOR MIGRANT WORKERS WHO HAVE NO MONEY AND NO TIME OFF TO COME TO HK TO BEGIN WITH????
The NGO should avoid organizing themselves too widely and too efficiently. Any organization that can be mobilized and organized well can be seen as a threat to the rule of the CCP. Student organizations, labour unions, etc. that tried to organize nation wide were disband if lucky, and persecuted if grown too strong.
[...] Leverage civil groups to combat emergencies: At the China Media Project, David Bandurski looks at an op-ed in the Yanzhao Metropolis Daily that suggests that China needs the support of non-governmental organizations to fight crisis situations:The Yanzhao Metropolis Daily editorial is probably right that China could deal more effectively with emergency situations by permitting the growth of an active civil society. But Chinese leaders are terrified of the political implications of a society of do-gooders and people who actively care. Which is why veteran journalist Zhai Minglei asked rhetorically after the shutdown of Minjian last year: "What is the most difficult thing to do in China? The good deed." [...]