State Council responds to complaints over rural corruption and oppression
Villagers on the mainland have been given a greater say in supervising village committees and officials under a new document issued by the State Council.
The document, adopted by the State Council last month, was publicised by Xinhua yesterday. It contains six directives on how village committees should conduct their affairs, and details how villagers can monitor the officials and committees they elect.
It is the latest undertaking by the leadership of President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao to address the sannong question - the critical issues of village affairs, agriculture and peasants.
A lack of transparency, rampant corruption and oppression by village officials have been the focus of complaints by hundreds of thousands of rural dwellers for years.
Even Communist Party leaders have admitted that the tense relationship between villagers and local officials was undermining the party's rule in the countryside.
Xinhua said the document made it clear that the right of villagers to information must be protected, indicating that village committees will be expected to publicise their policies and decisions.