Jiangxi-based laid-off worker Liu Ping gained the backing of more than 30 people for her nomination in district People's Congress elections, but still didn't make it onto the official list of candidates. Instead, she was assaulted by local officials as she tried to take photographs at a local district office, and later detained by officials from her hometown of Xinyu on March 6. According to a Hong Kong-based rights group, Liu was strip-searched and beaten, and left without adequate clothing while under 24-hour surveillance via security camera. She was then tied up and dumped back at her home after asking for medical assistance. Liu's “crime” was to seek election to her local People's Congress as an independent candidate, garnering the support of more than 30 constituents in her home district. In spite of there being provision for locally supported candidates under current election rules, officials have said that there is "no such thing" as an independent candidate. Here is Liu's declaration to her potential constituents as part of her bid for candidacy last year:
I am a Chinese citizen, Liu Ping. I am not an official, but I am wholeheartedly for the people. I have fought on the front-line of rights defense work for a very long time, and while my powers are limited, I have never stopped trying!
I promise, if I am elected to the [district-level] People's Congress, that I will do everything in my power to reflect the voice of ordinary people. I will pay close attention to the income of workers, and demand that it be distributed in an open and transparent manner, with supervision of the payment of salaries and the taking of legal leave entitlement, as well as whether or not the payment of overtime is being made according to the rules and regulations. I will also be concerned with pensions and retirement, and with whether health insurance and occupational liability insurance for workplace injuries are being provided according to the regulations. I will also be looking to ensure that the income of retired workers does not stray far from the level required to sustain a basic living, to take care of retirees in extreme poverty, and to ensure job security for the sons and daughters of factory workers, and other similar social welfare issues.
I am an ordinary citizen. I am also a mother. I understand the thoughts and concerns of ordinary people!
Translated by Luisetta Mudie.
