China Executes Li Peiying

China Executes Li Peiying

       K S VENKATARAMAN

China executes more people than the rest of the world combined, with the nation last year putting to death more than 1,700 people out of a global total of almost 2,400, according to Amnesty International. As China does not publish full data on the death penalty, rights groups say the numbers executed could be far higher.

Li Peiying was the Chairman and General Manager of the company that owns Beijing Capital Airports Holding Company (CAH). This company operates many other airports also in China.

While in office, during the period from 1995 to 2003, Li Peiying took bribes; and also embezzled public money. The total amount covered by his offences has been estimated to be US$ 16 million.

In the last three decades, China has embarked upon many serious measures to improve its economy. After discarding the dubious, outmoded practices of communism and after having widely opened the doors of liberalism, China has registered enormous economic progress.

Any economic resurgence would not achieve its goal of eradicating poverty if corruption is rampant; because the benefits would be siphoned off by corrupt politicians and officials; and the poor will not get their dues but would have to be satisfied with the crusts thrown by the politicians at their will, during the times of election.

If China is progressing, the reason is it has developed a policy of really looking down upon the corrupt persons. The Chinese government is fully aware that massive corruption is capable of vitiating the atmosphere of national development and does not hesitate to impose harsh punishments in such cases. 

Li Peiying was convicted of bribery and embezzlement and the Supreme People’s Court upheld his sentence. He was executed on August 7, 2009, thus providing an effective deterrent to the persons holding high positions and responsibility of dealing with public funds in China.

The execution of Li Peiying may be appreciated as an action of good governance; trying to establish rule of law in the country; showing its determination to eradicate corruption from the land; ensuring the people of China that nobody would be allowed to swindle their money and get away with that kind of nefarious activity. Many developing countries like India should learn from this efficient and impartial action of China and improve their methods of governance.

Or, the same action of China may be criticized as reckless violation of human rights. Ruthless death sentences cannot wipe out the criminal activities and corruption. These have to be achieved by the hard work of educating the people and trying to change their attitude. Better methods of audit and administration could have avoided the possibility of such crimes. At any rate the capital punishment has no place in modern civilization.

Though different opinions are possible on any subject, depending on the viewer’s point of view the fact remains, that a good government should punish criminals and establish confidence in the minds of the people that the law-abiding people would be protected in all respects from the bad elements. Human rights could not be used as a shield to protect criminals, who deliberately misuse their positions and work against the interests of their fellow citizens and national development. 

Source

http://www.sinodaily.com/reports/China_airport_head_executed_for_graft_report_999.html

K S Venkataraman is the Associate Editor, Dynamic Youth Online Magazine. He may be reached through e-mail: dynamicyouth_development@yahoo.com

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