[War] China: "The Home Front"

[Chazenesq2b at aol.com]

"The Home Front"
 
President Xia Hong
The People's Republic of China
======================================
 
Xia read the news reports coming out of the Western Press, and had to  
suppress a laugh.  It was honestly the first real time she felt like  laughing since 
Wen had took it upon himself to take a prolonged visit to his  family's dacha 
style estate just outside Beijing.  Who knew a scandal of  all things would 
provide a brief respite from the realities of life.
 
"I see the West is confounded by our efforts to simplify the political  
system here."  She grinned as she laid the copy of the Wall Street Journal  down.  
It was true, China's government was at one point the most secretive,  
complicated beuracracy on the face of this green Earth.  She'd done her  best to hem 
that in, to organize it into something approaching a workable and  logical 
framework... but apparently the Western Press had gotten lost in the  shuffle.  
"They don't think the Ministry of Justice exists, and they left  of the 
'Intelligence' aspect of MSI."
 
Minister of Justice Ah-guo Peng snickered at the crack.  Unlike in  many 
Western nations, Xia stuck as close to a meritocracy system as possible for  
appointing her closest advisors (though a few acquaintances 'did' make the list  
naturally.)  Ah-guo wasn't one of her friends... in fact until she reviewed  his 
curriculum vitae, she had no clue he actually existed.  He had a long  and 
distinguished career in the civil service, having been an officer in the PLA  
for a number of years, moved on to the Hong Kong Police Force where he worked as 
 a detective while taking Law School classes, and then became a national  
prosecutor.  He knew China's legal system as well as anyone... perhaps  better 
than anyone 'should' it could even be argued.  The guy had a real  obsession 
with the law.  
 
"So what do we actually know about this case?"  Xia folded her hands,  
waiting to get the facts.
 
Ah-guo passed her a prepared folder.  "So far, forensic accounting  evidence, 
as well as testimony from turned 'associates' of those responsible  indicate 
a single string of events, suggesting that it is beyond a reasonable  doubt, 
as a Western lawyer would say, that the Deputy Minister for Prisons was  indeed 
organizing an effort to use inmates in industrial production that would  
benefit the South China Textiles Corporation, which he is a partner in."
 
"And how far does this chain of evidence expand?"
 
"No senior level government officials fortunately, but so far we have  
evidence of varying quality against 34 individuals.  The Deputy Minister  was the 
highest ranking official, the others include prison commandants,  oversight 
personnel in my Ministry, and junior members of the party's  Politburo."
 
Xia read from the end of the file.  "You're suggesting a special  independent 
counsel be appointed to prosecute this case?"
 
"It would be the best way to avoid any appearance of impropriety.  On  behalf 
of my Ministry, I apologize Madam President.  If you feel it  appropriate, I 
will tender my resignation..."
 
Xia held up her hand to stop him.  Her respect for the man jumped with  the 
offer, and it was obvious he was the very kind of civic minded individual  
China needed, particularly in situations like this.  "That will not be  necessary 
Minister.  You are not implemented in this mockery of a scandal,  and I trust 
your heart truly lays with serving the people and thus you will  assure such 
incidents do not happen again."
 
Ah-guo relaxed obviously.  The rejection of his proposed resignation  was a 
clear statement of support and trust from President Hong, and it heartened  him 
somewhat to know that he could engender such trust.  "Absolutely Madam  
President.  How do you wish to proceed?"
 
"First thing is first."  She smoothed out her dress suit as she stood  up to 
walk towards the large window behind her desk.  "We will issue a  joint 
statement, saying that this supposed 'scandal' was actually a test trial  of an 
experimental pilot corrections program designed to endow prisoners  with usable 
economic skills, and aimed at rehabilitating our criminal population  for later 
reintegration with society.  We will blame the Human Rights Watch  for 
interfering with Chinese sovereignty in implementing a humane program to  respond to 
a social need in bettering the prospect of prisoners post  incarceration.  You 
will go about creating a formal monitoring system for  this program, creating 
it, and we will take this opportunity to better our image  on the issue of 
Human Rights."  She locked her hands together behind her  back.  "And I will 
want intelligence gathered on those who we are saving by  taking this public 
route.  It should be made obvious to them that this is a  favor they should not 
forget... after all the penalty for such misconduct in  China is quite serious." 
 And in reality, one never knew when such leverage  might come in handy.  
 
"Creating such a program will take time, Madam President."
 
"Time is one of the few things we do have."  Xia turned back and  smiled.  
"Appoint your Independent Counsel for appearances sake, and have  them report 
directly to me with any information that is found.  I will go  before the PNC 
disclosing the need for this formally 'secret' program so it will  get actual 
funding and support.  We should also issue a statement through  Xinhua reminding 
the rest of the world that this is a practice that is  found in Europe and 
America as well, and that we were simply trying to emulate  the supposedly more 
'enlightened' powers of the world."  She  shrugged.  "There is no 'scandal' 
here, Minister.  Just the  accusations of an overly zealous, but important 
global watchdog.  Please  have your office make the appropriate arrangements, 
Minister."
=========================================

ACTIONS
 
1.  Official government line-  This so called 'scandal' was  actually a pilot 
program initiated to endow prisoners with economic and social  skills 
necessary to succeed outside of prison, and help them make a more orderly  transition 
to society once they were released.  Had the HWW actually  'bothered' to ask 
China rather than blatantly liable and slander the government  publicly, they 
would have been made aware of that fact.  Because of the  recognized 
importance of the HWW's mission however, China will consider forgoing  a law suit.
 
2.  To satisfy international curiosity, an Independent Counsel will be  
appointed to review the matter.  Secretly however, said Counsel will  actually be 
collecting evidence.  The Ministry of Justice to keep tabs on  those 
responsible, and report directly to the President.
 
3.  Xia to go before the PNC and ask for official funding now that  this 
'test' program has been revealed, to move forward with an actual  program.  
Inmates accepted for this program will receive some economic  consideration (minus a 
portion taken for expenses in their incarceration), and  will be allowed to 
gain experience in a variety of fields.  
 
4.  Publicly remind the world the Ministry of Justice, not the  Ministry of 
Security and Intelligence, was actually responsible for this  matter.  Kindly 
ask Western (especially American) news agencies and NGO to  reconsider their 
obvious traditional biases against China.  Remind them  that this is a new 
century, China is a new nation compared to what it was, and  is more sincerely 
supportive of social rights and responsibilities than ever  before.  We'd 
appreciate 'not' being pre-judged.



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