Lawmakers are moving to crack down on people who force the young
or disabled into organized begging rings.
The legislature is reviewing the draft of a
Criminal Law amendment which provides for jail terms of up to three
years for organizers of begging syndicates involving children under
the age of 14 or disabled people.
Hu Kangsheng, director of the Legislative Affairs
Commission of the National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing
Committee, had pledged to take a firm stand against behavior that
infringed on the rights of children and disabled people.
He said “professional” begging syndicates who were
cheating, intimidating and seducing disabled people and children
into joining them had been in the headlines too often in recent
years.
“Some organizers even physically abused young
disabled people, forcing them to join their begging network for
profit,” said Hu, adding that support for the proposed amendment
was strong.
The NPC Standing Committee is considering many
other draft laws and amendments in its weeklong review session
starting Friday.
Other issues to be discussed include tighter
controls on the disposal of solid industrial waste, longer terms
for township legislators, bankruptcy law, property rights
protection and a draft on public order administration.
(Shenzhen Daily October 25, 2004)