Home>News Center>China
       
 

Banning not the way to eliminate begging
By Xiao Ming (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-04-14 16:34

Beijing is not going to ban begging and busking at subway stations and on the trains, the municipal government's Legal Affairs Office announced at a press conference on Monday.

This will douse the flames of debate ignited by the initial management proposal to forbid begging or busking at the entrances of subway stations, inside the stations and on the trains.

The decision should definitely be applauded, as it shows respect for citizens' individual rights.

A draft ruling entitled Management Measures for Safety Operation of Rail Transport was posted on the website www.beijing.gov.cn for public comment last December. It said that begging, performing, smoking and lying down were all to be forbidden at subway stations in Beijing.

The ban attracted much public attention and ignited intense discussion. A total of 68 per cent of the people who posted their opinions at the website said they thought the rule needed further deliberation. Various media also expressed concerns over the draft bill's infringement of citizens' rights.

The Legal Affairs Office, which is responsible for drafting local governmental regulations as well as local legislative items, finally deleted the clause from the draft legislation.

Yet, there are at least seven provinces and municipalities, including Guangzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Ningbo, that have banned begging in such areas.

Indeed, it is improper to forbid begging in public areas, and, anyway, it would not solve the problem of begging.

There are many reasons for the mounting numbers of beggars and vagrants in cities today.

Some of these people are job-seekers from rural areas who have failed to find jobs in the city and are left in dire circumstances. There also are some who make begging a profession and are in fact collecting money fraudulently.

No matter what the reason, begging on the streets is a demeaning way of life and beggars are forced to sacrifice their dignity in order to survive. Given another choice, probably few of them would choose to be beggars.

Whatever might drive people to begging, beggars are citizens who deserve all the rights and freedom our Constitution promises.

As the Legal Affairs Office has pointed out, the country has no law banning begging in public places.

Quite a few cities have issued such bans in the name of public safety or simply for "image" considerations.

Only when beggars' behaviour is a threat to public security and infringes on other people's lawful rights should they be stopped. Although many of us may have had the experience of being pestered by an aggressive beggar, begging does not in itself constitute a threat to public order.

Since there is no violation of law, there is no legal ground for local authorities to ban it.

Looking deeper for the reasons behind begging, we will find that the inadequate social security system is probably the prime cause. Many poverty-stricken people living on the bottom rungs of the social ladder do not get enough help from society. Natural disasters, disease and unemployment can leave people in helpless situations. Begging then becomes their only means of making a living.

Therefore, a sound social security network covering every inch of our land and providing every citizen with protection is the ultimate resolution.

Instead of banning, the government should persuade those beggars with working abilities to make a living through lawful work, and help those who, for various reasons are unable to work, to live with dignity.

 
  Today's Top News     Top China News
 

Leaders: China will never allow Taiwan independence

 

   
 

Wen, Prodi eye long-term good ties

 

   
 

4 US contractors killed, mutilated in Iraq

 

   
 

Bush vows US will finish job in Iraq

 

   
 

HIV/AIDS sufferers can receive free therapy

 

   
 

Grain production, farmers' income vital

 

   
  Leaders: China will never allow Taiwan independence
   
  White House sets up China trade office
   
  Chen Shui-bian creates chaos in Taiwan
   
  Wen, Prodi eye long-term good ties
   
  Grain production, farmers' income vital
   
  First double-deck container train to hit the road
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
Downtown beggars can be choosers
   
Shenzhen abolishes vagrancy rules
   
Beggars are more brazen on the streets
   
Living off pity
  News Talk  
  An American apolgy to the family of Chinese pilot  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 影音先锋男人站| 色综合久久久久久久久久| 嫩草影院在线视频| 国产又黄又爽又猛的免费视频播放 | 国产偷窥熟女精品视频大全| 男女拍拍拍免费视频网站| 天天做人人爱夜夜爽2020毛片| 中文字幕免费视频| 日韩一区精品视频一区二区| 亚洲人成亚洲人成在线观看| 老熟妇仑乱视频一区二区| 国产成人精品免费视频大全| 1000部拍拍拍18勿入免费凤凰福利| 日日噜噜夜夜狠狠va视频| 亚洲av综合色区无码专区桃色| 精品国产A∨无码一区二区三区| 国产午夜小视频| 色偷偷女男人的天堂亚洲网| 性欧美暴力猛交xxxxx高清| 亚洲另类专区欧美制服| 波多野结衣伦理片bd高清在线| 国产亚洲视频在线播放大全| 欧美成人免费香蕉| 国产精品永久在线观看| 97国产在线视频公开免费| 天天干天天射天天操| аⅴ中文在线天堂| 日韩精品免费一级视频| 人妻少妇边接电话边娇喘| 精品欧美一区二区在线观看| 国产三级三级三级| 青青青激情视频在线最新| 国产成人免费高清激情明星| 久草视频精品在线| 大又大粗又爽又黄少妇毛片| 一本一道波多野结衣一区| 成av免费大片黄在线观看| 中文字幕一区在线播放| 欧美a级毛欧美1级a大片| 亚洲日产2021三区在线| 精品毛片免费看|