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In the name of renovation
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-05-30 08:00 Municipal authorities in China love to demolish. We aren't talking about digging up roads repeatedly, or incessantly reworking pavements that are already in pretty good shape. We're talking about demolition for "renovation". In Nanjing, authorities have spread open a blueprint for large-scale "renovation" of "old and dangerous" housing, which provoked dozens of conservationists to launch a joint protest. In Kashgar, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, a plan for renovating one of the city's old residential districts is reportedly raising similar concerns about the city's sense of history. We have seen too much of this. This nation is too thirsty for symbols of modernity. And our governments have too much public money at their disposal. The latest stimulus package, in particular, gives local authorities stronger incentives to engage in facelifts.
The authorities never lacked excuses to push forward "development projects", many of which have been delayed due to public dissent. Given the underprivileged position of residential communities, there is little chance that they would manage to save areas or buildings that are on the government's must-go list. The public has little say in these matters. We do feel bad about our western colleagues' fixing on issues like the planned demolition in Kashgar. Similar problems have been annoying us for decades in most parts of the country. The stereotype - Han people ill-treating ethnic minorities - is both stupid and biased. We look down upon the sowers of discord. We would let them know we appreciate the Kashgar authorities' concern about potential seismic hazards. From Wenchuan, we learnt the importance of preparedness. Yet, to relieve our western colleagues of unnecessary worries, and to make sure the governments' goodwill is not misread, we would also like to remind municipal decision-makers that there are better ways to do good things. The fact that urban development projects became hotbeds of corruption scandals as well as rumors that upset our overseas colleagues has a lot to do with the manner they were executed. We would not assume every urban renovation program has behind it a dirty deal between real estate developers and corrupt officials. But there is reason to suspect, always, because officials seldom bother to inform or consult interested citizens. Frequent scandals on the other hand consolidate and amplify suspicions. The unfavorable image and subsequent distrust is what they deserve. Certainly there is a way out. Transparency and a sincere deliberative process beforehand can make a huge difference. Municipal officials have to rethink their relationship with the public. (China Daily 05/30/2009 page4) |
