Cao Jianming, vice president of the Supreme People's Court
(SPC), ordered severe punishment for misappropriation of arable
land in violation of the law?on Friday.
Efforts must be made to ensure the strictest implementation of
the system to protect arable land, he said at a SPC meeting.
Cases involving farmers should be handled in a quickened
process, he said, adding that special collegiate benches or special
personnel can be designated to hear the cases if necessary.
He demanded all courts to harshly crack down on people who sell
fake seeds, pesticide or inferior medicines and products to hurt
farmers' interests, gambling and practices that disrupt rural
democratic elections.
He required courts to work with local governments and villager's
self-governance organizations to ensure land contract operation
rights to be transferred on a voluntary, tradable and legal
basis.
(Xinhua News Agency January 7, 2006)
