Shanghai police announced Monday that they have recently arrested a batch of suspects involved in lodging illegal complaints to government departments and disturbing social order.

The suspects allegedly insulted civil servants, held up traffic and interfered with official duties when authorities rejected their complaints.

In China, complaint-lodging is called xinfang, literally meaning "letters sent and visits made" by those reflecting problems at the grass roots to the governments.

While the Constitution guarantees those who feel aggrieved the right to complain to the government's Letters and Complaints Office at various levels, they shouldn't take their problems directly to other government departments, officials said.

Those found guilty of making illegal complaints and disturbing social order can be detained for 15 days for the first offense and face a jail sentence for any further offenses.

Local police Monday highlighted several recently solved cases to prove complaints are being lodged illegally and causing a bad effect on society. But they didn't provide contact information for any of the suspect mentioned or their family members. Nor did they say how many people have been arrested or provide key information about several cases.

Ye Gensheng, who has been sentenced to prison for burglary and indecency three times, signed a compensation agreement with Hongkou District House Removal Company last March when he was told his home would be razed due to urban construction.

After receiving the compensation, however, Ye rejected it saying "it was too little."

Relocation and compensation have led to numerous complaints both in Shanghai and around the nation.

When his demand for more money failed, Ye allegedly made more than 20 trips to Zhongnanhai, which houses many central government leaders and offices in Beijing, to stir up trouble since last December.

Ye either threatened to commit suicide or humiliated government employees when police step in to end his protest.

In a similar issue arising from housing relocation, Tan Lanying made trouble in the city by holding banners, shouting slogans, distributing leaflets and holding a sit-in, police said.

Tan was seeking a new apartment in compensation for one that had been bulldozed, but the Putuo District People's Court ruled in 2001 that she wasn't entitled to one as she already had a second apartment she was keeping secret from the district government.

Gathering with others, Tan reportedly staged a protest in front of the Jing'an District People's Court on May 21, 2003. Two months later, she continued the disturbance in the service center of the local Housing and Land Administrative Bureau.

In September Tan paid a visit to Beijing, appealing to many state organs such as the Ministry of Construction and the Party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

"I want a four-room apartment," she allegedly told police.

Police wouldn't explain why Tan felt she deserved compensation, but did point out she was divorced three times.

Officials say xinfang is the basic right of all citizens and dealing with public complaints demonstrates the government's commitment to solving social problems.

Governmental sectors at all levels applaud the complaints from common people and will go all out to take the right approach in the first place before it becomes intensified, according to an official from the local Letters and Complaints Office, who asked not to be identified.

However, anyone, who disturbs social order under the cover of lodging a complaint is violating the law and thus will be punished, the official added.

(Shanghai Daily April 13, 2004)