Bai Yitong, a college graduate who was elected village head last year, is frustrated because she can't command the respect of villagers. Graduate village officials need care from society, says an article on www.jx.xinhuanet.com. The following is an excerpt:

Since she was elected as head of a village in northern Shaanxi province, Bai Yitong has confronted enormous difficulties. She has since found herself neither getting the understanding of the villagers nor being able to persuade them. On one occasion, she was even physically assaulted.

With tangled conflicts of interests, the situation in a village can be very complicated. Newly graduated village officials, without sufficient experience, are actually looked down upon by many villagers as kids. Thus the scope for delivering their capabilities is severely limited. Anxiety, depression, agitation and loneliness are not rare among graduate village officials. One of them even committed suicide just before the Lunar New Year. We have to admit that graduate village officials are a vulnerable bunch, who require more care and help from our society.

(China Daily February 20, 2009)