Chinese TRC

For the uninitiated, TRC is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa (modeled after a similar effort in Chile), instituted to effectively address the apartheid era atrocities. The adjective “effectively” is used most advisedly; the commission tried to promote voluntary acknowledgment in full of such atrocities by the perpetrators forcing themselves into self-introspection and also restoring the dignity of the victims by proving that reality was reflected in their claims of victimhood. What TRC did do was to de-emphasize retribution, revenge, when the once exploited majority became powerful. It mattered much that Desmond Tutu was chief of the commission.

By media accounts, the commission was a success though there were dissenting voices saying, “The guilty got of lightly.” The blood of vengeance was flowing, even if not as freely as it would have without the TRC.

I was reminded of the above as I read a front page article [1] in The Hindu.

Higher level Chinese officials of a northern province came on the highly watched news and said, Mea Culpa. I do not know whether there were any compulsions, any directives from the central authority. Yet, it is impressive they did it at all. Did what happened to Politburo member Bo Xilai have anything to do with this sudden urge to pen oneself up? I do not know. Did the Communist Party of China General Secretary and President Xi Jinping’s focus on improving the party’s image have anything to do with the extraordinary revelations? I do not know. Yet, it all happened.

The revelations make for interesting reading: “Our banquets were excessive”;  "[O]rdered a luxury car for his official commute because he 'enjoyed riding in it'"; "After my promotion, I started becoming arrogant”; “We began just glancing at shop fronts’ [sic] and rarely checking out the ‘backyards’ and ‘corners’ during inspection trips”; “After we were promoted” and had been in tenure for a while, “we… [were] surrounded by praise and constantly pleased by others”. The first of the above quotes must be taken as a direct response to the crackdown by Mr. Xi “limiting cadres to simple meals of ‘four dishes, and one soup’”. There must be many more such pearls of self-criticism where these came from!

Even as hard as I tried to find any concessions made by the authorities to elicit these Candid Camera – to note, the camera was not hidden! – stuff, I failed. This is where China seems to have trumped South Africa! True, the TRC had a remit that was focused on the past and on bringing about a less violent future. The Chinese effort was merely to correct the current perceived imbalances between the ruled and rulers. There is an ocean of difference between the two. Yet, there are some things common too. Voluntary disclosure (to the extent perceived in the Chinese case!). The humbling manner – nice contrast to the arrogance as admitted – in which these admissions must have been made. The range of abuses revealed.

But, is the effort a one-off? This was focused on the upper echelons, and none from the lower cadres were involved. Is it possible that the lower cadres will work like termites to eat the newly created solid, honest wood from inside? Cannot be ruled out.

Yet, I acknowledge this fledgling effort with some reserved, conditional appreciation. Perhaps Indian authorities could learn something? That will be a start.

References

1.    Harking back to Mao, China’s leader enforces authority, Ananth Krishnan, The Hindu, October 6, 2013