Shanghai did itself a dishonor

By Li Hong, People's Daily Online

Shanghai slapped on its own face with the law enforcers there employing entrapment and capture tactic to set drivers up. It shoveled additional shame by first lying to the media claiming that it didn't engage in "anything inappropriate" but later having to confess to the wrongdoing under increasing public pressure.

Nineteen-year-old Sun Zhongjie, a native from hinterland Henan Province, ventured to the most glittering city to earn a living. Under the instruction of his employer, an engineering company in Shanghai, Sun drove a van to pick up a company customer who just arrived in the Pudong New Zone on October 14. It was late and there was few cars on the street. A man standing in the middle of a road waved to Sun, telling the migrant worker he was ill and begging for a lift.

Sympathetic with the man, Sun let him in. However, his van was stopped three minutes later at a crossroads by a group of men in uniforms. The hitchhiker threw a 10-yuan note to Sun and quickly disappeared. The men in uniforms told Sun that they were from Shanghai metropolitan transport enforcement department, and Sun was caught "illegally operating a cab and making a profit".

Sun argued for his case but nobody listened. He was later detained by local police, and the New Zone's traffic watchdog ordered him to pay a fine of 10,000 yuan (US1, 460), which is about five times his monthly salary. The young man was so angry and insulted, that he cut off part of his small finger to protest his innocence.

The case got exposed in newspapers and online forums. Shanghai authorities asked the New Zone to investigate, which came out with an initial report last week alleging Sun was grabbed for illicit cab operation. Then, an opinion uproar was triggered nationwide, with people overwhelmingly taking the side of Sun and vehemently chiding at the city administration. Yesterday, the New Zone admitted to entrapping Sun with a planted hitchhiker, vowing to punish those responsible.

Sun's case is of grave consequence, manifesting the lax management of the New Zone's traffic officials. As law-enforcers, it breached the law by choreographing a false sting operation, wantonly encroaching on residents' rights. To entrap and manipulate residents is a serious crime.

The flip-flop in Shanghai's investigation results of the case has showed the glaring "cunningness" of the local officials in charge, who dared to take the law into their own hands. If not for Sun having chopped part of his finger to protest, he could have been wronged in the cover-up forever.

Sun has said he was very disappointed with the city, and asserted that he won't give a helping hand anymore in the future, no matter who asks, because he fears "being trapped" again. Obviously, he was hurt deeply.

It is righteous and just for Sun to sue the local administration and have it pay for the damage to his health and psychology. At the same time, Shanghai needs to apologize to Sun, his family, and the whole nation for the outrageous misdeed in its jurisdiction. Those found abusing government power, cramping on residents' rights and committing a crime should be sent to the court.