The Beijing municipal government on Thursday announced punishment for officials responsible for the February 5 Lantern Festival stampede in suburban Miyun County, which claimed 37 lives.

Xia Qiang, secretary of the Miyun County Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), was given a disciplinary warning.

The Beijing municipal government accepted the resignation of Zhang Wen, head of the county and deputy secretary of the Miyun County CPC committee.

Chen Xiaohong, also a deputy secretary of the county committee, was dismissed from all Party posts.

Wang Chunlin, deputy head of Miyun County, was given a disciplinary warning and a serious demerit record.

The cases of the two people believed to be directly responsible for the tragedy have been transferred to the judicial department.

Inadequate attention to safety was blamed for the accident.

The incident occurred at Mihong Park, where people were celebrating Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the first lunar month and is regarded as the last day of the lunar New Year celebrations.

Rumors spread that the park was displaying fireworks and crowds of people were trying to cross a steep bridge over a river, the easiest way to get to the opposite bank, where some residents were displaying fireworks.

One person stumbled on the bridge and others tripped. Many were trampled or suffocated to death.

In related news, on Wednesday the State Council approved the resignation of Ma Fucai, the ministerial-level head of China's biggest state-owned oil company.

The action is ringing alarm bells with high-level cadres across the country.

Ma, general manager of the China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC), admitted his negligence in safety measures that led to the December 23 gas explosion at a well owned by a CNPC subsidiary in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

The explosion, the country's deadliest recent industrial disaster, left 243 people dead from toxic fumes when a careless drilling crew broke open a gas well and dismantled safety equipment that might have prevented the incident.

"Though Ma was not found criminally responsible, he has shouldered his political and moral responsibilities for the accident through resignation. This will help the government to form a strict system of accountability and urge cadres to take responsibility for errors," said Du Gangjian, professor with the National School of Administration.

Holding officials responsible for such events is new to a Chinese public that has long been accustomed to seeing those at the grassroots punished for negligence as higher government officials stand by expressing concern and organizing rescue and investigation.

In some cases, the negligence of these officials has indirectly led to the accidents. However, it is difficult to force them to take responsibility since they haven't broken any laws or regulations, Du said.

"So Ma's resignation is not accidental. It can be traced to the persistent severe penalties the government has taken against officials guilty of negligence," said Du, noting the new central leadership is striving to build a responsible image based on its "people first" principle.

During the SARS crisis last spring, the government punished nearly 1,000 officials, including former Minister of Health Zhang Wenkang and former Mayor of Beijing Meng Xuenong, for hiding epidemic information or responding inadequately to the situation.

Wednesday's State Council executive meeting also called for severe punishment of those responsible for a shopping mall fire in northeast China's Jilin Province, which killed 51 on February 15.

Immediately after the accidents, Premier Wen Jiabao urgently ordered a thorough investigation into the causes, stern penalties for the guilty parties, strict implementation of safety measures and deep introspection on the lessons.

"The government is being more serious when handling accidents, showing its resolution to intensify cadres' sense of duty and to enhance administration according to law," said Professor Mao Shoulong of the Public Administration Department of the Renmin University of China.

On Internet message boards, the approval of Ma's resignation is drawing praise and close consideration.

"It has reminded officials and company leaders that they are treading on eggshells and what 'burdens are heavier than mountains' means to them. Hopefully they will really be responsible for people's life and property safety," said a netizen nicknamed "Withered Vine."

Jin Taijun, director of the administration department of Nanjing Normal University, believes that the resignation holds far greater significance than is immediately apparent. It functions as a form of supervision over cadres to ensure their correct use of power. This will help to improve the government's image and engender public trust.

But experts also say it is necessary to institutionalize a system of investigating and punishing officials. This will require specific definition of their responsibilities and obligations as well as clear operating procedures.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2004)