Method of the Qiandongnan Public Security Organs in Handling the Large-Scale Mass Riot Incident Caused by Cult Activities

Abstract

In early 1999, in the border region between Liping and Congjiang Counties in Qiandongnan Prefecture, Guizhou Province, cult organizations such as the “Disciples Sect” have for a long time spread the “end of the world theory” that plans to divide off the lands of people who do not believe in the cult. This resulted in fear and dissatisfaction of people who do not believe in the cult, and in the end, incited and tricked by lies of “cult followers poisoning people,” and this led to a large-scale fighting, smashing, and looting incident by a crowd who did not believe in the cult against a group of cult followers, and this rapidly spread to Rongjiang, Jinping, Jianhe, and Tianzhu Counties. By mid June, there were 121 cases of fighting, smashing, and looting in 35 townships (towns) in six counties, involving 3,373 people in 855 cult follower households. Of these, three people were beaten to death, 107 were injured, 121 houses were burned or demolished, 460 heads of various livestock were slaughtered, 95,000 kg of grain was lost, and some home appliances and living goods were lost, with total losses amounting to more than RMB 500,000. A total of over 18,000 people in 205 groups in 170 villages were coerced into participating in the fighting, smashing, and looting. With society in turmoil, some villagers fled with their children to other towns, and more than 1,000 people sought refuge and protection at their township (town) government. The main features of this large mass fighting, smashing, and looting incident were: First, it broke out suddenly and became quite fierce. In early March when the Qiandongnan Prefecture Public Security Bureau Headquarters received the report from the Liping County Public Security Bureau, there had already been fighting, smashing, and looting incidents in the four villages of Sigu, Huangfu, Cenba, and Shanghu in Long’e Township. The safety of the persons and property of 30 cult followers were harmed, 27 live pigs were stolen, and six homes were destroyed to various extents, and prior to this the local public security organs had no advance warning information. Second, it spread rapidly and rose up here and there. From February 6-20, fighting, smashing, and looting incidents broke out in four villages of Long’e Township in Liping County; from March 14 to April 4, they broke out in 13 townships in Liping, Congjiang, and Rongjiang Counties; from May 11-12 they broke out in eight townships in Jinping, Tianzhu, and Jianhe; from June 14-17 they broke out again in three townships in Tianzhu, Jinping, and Jianhe, and the entire incident was not basically pacified until the end of June. After an incident in one region was handled, similar incidents