Creation: Historical Materialism Group of the Proletarian Liberation Struggle Association
On the morning of July 22nd at 9:00, the second trial of the case “Man rapes sister-in-law and stabs her to death after release” was held at the Huining County People’s Court in Yunnan Province. Such a heinous case, it is expected that the defendant will be severely sentenced in court, but the result given by the second trial of the Intermediate Court is an unclear “the collegial panel announced a recess, and the case will be announced at a later date,” which is very strange. A simple review of the relevant situation reveals that the criminal Tian Yongming in this case has committed numerous crimes and has been unjustly pardoned multiple times, which makes people even more puzzled and angry. This person, after holding a knife and raping sister-in-law Zhao Moumou in 1995, wanted to kill and silence her (based solely on these two crimes, in socialist China, he should have been publicly tried and executed), but when he was arrested that year, the first trial sentenced him to only 9 years for multiple crimes of rape and attempted murder. Even more absurd is that this attempted murderer and rapist received a 3-year reduction and was released from prison in 2002. Four months after release, Tian Yongming again held a knife and attempted to kill Zhao Moumou, injuring her lightly, and also stabbed and killed the “model citizen” village cadre Liu Mingfu, then fled for 20 years until he was captured in 2022. The result of this trial, despite multiple crimes including rape, murder, multiple attempted murders, and fleeing, was only a death sentence with a reprieve. This persistent leniency towards the murderer has long been a form of ongoing harm to the victim. Even more outrageous is that in 2023, Liu Lianggang, the son of the murdered village cadre Liu Mingfu, demanded compensation of 1.32 million yuan from the victim Zhao Moumou, claiming that “she has never received any compensation or restitution.” Without any clear legal support, the Huining County People’s Court surprisingly filed a case! This case, which has lasted over thirty years, not only fully exposes the essence of the reactionary government of Zhongxiu sheltering and protecting criminals, but also reveals the shameless reactionary face of Zhongxiu’s repression of women.
Why is it that a criminal who should have been sentenced to death is given a light sentence? Some petty bourgeoisie say it is because “Southwest China is the stronghold of abolition of the death penalty,” and the personal bias of the judge led to Tian Yongming not being sentenced to immediate death; some brain-dead subordinates say it is because “sister-in-law falsely accused, and evidence of rape was insufficient, so the sentence was light.” These claims are all wrong. Law in a class society is always the law of a particular class, usually serving the ruling class. Therefore, ultimately, the severity of sentencing in each case is determined by the interests of the ruling class. Zhongxiu is the most reactionary state of bureaucratic monopoly capitalism, and if workers kill judges due to unjust verdicts, shaking Zhongxiu’s rule, they will inevitably be sentenced to immediate death. But if the children of local leaders cruelly throw their classmates down the stairs to kill them, the Zhongxiu government, in order to protect the successors of bureaucratic monopoly capital, will not only refuse to arrest him but also claim it was a suicide. In this case, Tian Yongming’s repeated crimes of attempted murder and rape, yet he was able to be released with a light sentence, is because the Zhongxiu government and Tian Yongming share the same stance, and also oppress and exploit women. Like other capitalist countries, Zhongxiu treats women as a reserve army of industry, deliberately lowering women’s wages, and using feminine products like sanitary pads to impose heavy “blood taxes” on them, forcing them to work harder, increasing unemployment among the proletariat. As a fascist state of the most reactionary bureaucratic monopoly capitalism, to suppress the people’s resistance, it crazily promotes all kinds of pornographic arts, attempting to establish a gang of reactionary foot soldiers filled with bourgeois ideology to suppress women’s resistance, divide the masses, and maintain their rule forever. Therefore, criminals like Tian Yongming, rapists, and murderers, will never threaten Zhongxiu’s rule; instead, they are reactionary elements that cruelly oppress women while uniting with the government. Zhongxiu will never punish him. This is the truth behind Tian Yongming’s light sentence: it is the result of the reactionary government of Zhongxiu sheltering reactionary male chauvinists and oppressing women.
However, for Zhao Moumou, not only will the Zhongxiu government not help her socially, but her husband Tian Moumou will not help her at home either; instead, he also cruelly oppresses her. Tian Moumou does not see his wife as a person, but merely as his private property. After Tian Yongming raped Zhao Moumou, Tian Moumou did not stand up for justice for his wife but instead, under the banner of “family shame should not be spread outside,” tried to reconcile with the rapist, only wanting Tian Yongming to kneel before them and for Tian Moumou to “vent a little.” If the rape of his wife was not regarded as an infringement on his property, as a loss to himself, why would he only want to “vent” and be done? If he did not see his wife as his private property, and felt that her being raped was a shame that reflected poorly on him, how could he think it was “family shame should not be spread outside”? This extremely reactionary and disgusting rhetoric not only exposes Tian Moumou’s male chauvinist stance but also reveals what kind of life Zhao Moumou has at home. Although the article does not directly mention Zhao Moumou’s life, being treated as an object, can there be any happiness? The recent second trial further exposes the true face of this reactionary patriarch. When Tian Moumou was interviewed by the media, he claimed to say things like “not forgiving,” “I also want him to be sentenced to death… my wife doesn’t have to fear him retaliating anymore,” seemingly considering his wife. But his subsequent words betray that he has long forgiven Tian Yongming: “If sentenced to death with a reprieve, I can’t do anything about it. Just stay alive, brother, after so many years, I’ve become numb, leave it to the court to decide.” This sentence clearly shows that he aligns with the stance of the Zhongxiu government and Tian Yongming. No one treats Zhao Moumou as an independent person, with dignity, but as a slave, sex tool, and private property. Therefore, they cannot bring justice to Zhao Moumou or ensure that Tian Yongming receives the punishment he deserves.
But the persecution of Zhao Moumou did not stop there. As mentioned at the beginning, during the second attempt by Tian Yongming to kill Zhao Moumou, village cadre Liu Mingfu passed by and was killed. The Zhongxiu government declared his death as “righteous act.” As a result, Liu Mingfu’s son Liu Lianggang used this as an excuse to demand 1.32 million yuan in compensation, claiming that “she has never received any compensation or restitution.” Although Liu Lianggang exaggerated his theft, claiming “compensation is not my main purpose in suing her,” and that “the civil lawsuit against Zhao Moumou is mainly to restore justice for the ‘Tian Yongming case’,” if it were not for money, why would he demand compensation from the victim Zhao Moumou? If Liu Lianggang truly sought “justice,” he would demand severe punishment for the criminal, but after Tian Yongming was sentenced to a death sentence with a reprieve, Liu Lianggang himself missed the time to file an appeal with the procuratorate, and he did not pursue “justice.” Even if Zhao Moumou did not financially support Liu Lianggang and his family (which is not true—she gave 300 yuan to Liu’s family, helped with farm work for a day, and said she wanted to help Liu Mingfu’s children pay tuition), but isn’t the so-called righteous act supposed to be for “justice,” not for money? Demanding compensation after rescuing someone from a robber is like asking the rescued person for money—that’s robbery. However, the previously passive Huining County People’s Court suddenly became active when Liu Lianggang sued, immediately filing a case. But what crime did Zhao Moumou commit that requires her to pay Liu Lianggang? Even more reactionary is that the Zhongxiu government not only supports such robbery activities in practice but has also legally legalized them. Article 183 of the Civil Code states: “Where a person suffers damage in the course of protecting the civil rights of others, the tortfeasor shall bear civil liability; the beneficiary may provide appropriate compensation.” “If there is no tortfeasor, or the tortfeasor escapes or is unable to bear civil liability, the victim’s request for compensation shall be appropriately addressed.” Although not all “righteous acts” involve women, in China, where perverts are everywhere, working women are undoubtedly the most vulnerable to sexual assault and harm. After being “helped,” they can still be extorted by “righteous heroes,” and often return home to find a husband like Tian Moumou who does not see his wife as a person. Such a life has no way out. The reactionary collusion of the ruling class results in Zhao Moumou having to bury her grievances, shame, anger, and despair in her heart. In news interviews, only a few words from Zhao Moumou were recorded, including her tearful memory: “Don’t mention it, I can’t take it anymore,” and “I don’t want to see Tian Mouming, I hope he gets the death penalty.” Over the past thirty years, how many sleepless nights has Zhao Moumou endured because of the oppression by Tian Moumou, Tian Yongming, Liu Lianggang, and the reactionary Zhongxiu government? How many irreparable wounds have been left in her heart? But in the reactionary fascist dictatorship of China, Zhao Moumou will never be able to turn over. Whether in family, state, or among so-called “righteous heroes,” women like Zhao Moumou who are oppressed can never truly be liberated. However, “the hope for salvation has not been lost… the rule of landlords and capitalists will not last long.”[1] China has not historically been a paradise for bourgeoisie and male chauvinist reactionaries. On the contrary, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party in the past, women could fight for their own liberation just like men. During the land revolution war, women in Lehui County, Hainan Province, broke free from old family shackles under the leadership of the Party, took up guns, and formed the Women’s Detachment of the Second Independent Division of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army, achieving great military merits. After the founding of the People’s Republic, the broad masses of women, under Chairman Mao’s call, launched revolutionary campaigns against Confucianism and old ideas, and many outstanding Communist Party members emerged among women. China’s revolutionary history has fully proved that phenomena like Zhao Moumou’s powerlessness and oppression are not eternal. As long as there is a revolutionary Marxist line and a proletarian revolutionary party like the Chinese Communist Party, which always speaks up for oppressed women, and makes them understand that only the Marxist revolutionary path is the only way out, enabling them to liberate themselves, the many mountains pressing down on women can be overthrown!
Stalin, “In Memory of Lenin” ↩︎