Kazakh judge goes the extra mile to help ethnic villagers
DATE:2016-02-19 SOURCE:China Daily
By Wu Yan (www.cnchemicals.com)Updated: 2016-02-18 10:08
Mauken holds a temporary court at a villager''s home in July, 2015. [Photo provided to www.cnchemicals.com]
On the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Monkey, Mauken Habdel viewed the files of legal cases at his desk in the office of the Qiakuertu village committee in Fuyun county, Altay prefecture, in Northwest China''s Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
As an upper-level cadre dispatched to this remote and underdeveloped village, he was on duty during the Spring Festival holiday. Unlike other regions of China, populated by lively Han people celebrating the festival, the village, with more than 98 percent of residents being ethnic Kazakhs who have their own culture, was very quiet.
Mauken, 30, also a Kazakh, works as a judge in Fuyun County People''s Court. In March, 2014, he moved to Qiakuertu village to help deal with legal affairs, among others for residence, in Qiakuertu town, Dure township and Kalabulegen township.
"Villagers are willing to seek help from us in almost every aspect of their life," said Mauken. There are other three cadres who work and live in the village forming a grass-roots level working group helping local people improve their livelihood.
"For those problems we can solve, we will do it as soon as possible, while for those we can''t, we will report them to higher level governmental organs. At least, we can give them an answer," he said.
He once helped a sick villager demand payment from a debtor.
In Sept, 2014, Mauken judged a debt case which decided the defendant should pay back money to the plaintiff. However, the defendant delayed payment, while the plaintiff waited for the money to treat his illness.
Mauken went to the defendant''s home and told him about legal liabilities he may take on, including paying an extra 890 yuan ($136) in deferred payment interest, if he did not fulfill his obligations. The defendant then realized the serious outcome of a default.
The plaintiff got his money the same day and was sent to hospital in Urumqi, the regional capital, the following day.
"Where people need me is where I will go and set up a court", said Mauken. Some residents, especially herdsmen and farmers, work during the daytime and return home in the evening.
"For their convenience, sometimes, a temporary court will be set up at their homes in the evening, on weekends or on holidays", he said.
Apart from solving legal disputes, Mauken also promotes legal knowledge among local people after realizing they lack legal awareness.
Mauken gives students a lecture at the Husbandry Boarding Primary and Middle School of Qiakuertu Town in May, 2015. [Photo provided to www.cnchemicals.com]
Locals often drive motorcycles after drinking alcohol and Mauken innovatively takes a model court into school classrooms, hoping students will urge their parents to avoid drunk driving.
He also gives free legal consultations and lectures to anyone in need. Last year he did such work 65 times.
His work is meaningful but it once placed him in a dilemma.
At night on Dec 9, 2015, he received a call from his father who said that his wife was about to give birth to his second child prematurely.
The village that Mauken works in is more than 100 km from his home in Fuyun county. At that time of night there was no public transport running and he had several cases to be heard in court during the next few days.
To ensure that the hearings went well, he decided to stay in the village and turn over the hearings to another judge. The following morning he asked for leave, according to regulations, before taking the bus to see his wife.
"When I arrived at the hospital, my father told me that my child was delivered at 4 am," Mauken said, his voice choked with emotion.
Mauken''s two years work in Qiakuertu village will end on Feb 20. Though he may not go back to the village in the future, he still cares about the local people and holds a positive view on the development of the village.
"When the construction of the local organizations become complete and sound, the villagers will not rely on targeted supportive policies and dispatched cadres like me", he said. "Whenever they have a problem, it will be addressed in time then."
Mauken holds a temporary court in the Qiakuertu village committee building in July, 2015. [Photo provided to www.cnchemicals.com]