Peking University Law Professor specialized in forensics, Sun Dongdong, told China News Weekly on March 23 that 99% of China's petitioners (zh) are mentally ill and that he support for forced hospitalization of them.
Update (April 8, 2009 @ 8:00): Internet monitor center issued a notice to webmasters of portals and forums instructing them to delete action call but not general comments and posts (via twitpic):
Translation of the memo:
All information and posts that incite, organize, plan and network for action in related to “Sun Dongdong's comments” should be deleted. No special measure for general comments and news. Don't manage and deal with non-action call information. Remember this! Please sign to receive this.
Another update (April 8, 2009 @ 7:30): There is an e-mail calling for joint signature to urge the Ministry of Health to disqualify Sun's expert status.
Who is mentally sick?
Update (April 8, 2009 @ 6:30) : Last weekend, some visit petitioners in Beijing, gathered outside the West Gate of Peking University to show their discontent. Police was there to maintain order, there were no conflict. So who is mentally sick? The petitioners made their point with their action (picture via 163.com):
Psychiatry with Chinese characteristics?
Here are some of Sun's words in the article pick up by Gen Wen from China News Weekly:
对那些老上访专业户，我负责任地说，不说100%吧，至少99%以上精神有问题——都是偏执型精神障碍!
他们为了实现一个妄想症状可以抛家舍业，不惜一切代价上访。你们可以去调查那些很偏执地上访的人。他反映的问题实际上都解决了，甚至根本就没有问题。
把他（们）送到医院就是（对他们人权的）最大的保障。
In order to actualize a paranoia, they can give up their family and pay visit petition at all cost. You can do the investigation on the paranoid petitioners, the problem that they put forward had been solved, there aren't any problem at all.
To send them to hospital is the greatest protection (on their human rights).
The blogger pointed out that Sun's comment is closed to fascism. His judgment was shared by many netizens and Sun was forced issued an apology (zh) via chinanews.com on April 6:
Some of the content [of what I said in the magazine] was inappropriate, and brought forth controversy and misunderstandings. I deeply regret this. If some of the content hurt some people’s feelings, then I wish to extend my deepest apologies. I also truly hope that they [petitioners] would be able to go through legal channels to solve their issues.
Explain your position please!
However, not so many people buy his apology as he didn't further explain his words. Beifeng posted an open letter to Sun from Weng Yenhai from Aizhixing Institute of Health Education in Beijing:
1、难道仅仅是“语言表述不当”吗？如果你认为是语言表述不当，那么能否现在详细地阐述一下你对相关上访者和精神疾病关系的立场？你对上访者、上访专业户、老上访专业户究竟如何看待？你认为哪些人患有“偏执型精神病”？你认为应该如何对待上访者？如何对待上访者中的精神病患者？我认为，你如果发表一个谴责滥用精神病学迫害上访者的声明，你会得到原谅的。
2、人们对你有“误解”吗？在哪里误解你了？
另外，人们普遍关心你作为我国精神卫生立法工作的专家在立场工作中的立场和意见。能否给大众说明一下？说明一下在你中国精神卫生立法中的工作职责和你对不同问题的立场意见。
请说明。此信函抄送两个我经常使用的邮件组。
2. Have people misunderstood you? Where exactly they have misinterpreted you?
Moreover, people are concerned about your position and opinion as a expert in legislation work regarding Psychiatry. So please spell it out. I have copied this letter to two email group.
Animal Professor
In ifeng's discussion thread, there are more than 9884 comments on Sun Dongdong's incident, here are some of the top comments:
From Chongqin city posted on April 3 with 5635 supporters:
孙东东教授肯定精神有问题，要不怎么会提出这样的没有常识、没有人性、没有的问题？！！！真是“臭不要脸”。
From Shandong posted on April 3 with 2705 supporters:
别胡扯了，99％的上访者都是有冤屈得不到妥善的解决。这个黑暗混乱的社会，在农村的不公平事件尤为严重，农村大多数穷的要命，而干部们却腐败横行，帐务混乱，土地乱卖。腐败如此下去，中华民族确实就没有希望了、、、、、、、、、
From China posted on April 3 with 1760 supporters:
天呀！！！这就是北大教兽！！！
From Shenzhen posted on April 3 with 1131 supporters:
孙东东医治精神病多了,他自已也是精神病了。现在社会贫富不均而且差距大,加上个别政府机构为所欲为。社会不公现象严重存在,特别是基层老百姓。不经家属同意将上访人员强制送医院是违法行为。
From Jiansu posted on April 3 with 994 supporters:
中国有如此教授，真让人莫名惊诧。
“公安部信访办:绝大多数上访者诉求是有道理的”（2009年03月12日 14:16中国青年报）
According to China Youth daily, 12 of March, 2009. The Police Petition Bureau said that most of the petitioners have their reason in their demand.
From Liaoling posted on April 3 with 948 supporters:
我看应该首先将这个狗庇孙东东送入精神病院吊打三天！！！
Sun on Melamine: Don't create trouble
Actually this is not the first time that Sun Dongdong stood out to defend government policy. During the Melamine poisonous milk incident, he said the government had no flaw in dealing with the problem and criticized media and netizens for blaming the government (via Tianya Sept 2008):
我想大家关注很正常，我们社会需要有责任感的人，但是有时候媒体、网友关注的偏，偏在也走得极端，上来先想怎么索赔。我觉得首先应该先找原因。另外一个没有必要去给有关部门找麻烦，你现在麻烦找得越多，越去质疑什么的，可能不利于事情的解决。
There were 8255 comments in the post and a majority of was criticizing Sun.