How are local officials pressured to meet controversial cremation targets?

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Local Officials Faced Pressure to Meet Cremation Quotas Through Illicit Means

Local officials in Guangdong province, China, resorted to purchasing corpses from grave robbers to fulfil government-mandated cremation quotas. This situation arose due to intense pressure to meet targets, leading to officials He and Dong engaging in the illegal procurement of bodies. The demand for cremations was driven by a government campaign to encourage the practice, ostensibly to conserve land for agriculture and development, which clashed with traditional burial customs deeply rooted in ancestor worship and beliefs about the afterlife.
Official Responsibility and Pressure to Comply

Officials He and Dong were directly involved in managing funeral reform initiatives within their respective towns. They were tasked with ensuring a minimum number of cremations were carried out. This responsibility placed them under significant pressure to meet the quotas set by higher authorities. The reported instances of residents secretly burying their deceased relatives to circumvent regulations further exacerbated the challenge for these officials, highlighting a growing resistance to the cremation policy.
Financial Transactions for Illicit Procurement

To meet their targets, the officials turned to purchasing bodies from individuals involved in grave robbing. Dong reportedly paid 3,000 yuan for each of the 10 bodies he acquired. He, on the other hand, paid half this amount for an unspecified number of corpses. These transactions demonstrate a direct financial incentive for the illicit trade in human remains, driven by the officials' need to demonstrate compliance with cremation policies.
Societal Resistance to Cremation Policies

The government's push for cremation has encountered widespread opposition across China. Deep-seated cultural beliefs favour traditional burials, with many people adhering to the conviction that an intact body is essential for a peaceful transition to the afterlife. This cultural resistance has manifested in various ways, including families actively trying to bypass regulations and, in some reported cases, elderly individuals choosing to commit suicide to avoid new burial restrictions, as seen in Anhui province. The demolition of graves for land development, such as the 400,000 graves flattened in Henan province in 2012, has also provoked significant public outcry.

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How are local officials pressured to meet controversial cremation targets?

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