Zhejiang: police raid against farmers victimised by land confiscation
Last Monday night police barged into people’s homes, dragged them out of bed, and took some away, an eyewitness told Radio Free Asia. “They detained four or five people [. . .] without any evidence against them,” saying “they were the ringleaders.”
The problems began in 2007 when approximately 160 mu (about 11 hectares) of farmland in Chanzhong village, situated near an airport, was expropriated by the Haibin township government for a development project, without the prior consent of or compensation for the affected villagers.
The listing price for the land was 1.38 million yuan (US$ 184,000), but to date each villager has received only about 400 yuan (US$ 53), villagers said.
More than 4,000 villagers have jointly petitioned against the land deal and demanded a review of the transaction.
When a construction crew began surveying the land, the villagers set up round-the-clock surveillance in a bid to prevent the crew from working.
After the police raid, some 200 villagers went back to the disputed land but were outnumbered five to one by construction workers, policemen and thugs. Many protesters were hurt after scuffles broke out.
So far police has not commented on the affair, except to say that its duty is to protect ongoing construction.
According to Interior Ministry figures, some 87,000 incidents occurred last year involving residents and the authorities as a result of economic disputes like forced expropriations and unfair compensation.
Frustrated by their treatment farmers tend to take to the streets in defence of their rights and their family’s livelihood against local authorities but usually do so without assistance from police or the legal system.
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