Maybe this could be a good episode in the newly launched anti-corruption game. Translated from Yulun Jiandu:
Same story line as what has happened in various parts of the country: farmers found their land lost to cadres, who were mining the iron ores under the farms. People fought to stop the mining, and efforts came to no avail but eventually invited trouble onto themselves. Riot police descended upon the unarmed innocents, many of whom left their homes behind. Thugs were hired to issue threats.
There seemed a ray of hope though in early 2004, when the former village party secretary Li Peijiang (ÊùéÂüπʱü) was “fired” by the township government of Cuijiayu (Â¥îÂÆ∂Â≥™) at Yishui (Ê≤ÇÊ∞¥) County in Shandong Province. This came after villagers filed complaints that Li was stealing the iron ores under people’s farms and damaging the land. Over one million yuan was claimed to have been stolen in the shallow-surface mine.
It turns out, however, the firing was a sham. Li kept at his business as usual. It also turns out that township government was supportive of the mining, and villagers soon learned that some officials, even those from the county, had stakes in the business too. The fight soon proved a failure, and even though farmers forced mining operations to stop for a while, local police put several people on their wanted list and sent 30 families fleeing. A couple of people, who participated in the “violence,” were arrested.
Township officials tried to persuade villagers to back off. One came to the village with an agreement, which “leases” the 100 mu of “wild land” to the government and the miners, many of whom are officials themselves. A debate ensued, and the township envoy “excused” himself to the bathroom but tried to run away. He got roped up by the villagers.
The same night, a group of unidentified guys rounded up the farmers and, wielding chopping blades and steel clubs, advised the people not to intervene in the business of mining. Soon, the steel-clad gates of a couple of families were destroyed as a threat.
Many rounds of petitioning have produced no result. Things look as broken as the damaged farms and the door facades. [Full Text in Chinese]
[Image: farms destroyed in the wake of mining iron, a villager’s iron-clad gate was cut with 14 openings as a threat]
