30 people arrested as relocation issue seethes

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-11-21  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

POLICE arrested 30 people involved in a violent protest in northwest China's Gansu Province, a local official said at a press conference in Longnan City yesterday.

A group of more than 30 petitioners, who opposed a resettlement project in the Wudu District of Longnan City, initiated the protest on Monday. Eventually, more than 2,000 people became involved.

The situation is now under control in Wudu, but not before protesters burned and smashed local government buildings, said Li Xuechun, the city's deputy Party chief.

In all, 110 rooms and 22 vehicles were destroyed in the two-day protest. Damage is estimated at more than 5 million yuan (US$731,000) but that could go higher as workers assess damages to their personal belongings.

Outlets of the city's industry and commerce federation, trade unions federation and Party discipline inspection committee received the most damage. Some staff had to be relocated to continue work, Li said.

Police initially detained 110 people for the violence, but later released 80 of them.

A total of 71 police officers and three journalists from the Gansu provincial TV station were injured in the unrest. Most of them have been discharged after hospital treatment.

"Ten police officers and one journalist, who were injured by flying stones, bricks and wine bottles, are being treated in the hospital, but they are all in a stable condition," said Li.

More than 30 residents in Dongjiang Town, Wudu District, who faced resettlement, gathered at the city's government building about 9:30am on Monday, asking authorities for solutions concerning their farmland, housing and livelihoods.

The local government's relocation plan has yet to be approved by the central government. Details of that plan, including where and why the residents had to be resettled, have not been released.

Some protesters talked with city officials on Monday but failed to reach any agreement.