(4) Peter Simpson, Wukan: Protests Across South China as Riot Police Take on Demonstrators in Haimen: Riot police fired tear-gas and beat demonstrators who stormed government buildings in Haimen, a major town in southern China on Tuesday – just 75 miles from the rebel village of Wukan. Daily Telegraph, Dec 20, 2011. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ ... tors-in-Haimen.html
Quote:
"Demonstrators are claiming a 15-year-old boy had been killed and more than 100 others badly beaten by riot police, but this has yet to be confirmed.
"The Haimen riots broke out Tuesday morning – at the same time village chiefs from neighbouring small communities meet in Wukan. They [village chiefs] warned senior Communist Party officials the government faces a wilder revolt if they crack down too hard on restive communities. * * * The caution comes as worried officials desperately seek an eleventh-hour cancellation of a potentially combustible protest on Wednesday on local Communist Party government offices. * * * Lin [Zuluan, village representative,] has agreed to meet with vice-Party Secretary of the province, Zhu Minggao in the village ahead of the planned march tomorrow morning.
"Residents in Wukan also [besides a planned Wednesday march to Lufeng] appeared to be widely embracing democracy--in particular an elected village council--just as they continue to stress that they support China's ruling Communist Party
"hile residents insisted their goals are peaceful, they also appeared to address the risks of provoking higher-level authorities. 'The men will be at thr front [of the march, substituting an earlier plan that wemne and children would be in front],' said one girl in high school, who said she wouldn't attend classes Wednesday and would attend the march instead.
"Local officials appeared to be movin more aggresively Monday to ease tensions with villagers. * * * Communist Party and government leaders from neighboring villages traveled to Wukan for talks with its elected leadership * * * on an open-air stage.
My comment: You may want to read the reportm, whose second half (starting with the last quotation above) is somewhat important.
"Though the rebellion is limited to one village, it has attracted widespread attention and proven a humbling rebuff to the ruling Communist Party, which values stability above all else.
"Residents said they received a text message from the government, citing conciliatory comments from Guangdong's deputy Communist Party boss Zhu Mingguo. 'One, the people's pleas are reasonable. Some departments, in their work, do indeed have some problems. Two, the majority's aggressive actions can be understood and forgiven; we will not pursue any responsibility,' the text read.
My comment: 广东省委副书记朱明国. I wonder if (4) above misspelled his given name or "ZHU Minggao" is another person.
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Drafts of reports to be published in print TOMORROW, suggesting pace quickens.