Symbol of China’s rural democracy: five years of struggle in Wukan land grab protests
Over the past five years, protests in the remote village of Wukan, Guangdong province, have made headline news around the world.
The village has emerged as a symbol of China’s rural democracy as residents staged demonstrations against illegal land seizures and corruption.
WATCH: Wukan in police lockdown after clashes
Many Chinese villages have been victimised by corrupt land deals caused by rapid urbanisation and non-transparent land laws, but their inhabitants’ plight has rarely been heard by the world.
However, now the authorities have resumed their heavy-handed crackdown on dissent.
WATCH: Riot police clash with Wukan villagers
Here we take a look back at the pivotal moments of the long-running dispute.
September 21, 2011
Protests begin as thousands of villagers from Wukan crowd the streets in front of Lufeng city’s municipal government offices and the police station to call on the government to handle the land and election disputes, triggered by allegations of land seizures and corruption. Clashes with police lead to dozens of people being injured.
September to November
Without a consensus being reached between government officials and villages, Wukan residents continue to stage protests and organise a mass rally. Violence erupts on several occasions between the police and villagers, leading to hundreds of Wukan residents staging a mass demonstration outside the Lufeng government offices demanding the return of their land, a crackdown on graft and the replacement of corrupt officials.
December 9
Conflicts intensify as the Shanwei city government holds a press conference and says it has responded to all the reasonable demands of Wukan villages.
Five leading protesters, including Xue Jinbo, Hong Ruichao and Zhuang Liehong, are arrested and some village organisations are ruled illegal by local authorities.
WATCH: Chinese official tries to smash journalists’ cameras while being asked over Wukan village chief’s arrest
December 11
Lufeng officials announce the death of Xue, 42, from a “heart attack” three days after his detention. Xue’s family challenges the claim, which sparks another round of protests and leads to police blocking off access to Wukan village.
Late December
Zhu Mingguo, then deputy party chief of Guangdong, is appointed head of a working group to resolve the Wukan dispute and holds a meeting with Lin Zuluan. Zhu promises to release the remaining detained villagers, reinvestigate the cause of Xue’s death and halt the crackdown on villagers.
Two days later, Zhang Jiancheng and two other detained villagers are released on bail, awaiting trial, marking the end of the stand-off between villagers and the authorities.
February and March 2012
Wukan villagers elect a new village chief, Lin Zuluan, along with 106 other village representatives. A new village committee is also formed. The voter turnout is at least 80 per cent, mainland media reports.
January 2014
Protest leader Zhuang Liehong, worried about becoming the target of a crackdown by authorities, flees to the United States where he seeks political asylum.
March
November
WATCH: Arrested Wukan village chief’s wife describes overnight grab of her husband
June 18, 2016
July 21
September 8
September 13
Most Wukan villagers reject the court’s decision. More than 10 people are arrested in clashes as police fire tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters.
