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Mimi Lau

Hundreds of villagers on the outskirts of Guangzhou have occupied the local village government building for nearly a week, putting the administration in limbo.
At least 300 people from Haibang, a village of 4,000 in Shiqi town, Panyu district, have gathered outside the entrance and ground floor of the two-storey government building.

"We are not occupying the village office; we are only here for an explanation about our land. Officials are free to go in and out, it's just that none of them have the courage to face us," said a 40-year-old villager who declined to be named.
Another villager said: "We did not go in their offices or vandalise. We even clean up after ourselves every day."
Villagers say Chen Zhiwen , the Haibang village party secretary, and his subordinates have failed to turn up for work since they first occupied the building on Monday. Senior level government officials have yet to intervene.
The activism came after Haibang village chief Guo Yinmei filed an official graft report against Chen last month, accusing him of renting valuable land collectively owned by villagers to the Jia Shi property development company. Chen is accused of offering the land at below-market rates and failing to disclosure the rental contract details or obtain full consent from the villagers.
A key stakeholder in Jia Shi, with 22.5 per cent of the shares, is Chen's brother-in-law, according to villagers.
It was also rumoured Chen's brother is a senior official in Panyu district government. Villagers said Chen, who has been Haibang's party chief since 2002, was appointed by the town government, and Chen's father occupied the party boss position for more than 10 years in the past.
According to local newspapers, Shiqi's anti-graft watchdog determined that Guo's allegations were "inaccurate". The land was rented at market prices and the rental contracts were in order, it said.
Villagers began meeting in March to discuss ways to sack Chen and dissolve rental contracts for two pieces of land next to Asian Games Town after Jia Shi failed to pay rent on time.
According to villagers, Chen then threatened they would have to pay more than 10 million yuan (HK$12.55 million) in damages if they dissolved the contracts.
Villagers demanded Chen appear at village meetings but he failed to show.
"We grow angrier every day as Chen continues to ignore us, so we gathered outside the government office, demanding an explanation. It's all voluntary," said a 37-year-old villager.
Villagers said local media had distorted the facts by reporting Guo had mobilised the villagers in a bid to overturn Chen for her own gain.
"I have been a party member since 2003," said Guo, who was directly elected as an official by more than 2,500 voters in Haibang village three years ago. She previously served in the Panyu district People's Congress .
"I stand before the people in times of difficulty … I must be loyal to my party and tell the truth."
 


Guangdong villagers challenge party chief over land deal

Villagers at the local government building. Photo: Mimi Lau

News

China

About 300 residents in Guangdong village block local government building for a fifth day, after party boss rents their land to a company


Hundreds of villagers on the outskirts of Guangzhou have occupied the local village government building for nearly a week, putting the administration in limbo.


Guangdong villagers challenge party chief over land deal

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}About 300 residents in Guangdong village block local government building for a fifth day, after party boss rents their land to a company

About 300 residents in Guangdong village block local government building for a fifth day, after party boss rents their land to a company