Posted on 12/13/2005 8:18:17 AM PST by ZayYa
On December 10, the official state media finally broke the silence and confessed that Shanwei villagers were shot at by police and that the official who ordered fire was arrested.
CCP Media Conceals the True Casualty Toll
Four days after the incident on December 6, the Chinese official media reported the incident, but admitted to only three villagers being shot dead. This is at odds with reports from local villagers who said that dozens had died in the shooting.
CCP mouthpiece, Xinghua News Agency, quoted a Shanwei municipal official who described the nature of the incident as "a serious illegal event, incited by a few persons, of breaking, smashing, burning and even attacking the police who are enforcing the law at the scene." The agency also claimed that as many as 500 people had gathered and that the situation was totally out of control after nightfall.
Xinhua said that the villagers attacked the armed police using explosives, which prompted the police to open fire. The police "accidentally" shot three people dead and injured eight while firing their guns as a warning.
The Xinghua Net reported that, "Under the particularly urgent circumstances at the time, the on-the-spot official mishandled the situation and accidentally caused death and injury. The procuratorial agency of Shanwei City has already arrested the related official on criminal charges according to the law as it relates to this incident."
Reports as to the actual death toll vary. Voice of America (VOA) reported that local villagers said more than 20 residents were shot dead by the police and more than 50 people were missing. Agence France Presse (AFP), quoting villagers, said that approximately 30 people had died. The Epoch Times and some Hong Kong media reported that some villagers said at least 70 had died and 50 people were missing.
According to a Sound of Hope Radio report, the government not only arranged for tanks to occupy the village, but also ordered that machine guns be set up ready to strafe villagers on the street at anytime. It seems the best estimate of the death toll so far stands at 70. Most of the dead were young people in their twenties.
The Police Shot an Injured Villager When He Begged for His Life
According to Hong Kong media reports, the cause of the conflict is over land compensation. In order to build a power plant, the Shanwei municipal authorities appropriated a large section of farmers' land in Dongzhou Town and also forbade villagers from catching or raising fish in a nearby lake. The government officials also appropriated the money intended to compensate the villagers. Since last October, there have been continuous demonstrations outside the construction site of the power plant. The villagers also appealed to related government agencies since May 2005, hoping to resolve this issue. However, they did not see any progress in their claims. Since September 21, 2005 the villagers escalated their protest and began blocking the roads on which the power plant's vehicles made their way to the plant.
On December 6, authorities in Shanwei City sent about 1,000 military and riot police to the power plant and detained some representatives of the villagers, which then led to a demonstration by thousands of villagers. People from nearby villages also came to show their support. The military police fired tear gas at them. Then the police shot and killed some of the villagers.
According to a report from the Apple Daily on December 10, Chen, a villager who escaped from the tragedy said, "It was so brutal. One villager was shot in the leg. He kneeled down to beg for his life. But they dragged him over to a pile of grass and shot him twice…"
According to the villagers, the military police reported that they did not open fire. But the villagers had collected many cartridge cases imprinted with the numbers "91" and "61". These cartridges are believed to be from submachine guns.
Related articles:
After Massacre Terror Continues in Chinese Village
Shanwei Shootings: Photos from Shanwei
Shanwei Shooting: Photo Gallery
Bloody Suppression of Farmers in Shanwei; 70 People Shot to Death by Police
Chinese Police Shoot Villagers, 33 Dead, Over 20 Missing
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Latest article:
 Chinese Intellectuals Condemn S. China ShootingsTuesday, December 13, 2005 9:40:00 PM
Chinese intellectuals have demanded an inquiry after police shot and killed protesters in a south China village, comparing the violence to the military crackdown on Tiananmen Square demonstrators in 1989. Full Story
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Communism is still on the march.
Nothing has changed in China in the past 16 years. The only surprise is why some people are shocked. This is the same Communist Totalitarian Prizon it has been since 1949.
If that does not work, simply claim they were smokers, and polluted the local rivers.
Just a little "friendly" reminder from the ChiComs ......
Unless you're a member of the ruling class.
This won't be highlighted in the liberal media. They're too busy falling over themselves over the gay movies.
Are you trying to suggest that Tienanmen Square wasn't just an aberration? I'm shocked! (end sarcasm)
Kelo vs People's Liberation Army. Souter rules in favor of the commies.
They're too busy promoting here the same agenda that rules communist China, thats what they're busy at.
"Communism just hasn't been applied correctly yet."
"True communism is a beautiful thing."
Just a couple of fevered comments from the left that I've read in the past.
Yeah, there isn't much in terms of Property Rights in this country anymore.
Ouch!
Ahh our wonderful free trade partners..
Somehow I don't think CBSNBCABC are going to make this their lead story anytime soon.
That's is such a good cartoon. So sad, but so true.
A Waco redux? Or, AKA, coming to an imminent domain taking near you.
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