Society

Officials fired after township protests

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-07-23 07:29

NANJING - Relocation projects have been suspended and two government officials fired after 1,000 people protested for four consecutive days last week over abuses by local authorities in land compensation cases in East China's Jiangsu province.

Party and government leaders in Tong'an township in Suzhou city, Jiangsu province, were dismissed after protesters gathered at the town headquarters from July 15 to 18, according to a statement on Wednesday from the government of Huqiu district, which administers Tong'an.

Protesters were demanding higher compensation for their land which had been acquired by government officials who sought to build industrial parks, the statement said.

Some villagers reportedly clashed with officials, smashing furniture and windows in the building.

Protesters also massed on a nearby highway and blocked traffic, but were later dispersed by police, the statement added.

Protesters sought additional compensation on the grounds that payments they received before 2008 were less than those currently being paid, accusing officials of having withheld some of their money, according to the local government.

However, the statement failed to explain the disparity in compensation payments or address the charges against officials.

The dismissed officials, according to the statement, were guilty of mishandling "public appeals and dereliction of duty when following land compensation standards".

In the statement, the district government vowed to raise the living standards of villagers, who had been relocated since 2003 and lost their farmland when the project began.

It also promised to provide villagers with at least 1,000 jobs each year.

Land-use rights and property disputes have become a major source of discontent in China, as the country grapples with a growing income gap.