CANTON - A bloody conflict between police and farmers in Dalang village of Huangpu in Canton, or Guangdong, province over government land policy has left more than a dozen farmers injured.

Hundreds of farmers angry with the village government committee for failing to pay for government-condemned property were refusing to sell their land, resulting in confrontation between the farmers and nearly 1,000 armed police. Police reportedly kicked and hit the farmers with sticks, and used water cannons and tear gas to disperse them, leaving more than a dozen farmers receiving head injuries.

According to the Hong Kong-based Apple Daily, nearly 1,000 armed police and security officers arrived in Dalang Village at about 7 a.m. on Sept. 24 to force the farmers to vacate their land. The police came with 30 fire trucks, protective shields and tear gas.

Farmers claimed that last year the government had said that it would purchase their land at a price of 123,000 yuan per mu (1 mu = 666 square meters) and that the money would be dispersed by the village government committee. The village committee paid farmers only 36,900 yuan per mu. As a result, farmers refused to sell their land.

Dozens of elderly farmers sat on their land in protest at Dalang village. About 8 a.m., armed police took action, forcing them to disperse. More than a dozen farmers received open head wounds. To protect the older farmers, hundreds of onlookers threw stones and bricks at the police.
Police stayed at the site after the conflict had ended.