Another forced razing and dislocation by a local regime in China in the name of development and reform. The local regime in Nanshahe Town, Tengzhou City, Shandong Province gave residents in ancient Gaozhuang Village two months to leave in September.
The unreasonable request met strong objections, so violent measures were adopted by the regime. On November 4, 2008, the regime and local businesses sent about 200 men in an attempt to take the land by force. They beat the unarmed villagers, injuring dozens of them. Three villagers were seriously injured.
Gaozhuang Village was established in 1403 and has a history of 600 years. There are about 500 villagers and their families that have lived on the land for generations.
The unreasonable request met strong objections, so violent measures were adopted by the regime. On November 4, 2008, the regime and local businesses sent about 200 men in an attempt to take the land by force. They beat the unarmed villagers, injuring dozens of them. Three villagers were seriously injured.
Gaozhuang Village was established in 1403 and has a history of 600 years. There are about 500 villagers and their families that have lived on the land for generations.
Hired Thugs Violently Beat Villagers
Gao Jizao, a 75-year-old village representative said, “The Nanshahe government leaders, Zhang Jun and Gao Jingfang, paid about 200 gangsters and transported them in buses. These men used iron bars, wooden sticks, steel pitchforks and knives to drive us away. We fought for our lives because we were unarmed. (I saw) about a dozen people injured. That person with blood covering his face is my son.”
A woman said many of the thugs were in their 20s holding long knives and iron bars or wood sticks. When the villagers tried to reason with them, they threw bricks at the villagers. Many villagers’ heads and faces were injured. They could not stand it and started to fight with the thugs.
