December 17- it has been twelve days since Chinese police slaughtered more than seventy citizens in the town of Dongzhou, Shanwei City. The farmers of the town are still in a panic. They have lost hope that central government officials will come to investigate; what they’ve received from the government instead is constant pressure, lies, monitoring and arrest.
On December 17, the villagers told a correspondent that fewer soldiers were in the town than before; however the police come into the village every day to arrest so-called “criminals.” The family members of those killed have nowhere to seek help. Everyday, they wear mourning clothes and kneel down in the streets, holding banners to ask for redress of the injustice. Even passers-by cannot endure this heart-breaking scene.
Farmers’ Anguish and Uncertainty
It is said that the government announced the Vice-Director of the Shanwei Police Department, Wu Sheng was arrested for the shooting incident, but he was actually released without charge only three days later.
On December 16, Epoch Times correspondents phoned the Shanwei City Council to confirm related information. A lady responded, “I don’t know.” No one answered the phone at the city police department or city hall. Villagers have not heard about the detention of any government officials.
The atmosphere in Dongzhou is still very tense. Many remain missing, and their bodies cannot be found either. The police continue to arrest villagers everyday. Police have also posted a “Wanted” poster listing eight villagers the police seek to arrest.
The villagers are still in shock, and terrified. The family members of those killed kneel in the streets; some hold “spirit tablets” for the dead, some women hold pictures of those killed—at least three families have been daily kneeling and grieving and pleading for some official response; so far the government has offered no compensation. Someone, who doesn’t appear to be a farmer, asks them to leave, but they won’t.
All those kneeling and praying are old people. Upon seeing this, passers-by become saddened. Those killed were all young people with parents and wives. Some of the passers-by donate money. A little girl said, “Some made donations to the family members who were kneeling.”
An Elderly Villager Tells of the Bloody Tragedy, Choking with Sobs
The following is what a 60-year-old villager told the reporters about the massacre:
“I also went to the power plant to appeal for the managers to protect our rights. We took shifts. When the incident occurred, I was there. When it happened, there were no policemen. It was only farmers who had been shot. They opened fire on us, and we ran to retreat. They used machine guns to strafe us, used cannons to shoot us. Many of us were killed or injured. They shot us using real guns and bullets! It is very serious. They cannot fool anyone about whether this is true or not, because these corrupt officials truly used guns and cannons to kill us. The fact is that the government charged us as criminals. The representatives from the villagers, who were only doing their jobs on behalf of the villagers, now all have been arrested.
“The government paid the families of those killed about more than 100,000 yuan (US$12,387) and told them not to reveal the truth to people outside. ‘The police did not kill them. They were killed by the protesting villagers.’ The family members didn’t take their money. This is an absolute injustice.
“That day, there were many corpses in the road, killed by cannons. But the government simply wanted to make false charges against the farmers. They dressed all the corpses in police uniforms, claiming we killed them. How could they do this? This place has no justice. You are a reporter, so I dare to tell the truth. Everyone has parents. I have sons and grandsons. I am a poor old man, over 60 years old. I must tell the truth.”
“Now, some of people in our village did take money from the government. They are employed as spies to probe for information from farmers; they treat good people as bad. The situation is very serious. Good is being called bad. In the past, the accountant of the village was murdered but was said to have committed suicide. A large amount of money was offered to his family and he was buried.”
“Our land is the most developed. [The government] divided up our land, sold all of it along with our mountain, and ocean. Then the corrupt officials sold our natural resource to big business owners. All the money went to high provincial officials. The villagers say, ‘Road maintenance is making relationships. We farmers have no money at all. The money, instead of being returned to us, has been put in banks overseas by the corrupted officials.
“Reporter, please help us, save us. The corrupt officials here treat us ruthlessly.”
A Visitor Talks about the Massacre
A girl who came to visit the village from another province said following about the massacre:
“On the day of the incident, most of people thought it was fireworks. People couldn’t believe that the government would open fire on us. We could not even think of it. Now we are deeply saddened. They have guns, while we have nothing.
“Now the government is like a bandit. Since the incident, armed police have surrounded the village. When we walk by, we need to go through checkpoints as if we were enemies. The problems have yet to be resolved. The family members of those killed kneel and cry on the road, crying for justice. Those are our relatives. I feel very sorry for them. The government does not give them any compensation; it offers nothing.
“At 8:00 p.m. each night, every family here shuts their doors. The old people as well as the young people are all terrified. Before, this place was very busy. Ever since the massacre, everyone is terrified to death. It has been over 10 days; no one wants to work because of the bad mood. What the villagers most want is fairness and justice. We don’t want to get into any physical fight. If we were to loot, or to beat the police as they claimed, then why has no one from the government gotten hurt? Why were so many of us killed and injured? The officials said to give the villagers some money, so as to bribe them into not claiming corpses. ”Now on our way to work, or even when riding a bicycle, we are searched. One can’t imagine that those over 20 years old have to get through security check. Did we kill, rape or loot? Those who are missing, we don’t know if they are still alive or not. There has been no announcement. Very sad. All those dead are young people.”
Related articles:
Massacre in China Draws Global Attention
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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