廣東烏坎村民主起義 (蘋果日報 2011年12月19日) Wukan village Protest for Democracy inside China, Communist Authority Killed Village Elder; another Tienanmen Massacre feared! by 天安門母親 Tiananmen Mothers on Sunday, 18 December 2011 at 22:43

Summary By CC: Wukan village news: Leader of the village was tortured to death after protesting against land-grab by local Communist Government authorities. The villagers in outrage, declared their independence and conducted a 1st Ever Democratic election where they elected their own local representatives to demand their fundamental human rights, right to proper rule of law and the return of their village elder’s dead body. It is feared that the situation may esculate into another Tienanmen (64) incident in Southern China. Village has blockaded themselves by digging impromptu ditches & setting up barricades. Please pass this reblog link on as other news sources are censored inside the Great firewall of China!

This is reblogged because a lot of the news about Wukan village has been blocked inside the Great firewall of China because they dared to rise up and  demand their independence from the oppression of the CCP Government in China….Please reblog this and share on as many portal as you can! thank you!

Chinese: Apple Daily, Hong kong with commentaries by Tienanmen Mothers

【本報訊】廣東陸豐烏坎村村民為土地和民主選舉發起的維權行動，正演變成為一場震驚世界的農村民主起義。在數千軍警包圍封鎖下，1.3萬人的烏坎村自我組織，與國家專政機器抗衡達數月之久；雖付出至少一條生命的代價，終喚來世界輿論的目光。他們正面臨當局屠村之危，面臨與89年六四相同的命運，但他們無懼，以不屈精神和血肉之軀，為中國農村民主建立起新的典範。

最新消息透露，為應對烏坎村日益惡化的形勢，當局除原部署在村外的大批公安武警外，昨又從惠州、河源、揭陽、潮州和汕頭等市調集武警，增援烏坎村。有內地網民在新浪微博透露，昨驅車從惠州去汕尾路經烏坎，看到路邊大批軍車坐全副武裝的特警和武警，公安截查過往車輛，「只好打道回府」。

國際媒體：與六四並論

Wukan village Human Rights abuse: RIP ,薛錦波,Xue Jin Bo 56 yrs old Village Leader, tortured to death while in custody...since 21st September!

本報記者昨晚往烏坎村路上，沿途也見大量軍警及路障，所倖帶路人精明，記者成功避開截查。進入烏坎村路上，也是到處見路障，黑暗中突然射來幾支電筒光，跳出多名村民，厲聲質問，聽到記者來自香港，仍要反覆核實，最後歡迎並帶記者入村，令記者充份領略到官民對峙的緊張，入村後所見，秩序井然，村民甚至設有補給站，向外來記者提供包和水。

大批國際媒體聚集烏坎報道，形容烏坎事件是「起義」，是農民對中共的「反革命」，並與1989年六四事件相提並論。英國《每日電訊報》指，「兩萬人公開反抗，中共完全失控，是歷來首次」。《金融時報》指事件令人聯想到1989年民運。美國《紐約時報》形容事件是「對社會不公的一次公開反抗」。《華盛頓時報》社論指，烏坎村趕走官員，成為1949年以來首個沒有中共官員的土地，但相信這是「短命實驗」，因中共不容挑戰。

事件引起內地各界關注。北京眾多學者，如中國社科院研究員于建嶸、政法大學法學院院長何兵等，及大批媒體人士，均在網上發聲，對當局武力對待烏坎村表示憂慮，擔心出現六四事件翻版，他們呼籲廣東省委書記汪洋「一定要三思而後行」！

數千軍警戒備封鎖路口

村民透露，他們的抗爭獲鄰村支持，有鄰村村民挑魚肉副食等到烏坎村出售，但絕非牟利，價格反比平時低，「佢話，只係收返成本，表示對我支持，希望我抗爭獲得成功」。

由於今次抗爭中，烏坎村的80和90後成為重要力量，當局昨日指令當地各中學，要將烏坎籍的學生送到市政府，有烏坎籍的學生聞訊逃學，返回家中，而烏坎村小學早已停課。

自今年9月21日烏坎村爆發村民維權行動，迄今已近三個月，因當局至今未實質回應並落實村民的土地和民主要求，甚至拘捕帶頭維權的村民，其中56歲的薛錦波更被酷刑折磨致死，屍體至今未還其家人。憤怒的村民們趕走原村官，以磚頭石塊和木棍鐵通還擊趕走前往鎮壓的軍警，並挖溝斷路、堆架樹幹雜物等路障，阻軍警再入村；數千軍警則在村外戒備，封鎖路口，嚴查出入者。

近兩萬村民又透過民主方式，選舉出13位代表不同姓氏宗親的村民，成立臨時理事會，治理村務，並負責組織維權事宜，他們連續舉行集會，要求當局歸還被迫害致死的薛錦波遺體，並釋放另外三名仍被扣押的村民。

村民日前為薛舉行「空棺追悼會」，數萬村民群情激憤。

村民代表公開稱，烏坎的民主模式，應成為中國鄉村基層選舉的典範，希望能將這一民主模式，

推向全國。

English: South China Morning Post, Hong Kong Edition, By Teddy Ng in Wukan

Village protesters demand free elections

Blockaded residents in Wukan call for free elections and return of leader’s body

More than 6,000 residents protesting against a government land grab rallied in the blockaded village of Wukan in Guangdong yesterday, demanding democratic elections and the return of the body of a protest leader who died in police custody about a week ago.

Tensions were high a day after family and friends held a memorial service for 42-year-old Xue Jinbo , who was taken away by police on December 9 and died two days later. Police say Xue died of a heart attack but relatives say he was beaten to death.

Lin Zulian , a representative of the demonstrators, vowed to march to Lufeng municipal offices if Xue Jinbo’s body was not returned within five days. According to local custom his body should have been buried yesterday.

Lin also said life was getting tougher as police are preventing supplies of food and other necessities going into the village.

The blockade follows a series of demonstrations by villagers who accuse officials of selling 1,666 hectares of village land without consulting or compensating residents.

The villagers gathered in a public square yesterday afternoon to shout slogans such as “Give our land back” and “We are innocent, and corrupt officials put us in jeopardy”.

High school pupils then led a march around the village – including through a police station and community building vacated two weeks ago after repeated confrontations – demanding democratic elections from local to central government level.

The protesters said the village had not had a free election in more than 40 years, allowing party secretary Xue Chang to hold onto the position for four decades.

The villagers took matters into their own hands more than two months ago and elected Xue Jinbo as deputy head of a provisional village representative committee, but the authorities quickly branded the committee illegal.

“We want democracy. Democratic elections should be held in the village and in other areas,” Lin said at yesterday’s rally before the protest broke up without incident.

Lin said he did not expect police would arrest him anytime soon, even though the authorities had accused him of engaging in illegal behaviour.

“I think the villagers will put their lives on the line to confront the local government if I am arrested,” he said.

Villagers said they were continuing with their normal lives in the village but were frustrated that police had blocked the main entrance to the community, making it difficult to get food and conduct regular business.

“My grandchildren dare not to go outside the village to see doctors even though they are sick. We fear that they will be arrested while they are out,” one woman said.

“Police will not enter the village now because reporters are here. I think they will come soon after the reporters go.”

The residents said police turned food trucks away at the village’s main entrance but they were able to unload the food and sneak it in in small quantities through side roads.

“Police just send the trucks away without giving any explanation,” a resident said.

Some shops were closed because of the supply problems and residents had put out a collection box for donations to go to those in financial need.

School was also suspended a few days ago after teachers living in Donghai township were barred from entering the village.

“I don’t think classes will resume until the dispute is settled,” a pupil said.