【禁闻】首例承认村民自选组织 汪洋受考验

2011年12月23日乌坎村民抗议事件
【新唐人2011年12月23日讯】广东陆丰乌坎事件经过3个多月的官民较量,省委书记汪洋下达批示,当局让步,首次承认一度被定性为“非法组织”的乌坎临时理事会合法,这是中共建政62年来首个由官方承认的村民自选组织,一场可能演变为流血冲突的官民对抗达成和解。汪洋罕见的妥协处理引起外界议论。

乌坎村今年9月发起首轮抗议,村民抗议村党委强征私卖土地,结果发生警民冲突,村民愤然赶走村干部,自行组织理事会进行自治。11月21号,数千村民打着“惩治腐败”、“反对独裁”等标语,游行到市政府上访,当局没有镇压。

但是,在此之前,12月9号,5名村民代表被警方抓捕。11号,被扣的村代表薛锦波疑遭刑讯逼供致死,村民们堵路抗议,上千武警进村镇压,随后封村、断水、断粮,上万村民连日和平抗议。

经过近两星期对峙后,村代表林祖銮21号到陆丰市政府,与省委副书记朱明国率领的工作组会面,朱明国答应了村民的三项要求,包括:一、释放被捕村民﹔二、归还薛锦波遗体﹔三、朱明国承认乌坎临时理事会合法。

林祖銮回村与各村民代表商议后,决定取消原计划当天万人到市政府上访的行动。围村的警察已全部撤走。

目前,约有80名中外记者在乌坎村现场观察事态的发展。乌坎村民向《新唐人》表示,对当局的回覆感到满意。

村民:“昨天晚上看到新闻联播了,新闻报导了,大家就放心了。以前我们设了路障,怕警察来抓人、来绑人,所以我们现在路障也撤掉,他们警察也撤掉了,所以大家都高兴了,那事情他说要尽快帮我们解决。”

江西独立参选人大代表的刘萍21号也来到了乌坎村现场,她表示,乌坎村当天开了新闻发布会和村民大会,村民都非常理性。

刘萍:“无论老幼非常非常的齐心、和气,都很自觉,刚开会的时候,只要主持人一声令下,齐刷刷全部坐到地上,虽然他们讲的话我一句都听不懂,但他们不断的此起彼伏掌声,说明那个主持人讲的话很得民心。他们不会去对抗政府、去闹事,他们只想把这个问题解决。”

汕尾市委已宣布将乌坎村支书薛昌和村长陈舜意解职,两人被指控盗卖村民土地多达3200亩给开发商。

《广东卫视》21号播出了省委书记汪洋的批示,指出乌坎事件是长期忽视经济社会发展中发生的矛盾积累结果,是工作“一手硬一手软”的必然结果。《人民日报》发表评论赞扬汪洋的柔性处理方式。

而就在前一天,汕尾党政信息网发布省委副书记朱明国的谈话,声称“继续煽动村民与政府对抗,死心塌地为境内外敌对势力利用,必当追究”。

香港《动向》杂志主编张伟国表示,汪洋日前说要“加强党管武装”,显示他在主张开明处理的同时,也要应对保守势力的压力。

张伟国:“他如果能够在处理乌坎这个事件上面,找出一种跟天安门镇压不同的模式,那么,这也就为他在十八大有更高的发展机会奠定一个基础。现在在广东是汪洋当家,汪洋的后台是胡锦涛、中共的第一把手,所以从目前来讲,应该有他的政治空间。”

原中国经济体制改革研究所综合研究室主任程晓农指出,中共对待抗议事件过去的习惯做法就是一贯的高压,包括动用军警、不惜开枪,汪洋处理乌坎事件的做法可能会给其他省市官员包括中央高层一个启示。

新唐人记者林莉、梁欣、李元翰、孙宁采访报导。


Wang Yang Tested in Handling Wukan Village Issue

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Secretary of Guangdong,
Wang Yang, has offered concessions,
after three months of clashes have passed between
Wukan residents and Lufeng authorities in Shenwei.
For the first time in its 62 year reign, the CCP officially
recognized a Wukan Interim Council.
The interim council is a village-elected organization, once
labeled "illegal” by authorities.
A potential bloody clash was extinguished after both parties
held conciliatory talks.
Wang Yang’s rare way of handling the issues sparked
public debate.

The Wukan village protest started in September, where local
officials were accused of forcibly requisitioning farmland.
Clashes between police and villagers led to CCP cadres
removal, and villagers electing their own Interim Council.
November 21, thousands marched to petition the city
hall, with slogans "reveal corruption", "against dictatorship".
The local authorities did not repress the protest campaign.

On December 9, police arrested five village representatives,
one of whom Xue Jinbo, died two days later.
Suspecting Xue was beaten to death, villagers blocked roads
to protest.
Thousands of armed police were dispatched, besieging
Wukan village, cutting off water supplies, electricity and food.
These local authority acts provoked a series of peaceful
protests by more than 10,000 villagers.

After nearly two weeks’ of clashes, village representative Lin
Zuluan held talks with an official CCP working group.
Led by CCP deputy secretary of Guangdong, Zhu Mingguo,
they promised to accept villagers’ three demands:
Release arrested villagers.
Return the body of Xue Jinbo.
Zhu Mingguo to legally recognise Wukan Interim Council.

After consulting other village representatives, Lin cancelled
the planned petition campaign, and police pulled back.

Currently, there are about 80 Chinese and foreign reporters
stationed at Wukan village to observe the situation.
The Wukan villagers tell NTDTV that they are satisfied with
the official response.

Wukan Villager: "We saw the news report on CCTV last
night, so everyone feels assured.
We have removed road blocks, and police have withdrawn,
and look forward to the quick resolution that was agreed.

An independent candidate from Jiangxi, Liu Ping, went to
Wukan village on December 21.
She says Wukan village held a press conference and a
meeting that day, and all the villagers were very rational.

Liu Ping: "Regardless of age, they have come together, with
everyone behaving very politely and consciously.
I couldn’t understand what they were saying, but I saw
applause after applause.
I could tell the meeting leader's remarks had gained villagers’
support.
They didn’t go against the government to make trouble, but
to ask to resolve this issue."

The CCP Shanwei Municipal Committee announced it will
dismiss CCP secretary of Wukan village and the village head.
Both cadres were accused of secretly selling 3,200 acres of
village farmlands to property developers.

On December 21, Guangdong StarTV broadcasted the
instructions from Guangdong CCP Secretary Wang Yang.
Wang describes these event as a result of negligence of
conflicts during economic and social developments.
Wang says it is inevitably caused by the practice of
“strengthening in one hand and weakening in another”.

Just one day previously, Shanwei official website published
Guangdong CCP deputy secretary Zhu Mingguo’s speech.
Zhu claims "(village representatives) will be assigned blame
if they continuing to instigate anti-government protests.

Chief Editor of Hong Kong’s Trend magazine,
Zhang Weiguo, discusses Wang Yang’s recent talk of "strengthening CCP control over the army ".
Zhang believes it shows willingness to be more open,
while coping with conservative CCP forces.

Zhang Weiguo: "It will lay a foundation if he can handle
the Wukan issue differently to the Tiananmen crackdown.
It will give him more leverage at the18th Congress.

In Guangdong, Wang Yang is number 1, supported by
President Hu Jintao, so will have a greater political career."

The former director at China’s Economy Reform Institute,
Cheng Xiaonong, highlights past lessons.
The CCP regime blindly used brutal crack down as usual
practice, including deploying military and police.
Wang Yang’s way of handling Wukan may be inspiring
to officials at provincial, municipal, and central CCP levels.

NTD reporter Lin Li, Liang Xin, Li Yuanhan and Sun Ning