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Father and son fight the wreckers
By Wang Qingchu |
September 29, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AN old man holds a national flag and stands on top of the debris of a derelict site in downtown Fushun, northeast China's Liaoning Province, to protest compulsory demolition.
The old man, surnamed Zhang, father of the building's owner, has been living on the debris since the office building was torn down overnight in July, China Economic Times reported yesterday.
The owner, Zhang Tao, said: "We did not know the seven-story building had been knocked down until we arrived at the site on the morning of July 10 and there was one room left standing. We had no time to move any furniture out."
A worker at the site told the newspaper the demolition began at 3am in the morning.
Zhang's family have guarded the site day and night since the demolition. A wrecking crew has twice attempted to tear down the remaining structure. Zhang Tao alleged that on one occasion more than 80 workers surrounded and harassed them.
"They did not stop trying to knock down the remaining structure until my father climbed to the top and threatened to commit suicide," Zhang told the newspaper.
"We had to fight with our lives," the senior Zhang told the newspaper.
As the weather cooled, the son hoisted a vehicle to the top of the structure so his father could sleep in it.
According to Zhang Tao, they were in talks with the relocation office several times from 2009 to June this year. They agreed to accept compensation, but the two parties could not agree on the sum.
Then, with no notice, the building was demolished.
Officials with the publicity department of the Xinfu District government declined to comment.
This is just the latest case to follow the Chinese government's disciplining of 57 officials over 11 forced demolitions that resulted in the deaths of residents.
Cui Jie, mayor of Changchun, scene of one of the demolitions, apologized after a woman died in the ruins of a building being torn down. Twelve officials in the city were punished.
The old man, surnamed Zhang, father of the building's owner, has been living on the debris since the office building was torn down overnight in July, China Economic Times reported yesterday.
The owner, Zhang Tao, said: "We did not know the seven-story building had been knocked down until we arrived at the site on the morning of July 10 and there was one room left standing. We had no time to move any furniture out."
A worker at the site told the newspaper the demolition began at 3am in the morning.
Zhang's family have guarded the site day and night since the demolition. A wrecking crew has twice attempted to tear down the remaining structure. Zhang Tao alleged that on one occasion more than 80 workers surrounded and harassed them.
"They did not stop trying to knock down the remaining structure until my father climbed to the top and threatened to commit suicide," Zhang told the newspaper.
"We had to fight with our lives," the senior Zhang told the newspaper.
As the weather cooled, the son hoisted a vehicle to the top of the structure so his father could sleep in it.
According to Zhang Tao, they were in talks with the relocation office several times from 2009 to June this year. They agreed to accept compensation, but the two parties could not agree on the sum.
Then, with no notice, the building was demolished.
Officials with the publicity department of the Xinfu District government declined to comment.
This is just the latest case to follow the Chinese government's disciplining of 57 officials over 11 forced demolitions that resulted in the deaths of residents.
Cui Jie, mayor of Changchun, scene of one of the demolitions, apologized after a woman died in the ruins of a building being torn down. Twelve officials in the city were punished.
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