Wukan villagers' voices are heard
Source: Xinhua |
February 12, 2012, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
MORE than 6,000 villagers in Wukan, Guangdong Province, known for last year's protests over illegal land use and other issues, voted for deputies yesterday in the second round of democratic elections for new leadership.
The vote will result in a team of 107 village representatives and seven group leaders.
The voting, presided over by an 11-member election committee elected on February 1, lasted from 9am to 3pm at a village school.
Altogether 6,449 secret ballots were cast for group leaders and 6,491 were cast for villagers' representatives, said Yang Semao, director of the election committee.
Yang said an open count of the votes was currently being held and the election results would be announced early today.
He said voter turnout was more than 80 percent and the election results would therefore be valid.
Villager Lin Shuzhen, who is illiterate, asked her 16-year-old son to read the election instructions for her and fill out her ballot.
Volunteers also stood by to help other illiterate villagers learn the rules and fill out ballots.
"I hope the deputies who eventually stand out will all be capable people of integrity," said Huang Deping, a villager in his 50s. "I hope they will safeguard our rights and interests and help us manage our land well."
On September 21 and 22, villagers in Wukan, which is administered by Lufeng City, began to protest about village authorities over issues related to land use, financing and the election of village officials. Large-scale protests occurred in the village on November 21 and 22.
The villagers gathered again on December 11 after Xue Jinbo, a man who was suspected of organizing the November demonstrations, died while in police custody.
Officials from a provincial work team in charge of handling the village's unrest conceded that the residents' major demands were reasonable and "some mistakes" had been made by local officials.
They also announced that last February's election of the former village leaders was invalid and new elections were to be organized.
The vote will result in a team of 107 village representatives and seven group leaders.
The voting, presided over by an 11-member election committee elected on February 1, lasted from 9am to 3pm at a village school.
Altogether 6,449 secret ballots were cast for group leaders and 6,491 were cast for villagers' representatives, said Yang Semao, director of the election committee.
Yang said an open count of the votes was currently being held and the election results would be announced early today.
He said voter turnout was more than 80 percent and the election results would therefore be valid.
Villager Lin Shuzhen, who is illiterate, asked her 16-year-old son to read the election instructions for her and fill out her ballot.
Volunteers also stood by to help other illiterate villagers learn the rules and fill out ballots.
"I hope the deputies who eventually stand out will all be capable people of integrity," said Huang Deping, a villager in his 50s. "I hope they will safeguard our rights and interests and help us manage our land well."
On September 21 and 22, villagers in Wukan, which is administered by Lufeng City, began to protest about village authorities over issues related to land use, financing and the election of village officials. Large-scale protests occurred in the village on November 21 and 22.
The villagers gathered again on December 11 after Xue Jinbo, a man who was suspected of organizing the November demonstrations, died while in police custody.
Officials from a provincial work team in charge of handling the village's unrest conceded that the residents' major demands were reasonable and "some mistakes" had been made by local officials.
They also announced that last February's election of the former village leaders was invalid and new elections were to be organized.
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