[Hong Kong Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy report: "Several Clashes With Police Involving More Than 1,000 People in Various Places in China"]

(2 Nov) - This Centre has learned that following the 1 October holiday in Communist China, demonstrations have been on a rising trend there. In the past two weeks there have been demonstrations and clashes with police involving more than a thousand people in Binchuan in Yunnan, Beijing, Wuxi in Jiangsu, Kunming in Yunnan, and Guangzhou. More than 200 people have been injured, more than 100 arrested, and 13 police vehicles have been smashed up.

This Centre has learned that on 17 October in Binchuan, Yunnan, at the area for persons displaced by construction of the Xiaowan electricity station, a displaced person was beaten to death by a someone who is not a displaced person, and that set off a large riot. More than 3,000 people displaced by the electricity station charged into the offices of the county party committee and county government. The county's Party school was smashed up. The county head was placed under house arrest. Two police vehicles were smashed up, and five Public Security personnel were injured. But also, 50 demonstrators were injured and 50 were arrested. Construction of the Xiaowan electricity station has caused the displacement of 35,000 villagers. They are dissatisfied with their new residences. A number of pledges the government has made have not been implemented. That has given rise to contradictions between the displaced people and the government.

On 26 and 27 October, a varying number of between 500 and 1,000 retired enlisted and officer military personnel demonstrated and clashed with the police at the entrance to the Petitions Bureau of the General Political Department in Beijing. Over the two days, more than 30 people were injured.

On 29 October in the town of Wangting in Wuxi, Jiangsu, as many as a thousand villagers clashed with police over a land problem. One police vehicle was smashed up, and several Public Security personnel were detained by a crowd of demonstrators. Local residents confirmed for this Centre that a demonstration did take place, but the police station in the town of Wangting denied that a police car had been smashed up. Local residents say more than 40 people were injured and 20 were arrested in clashes with Public Security and police personnel.

On 30 October in Kunming, Yunnan, the beating to death of a cart driver by City Management [and Law Enforcement Bureau] personnel led to a thousand people carrying the body and smashing up the City Management offices. It is suspected that a cart driver named Pan Huaiyong in the Fufa district of Kunming was beaten to death by City Management personnel on 27 October. For a week, people have been gathering and demonstrating near the City Management offices. On 30 October a police vehicle was smashed up. That day a crowd clashed with several hundred police personnel, and more than 50 people were injured in a fight with Public Security personnel over possession of the body. Today as many as a hundred people have assembled to demonstrate over the affair.

On 30 October in Guangzhou as many as a thousand people rioted over law and order personnel beating residents who came from elsewhere to live there. Nine police vehicles were smashed up, and more than 30 people were arrested or injured.

Source: Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy, Hong Kong, in Chinese 2 Nov 09