Slap on wrist over protest deaths

Rowan Callick, China correspondent

June 03, 2006

THE legal outcome of the first major incident of Chinese security forces shooting dead protesters since the Tiananmen massacre has emerged.

At least three villagers from Dongzhou in Guangdong province, adjacent to Hong Kong, were killed six months ago, when they demonstrated against the lack of compensation for land taken for a wind power plant.

Local media have now reported that, after a closed trial lasting three days, 13 farmers were jailed for up to seven years for participating in the demonstration, convicted of illegal possession of explosives, illegal assembly and disturbing public order. As for the punishments handed out to the officials responsible for the shootings, Wu Sheng, vice-director of Shanwei Public Security Bureau, who gave the order to fire at the villagers, was given a "stern internal warning" and sacked from his position, according to the Guangzhou Daily.

Liu Jinsheng, the Shanwei Communist Party vice-secretary, responsible for law and order in the area, was reprimanded, and vice-mayor and police chief Li Min and construction bureau director Chen Huinan were given warnings as to their future conduct.

After the incident, the Government conceded that "policemen accidentally killed and injured protesters".

Amnesty International described the attack as the most serious since the Tiananmen massacre, which happened 17 years ago tomorrow.

Brad Adams, Asia director of US-based Human Rights Watch, said: "When protesters are held incommunicado and convicted in a closed trial, but officials get a slap on the wrist, there is hardly a pretence of legality."

The shootings took place after village leaders negotiating for compensation for the seizure of land were arrested, and a large crowd gathered to protest. The area was sealed off and roadblocks set up.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19346294-2703,00.html