Zhongshan is the peaceful yet booming coast town in China's Guangdong province that I have called home for the past year and a half. In the past ten days, Zhongshan has been the tipping point for the struggle between rural peasents and their affluent neighbors. This has been a quiet, yet ongoing struggle in much of Guangdong and the highly developed eastern coast. I never thought it would hit so close to home.
Recently, two government officials were released for the way they've handled this growing unrest. Last Saturday, a 13 year old girl was killed - almost certainly by police forces trying to disperse group protesters - and many others were beaten.
Here is a premium story from the South China Morning Post (SCMP.com) detailing the dismissal...
Officials to pay price for teen's death
KRISTINE KWOK
Two party officials in Zhongshan, Guangdong, face dismissal and another is likely to be jailed over the death of a schoolgirl last week during a crackdown on protests over land seizures.
A source said he was told by officials that it was likely that Zhongshan city party secretary Cui Guochao and Sanjiao township party secretary Guan Jianxiang would be sacked over the handling of the unrest.
Protesters blocked a section of the Nansan highway 10 days ago in protest against inadequate compensation for farmland that was forcibly seized a decade ago in a number of villages.
The crowd swelled to about 3,000 last Saturday, when police used stun batons and tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Feng Meiying , 15, was said to have been beaten to death and up to 100 protesters injured.
Word of the possible official shake-up came after Guangdong party secretary Zhang Dejiang repeated his warning to officials on Thursday to acquire land through proper procedures or face investigation and dismissal.
Hu Dahai , party secretary of Panlong village, where most of the protesters were from, was also expected to be jailed.
"He was arrested a few days ago," the source said.
But a Panlong government worker denied the arrest.
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