Asia-Pacific News
At least one farmer killed in land protest in China
Apr 22, 2008, 8:52 GMT
Beijing - At least one person was killed in clashes between farmers and police in south-western China in a land dispute involving a mine, local sources said Tuesday in telephone interviews.
More than a dozen people were hurt Monday, some of them suffering life-threatening injuries, in the town of Saixi in Yunnan province's Malipo county, they said.
The dispute involves the Zijin mining company, which has begun mining operations on the land of Saixi residents, who belong to the Miao ethnic minority.
'It is not the first violent confrontation between the farmers and authorities in the past year and a half,' a bank employee said.
The Chinese Human Rights Defenders group said police opened fire on the protesters, killing one farmer and injuring five others.
A doctor working in the intensive care unit of the Wenshan hospital said two of the injured had life-threatening injuries.
Zijin wants to open a tungsten mine on the site, but the farmers have rejected an offer of compensation for their land.
Land disputes have become common in China in recent years with residents often objecting to low compensation offered in deals negotiated between business and the government.
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