While the Olympic Games will open in less than four months
in Beijing, authorities continue to demolish homes in the
name of the Games. Wang Lianmin, who lives in Yangshan village
about two or three kilometers from Olympic Stadium, had his
house destroyed last Thursday. Ni Yulan and her husband were
detained because of their attempts to stop their home from
being demolished last Wednesday.
At 9:00 a.m. last Thursday, we reported a story about Wang
Lianmin, the No.53 villager of the south production team in
Yangshan Village. His house was destroyed by one hundred people
led by bailiffs from the Chaoyang District Court. Wang was
also detained because he attempted to take photos to document
what happened.
Sun Yongliang, whose house is one of two currently left standing,
told our station what happened last Thursday afternoon.
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"At 9:00 a.m., police cars parked in front of [Wang's]
house. Then some trucks and ambulances came shortly after.
In total, over one hundred people came from a moving company,
the Housebreaking Office and the Urban Management Bureau.
They refused to be interviewed by a French reporter while
[the officials] took video and photos of the French and Japanese
reporters. Wang Lianmin helped his old father go to Zhongnanhai
(Chinese regime's office compound) for appealing."
It is said that the police later arrested his father who
is a former Red Army member.
Our reporter contacted Wang after being released soon in
the afternoon. He said that while police originally planned
to detain him, he was released with the help of cadres from
his work unit. He added, "My work unit picked up me after
I was forced to write a 'self-criticism,' admitting that I
am a 'legal-illiterate,' and that everything is my fault.
Because they put me in handcuffs, I have no choice."
At present, the Chinese regime has arranged a temporary house
for his family. But they did not move in because it is not
in move-in condition.
Worrying about the same thing happening again, Wang said,
"The officials destroyed our houses under the cloak of
the Olympics. Here it is out of range of Olympic Stadium,
about two or three kilometers away. Originally, I thought
they would drive us away in the name of the Olympic Park.
But I realized they would tear down our houses under the excuse
of building the Olympic Village. Anyways, they do whatever
they want in the name of the Olympics."
"Now, Beijing always launches any campaigns including
improving the environment and demolishing houses using the
name of the Olympic Games. Actually I am living at the boundary
of the Olympic Village. The Olympic Stadium is located to
the west of Anli Road while we are living on the east side."
However, it has nothing to do with the Olympic Games. The
officials only want to build commercial housing. Currently
the compensation price paid for land is 4,000 yuan (US $ 600)
per square meter. However, the price of real-estate nearby
has already reached 15,000 yuan (2,500) per square meter.
Sun Yuanliang said, "Our requirements are reasonable.
That is, they should trade one nearby home for ours. If they
want to compensate me for land loss, they should pay the average
price."
In addition, Ni Yulan (a member of the Beijing House Owner's
Rights Protection Movement) and her husband were in administrative
detention after being detained by the Xinjiekou police station
for 36 hours last Wednesday after attempting to protect their
home.
Her daughter said on Thursday, "They charged my father
for calling 110 (911) without legitimate reasons and alleged
assault. It is full of lies and prevarications. The people
from the House Transformation Office also dialed 110 and alleged
that my mother also assaulted them. My father dialed 110 and
reported that they hit my mother. However, they said that
my father was lying. At present we have not received any warrants
against my parents. My father will be detained for five days.
As for my mother, we do not know how many days she will be
detained there."