Local Authorities Take Steps to Bring Shangpu Situation Back to Normal

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Jiexi County, Guangdong (March 9, 2013) – Having arrested and detained ten suspects involved in a

mass incident in the county’s Shangpu village late last month, the local police are tracking down another

21 via varied channels possible.

Wu Guicun, a local businessman suspected of leading a Mafia-like gang and jerking the strings

backstage in the incident, is now on the nation’s top-grade wanted list.

Those under arrest and in police custody include Li baoYu, the then village head of Shangpu. The

suspect is alleged to have inked a contract illegally in mid-January to transfer a piece of farmland

covering an area of over 400 mu (27 hectares) in the village to Jiexi Wanfeng Investment Co Ltd, which is

actually backed by Wu Guicun. The contract later ignited the incident in February.

“The move is part of the measures the local authorities have taken to dispose of the aftermath of the

mass incident so as to bring the locals’ livelihood back to normal,” said Lin Weizhe, director of Jiexi

county government’s information office.

The county authorities have also deposed both the party and government chiefs of the Mianhu township,

which administers the Shangpu village, for failure to deal with the incident properly, the official added.

Other actions include temporary traffic control on the road to the village for the villagers’ safety, free

healthcare service for them, face-to-face dialogues between the county leaders and the villagers, as well

as investigations into the possible administration problems and corruptions among the village officials.

“What the local authorities have been doing aims to rid the villagers of their prime concerns,” he said,

adding that they have been worrying most about whether those interlopers can be seized and whether

the above-mentioned land lease contract can be invalidated.

“Villagers can rest assured that the local court has ruled that the contract is null and void in the light of

law,” Lin disclosed.

According to the official, the local villagers’ defying attitude toward to the local authorities has begun to

change and the situation in Shangpu is on its way back to normal.

Currently, the main entrances to the village are still guarded by the villagers themselves with makeshift

checkpoints erected; locals can go in and out of the village freely; students can go to school as usual;

and the supply of both power and water is normal.

The local police are posted around to keep the area in order and prevent any situation from worsening.

For the latest information, please visit: http://www.jiexi.gov.cn/ .

For further inquiry, please contact:

Mr.Lin Weizhe  

Tel: (+86) 0663-5588061;18925609949

E-mail:  jx5588061@126.com

                                                                                                                                         2013-03-09

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