AP reports today that as many as 20 villagers have been killed by police in an eminent domain compensation dispute in Dongzhou, Guangdong Province. Across the vast nation, Chinese central and local authorities have increasingly come under fire from poor villagers for land takings without just compensation, and for political corruption. Increasingly, this has led to mass protests which too often meet with an utterly ham-handed and brutal response from the Communist regime in Beijing and its local government supplicants.

China has unleashed free enterprise, but the government seems to be in cahoots with certain favored robber-barons and those left behind are getting squashed (literally to death, sometimes) if they speak out. This Reuters story of several days ago noted the first few killings related to the Dongzhou protests, and clearly linked the turmoil to land takings for - get this - wind farms. So, China IS trying to do something about ramping up alternative energy, they're just trampling civil rights and killing inconvenient land owners in the process. Phew.

American Leftists: here's a whole set of REAL "social justice" issues for you. But then, communists always get sprung from your moral jail post haste, don't they?

Related Rosenblog posts:

"Thugs Aplenty For Hire In China;"

"Chinese Democracy Activist Savagely Beaten...;"

"China Still Forces Abortions;"

"Dangerous Thoughts;"

"What Chinese Middle Class?"

TECHNORATI TAGS: CHINA, RIOTS, DEATHS, WIND FARM

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at December 10, 2005 11:30 AM