15/09/2016 09:17
Beijing, 15 sep (EFE).- China continues the wave of repression in Wukan, village in the south of the country whose citizens are protesting the imprisonment of their mayor, with the town surrounded, rewards for clues about alleged culprits and the arrest of five Hong Kong journalists who covered the events.
Wukan neighbors (Canton) aseguraron hoy que la atmósfera es "la más tensa" that they have witnessed, with traffic paralyzed, security checks around the town, security cameras installed in the streets and door-to-door search for suspects, indicates today the Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post (SCMP).
She further , authorities have established rewards of up to 150.000 yuan (22.400 dollars, approximately) for clues about the whereabouts of the suspects, among whom is the mayor's brother-in-law, Lin Zuluan.
Few residents dared to leave their homes., with paramilitaries stationed in every corner and marching in formation, indicates the middle.
In the early hours of last Tuesday, Hundreds of police raided some homes and arrested more than a dozen people, before clashes occurred between neighbors and security forces, who used tear gas and rubber bullets.
The police tried to quell the protests that have been taking place in Wukan since June, when the first mayor was arrested accused of corruption, and which increased following his conviction of 37 months in prison last week.
Protesters denounce Lin's arrest, who had called for a massive protest over land confiscation problems in Wukan, was politically motivated.
Lin became mayor of Wukan after an unprecedented election in this village in 2012, after he himself was one of the leaders of the protests five years ago over the aforementioned land problem, que convirtieron al pueblo en la "aldea rebelde" from China.
Although the provincial government then consented to the elections being held to put an end to the demonstrations, now the authorities have chosen to appease them by force.
Some residents lamented, according to the SCMP, who were not even able to meet their relatives who were visiting to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival that takes place today in China.
"Creo que aún buscan a manifestantes e intentan echar a los periodistas", indicated a neighbor, Wu.
Five journalists were arrested on Wednesday night, including an SCMP reporter, when they were interviewing a family in their home in Wukan.
Two dozen plainclothes men broke into the house and arrested the journalists and the owner of the house, punching one of the reporters, add SCMP, indicating that the journalists were later released and forced to leave Wukan.
For your part, the governor of Wukan, Zhu Xiaodan, He denied in a press conference that citizens were being assaulted. EFE
