China: Teenager Loses Dad after Violent Home Demolition

A teenager in eastern Jiangsu Province is now homeless and grieving for his father.

Eighteen-year-old Yuan Chen from Xiyuanxing Village in Wuxi city lost his home on November 30. A demolition crew destroyed his home by force. When his father, Yuan Nianshen, tried to protest, patrol officials took him away.

[Yuan Chen, Victim of Home Demolition]:
“On November 13 they barged into my home, and dragged my dad out and into a car. It was those city patrols and they forced my dad into the car. There were about 17 or 18 of them. I was also taken to another car. I tried to protest and get out of the car, but they slapped me and punched me in the chest. After all the things in my house were removed, and the house was demolished they let me go, they told me to go away.”

Yuan says his father was admitted to hospital that night after complaining of chest pains. A week later he died.

Yuan says his father was severely beaten before in September by the demolition crew after a failed negotiation attempt. They filed a report with the police but nothing was done about it.

Violent land grabs is a worsening problem across China—often started by greedy local officials. Instead of offering fair compensation to residents, officials pressure local residents and hire thugs to get them out of the way of urban development projects.

Residents complain officials collude with developers to demand land in the name of public needs, such as roads, and then turn it over to commercial investors who can reap big profits.

(NTDTV)