The Chinese village of Wukan, which has been in open revolt since the death of its representative Xue Jinbo in police custody ten days ago, has rejected overtures from the government to discuss ending the standoff.
"Leaders at a higher level of local government summoned me for talks," village representative Lin Zuluan stated. "But I told them that until they release Xue's body, and the four other villagers held in custody, and to give back our land, there can be no talks."
The farmers and fishermen of Wukan, whose rebellion began as a protest against what they consider to be the theft of their land, are now planning to march on the nearby administrative center of Lufeng to press their demands.
As described by the Telegraph, the government offices and police station in Wukan are now deserted, and the villagers are running their own affairs from a temple to the Goddess of the Sea. "The remaining power-vacuum has created an intoxicating air of steely optimism tinged with underlying fear," the paper reports. "The foreign media are feted throughout the community that has now become a commune under siege, with everyone pitching in to cook, fetch supplies along the dirt tracks, and man the jury-rigged barricades."
This video is from NTDTV, a station based in New York City that was founded by members of the Falun Gong, a spiritual movement which has been suppressed in China. It was uploaded to YouTube on December 15, 2011.
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