2008 Guizhou riot

The 2008 Guizhou riot was a riot on 28 June 2008 involving thousands of residents in Weng'an County, Qiannan Buyei and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, in the Guizhou province of Southwest China. Rioters smashed government buildings and torched several police cars to protest against an alleged police cover-up of a girl's death.cite web |publisher=The Straits Times |url=http://www.straitstimes.com/Free/Story/STIStory_253078.html |title=China teen's death sparks massive riot. |accessdate=2008-07-01 |date=2008-06-30 |first=Tracy |last=Quek]

Incident

Death

A 16 year-old local girl by the name of Li Shufen (李树芬, born in July 1991zh iconcite news |title=Guizhou Provincial Government's Information Office held press conference on Weng'an June 28 Event|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/video/2008-07/02/content_8473735.htm |work= |publisher=Xinhua |date= 2008-07-02|accessdate=2008-07-04 ] ) was found dead in a river after being spotted with two younger men claimed to have familial ties with the local public security bureau. Residents have said that she was raped and murdered by the son of a prominent Weng'an official and another youthKansascity.com. " [http://www.kansascity.com/451/story/686607.html Kansascity.com] ." "Associated Press: China police to reopen probe into death." Retrieved on 2008-07-09.] Abcnews. " [http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=5274794 Abcnews] ." "China Announces Olympics Stability Drive After Riot." Retrieved on 2008-07-01.] and that her corpse was then thrown into the river. The subsequent news denied the claims, and states the 2 young men and 1 young woman involved are of local farmers' families. [zh icon [http://news.21cn.com/domestic/difang/2008/07/01/4899545.shtml 瓮安6.28:官员回应元凶是当地干部亲属之] ]

Defending the coffin

The parents were guarding the girl's coffin day and night in fear the local police might attempt to tamper the evidence.SCMP. " [http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=c7d42ad77c9da110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News SCMP] ." "We won't accept an evil deal, say parents." Retrieved on 2008-07-01.] The parents claim there have already been two attempts to steal the dead body. An additional 100 local residents have helped them guard the coffin.

Claims

Police

The girl's dead body was pulled from the river on June 22. Initial police report said that the girl was drowned or jumped into the river and committed suicide.Yahoo. " [http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080630/wl_nm/olympics_unrest_dc_1 Yahoo] ." "China announces Olympics stability drive after riot." Retrieved on 2008-07-01.] Asianews.it. " [http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12648&size=A Asianews.it] ." "Unrest in Guizhou as public security tries to buy the silence of the victim’s parents." Retrieved on 2008-07-01.] A document submitted by the local government stated the girl was unhappy with life because her parents favored her elder brother.Sina.com. " [http://english.sina.com/china/1/2008/0702/169683.html Sina.com] ." "Guizhou official: Third finding on rape claim to be made known." Retrieved on 2008-07-04.]

Girl's family & relatives

Relatives of the girl blamed the local police for shoddy investigation and possible corruption.Iht. " [http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/30/asia/30riot.php International Herald Tribute] ." "Chinese riot over handling of girl's killing." Retrieved on 2008-07-01.] One of the parents said a police officer threatened them, telling them: “Don't even try to file a lawsuit; there [is] no justice in this world.”Asianews.it. " [http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=12648&size=A Asianews.it] ." "Unrest in Guizhou as public security tries to buy the silence of the victim’s parents." Retrieved on 2008-07-01.]

Three friends

Guizhou's official media published the first interview with three of the girl's friends on July 4. They were the last people to see the girl alive.SCMP. " [http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=500d00d4efeea110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News SCMP] ." "Corruption cited in Guizhou girl's death; 4 officials sacked." Retrieved on 2008-07-05.]

* Chen Guangquan (陈光权), 21 years old, was the the victim's boyfriend. He denied any raping.Sina. " [http://english.sina.com/china/p/1/2008/0705/170089.html Sina] ." "We didn't do it, male friends of dead girl say." Retrieved on 2008-07-04.]
* Liu Yanchao (刘言超), 18 years old, said he did pushups on the bridge, then struggled after trying to save the girl.
* Wang Jiao (王娇), 16 years old, she was also at the scene.

Protests

About 500 middle school students had gone to protest at the public security bureau, but they were turned away and beaten. The girl's uncle, a local teacher, was beaten when he questioned the police. Rumors have been circulating that the uncle died from injuries at the local hospital but this was not confirmed. This roused an angry mob of thousands of people, who began overturning cars and setting fire to government buildings, including the local Communist party headquarters. Associated Press reported "30,000 angry citizens swarmed the streets". The riot lasted 7 hours with 150 people injuried.SCMP. " [http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=3119f369b8fda110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News SCMP] ." "Local gangsters blamed for riot after girl's death." Retrieved on 2008-07-04.] About 160 office buildings and 40 cars were torched. [Sina. " [http://english.sina.com/china/1/2008/0702/169767.html Sina] ." "Officials admit existence of grievances before violent protest in SW China." Retrieved on 2008-07-04.]

Arrests

Authorities have rounded up 300 people accused of taking part in the riot. Other sources have said 200 rioters were arrested. Over 1,500 paramilitary and riot police were dispatched to the county. Police detained 59 people for their alleged roles.SCMP. " [http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=6febcfe705cea110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD&ss=China&s=News SCMP] ." "Girl whose death sparked riot drowned." Retrieved on 2008-07-04.]

Government response

Photographs as well as comments on the Guizhou protest in chatrooms and forums were quickly deleted by the mainland Internet censors. The government has launched a campaign to defuse protest ahead of the Beijing Olympics to continue carrying out social harmony and stability. An "Olympics Stability Drive" was announced after the incident. Public security officials in Guizhou offered a total of 9,000 yuan (about $1,300 or £700 or €800) to the parents of the teenage girl, with 3,000 paid by each suspect. The father said “We will never accept an evil deal like this, we need to seek justice for our daughter.”

Guizhou's Communist Party chief, Shi Zongyuan (石宗源), estimated that prior use of force by local officials have contributed to the widespread discontentment.cite news |title=Weng'an's secretary and administrator dismissed|url=http://news.sina.com.cn/c/l/2008-07-04/190815873793.shtml |work= |publisher=Xinhua |date= 2008-07-04|accessdate=2008-07-05 ] He further said the deep rooted reasons behind the protest were "rude and roughhand solutions" by local authorities to solve disputes over mines, demolition of homes for public projects, relocation of residents for reservoir construction and many other issues. [Xinhuanet. " [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/04/content_8491429.htm Xinhuanet] ." "Two more officials sacked after violent protest over teens' death." Retrieved on 2008-07-04.] Several local officials, including Weng'an's Party chief, have been dismissed for breach of duty on July 3 and 4.

Investigation

The government-controlled "Guizhou Daily" newspaper claimed the family was too emotionally unstable to accept the findings. The Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said three men were questioned, but were let go. Xinhua news agency reported on July 1 that the investigation would be reopened. The provincial government has sent 10 criminal investigators and forensic experts to re-investigate the death. The autopsy was carried out by five experts from the Guizhou public security department and the Higher People's Court. [International Herald Tribune. " [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/04/asia/AS-China-Protest.php IHT] ." "Report: Girl whose death sparked riot drowned, according to autopsy." Retrieved on 2008-07-04.] After three autopsies, there were no signs of any sexual attack according to state officials. The girl's father Li Xiuzhong did not accept the autopsy findings. He said "There is nothing I can do, they have sent 10 officials to my home, watching me day and night. They told me what to say when the reporters interviewed me. They threatened me that [if I said anything wrong] , then another riot can happen and I must bear in mind that national security is at stake." Li Shufen was buried in her hometown about 20km from Weng'an. Provincial authority said that every year, about 600 to 800 criminal cases take place in the county, but half of them are not solved.

References