Saturday, March 3, 2012

China - US sends election observer to Wukan in southern China

Published on Mar 3, 2012 by
http://www.euronews.net/ It was no ordinary village election.

As the people of Wukan in southern China voted for their local representatives, an observer from the US government was on hand!

The open ballot was a key prize won by residents of the fishing community, on the Guangdong coast, after they took a stand against corruption.

Protest leaders were arrested amid last year's popular uprising but against all odds, Wukan ultimately won concessions from the authorities.

They came too late for the father of one man who died in custody in suspicious circumstances.
However a key figure in the revolt has now won a landslide in this vote to become village chief.

Wukan rebelled amid claims that local officials had stolen and illegally sold farmland. Its new administrative authority is being hailed by many as a model for greater grassroots democracy in China.

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