Developers held over demolitions ( 2003-10-31 07:14) (China Daily)
Beijing police have for the first time detained property
developers for allegedly demolishing houses illegally.
Protesters hold
various placards condemning the housing developer, on a street beside
China World Trade Centre in Beijing on June 11. There have been sporadic
protests across the country, urging stronger legal supervision on
demolition and relocation issues.
[newsphoto.com.cn/file]
The Beijing Public Security Bureau announced on Wednesday they had suspects
in custody over two cases of resettlement disputes involving violence.
Real estate developers in both cases are suspected of using brute force to
demolish old houses after residents refused to move due to disputes over
resettlement compensation.
Liu Shaowu, vice-director of the bureau, said it was the first time property
developers had been held on such charges.
According to police sources on September 19, several people staged a night
raid on a residence in Haidian District and tied up the homeowners -- a couple
and their son. They then demolished the house, burying the family's possessions
in the ruins.
Police allege that Meng Yi, manager of a resettlement department for a
property company, and Yang Zhengming, project manager of a construction company,
organized the illegal demolition.
Zhang Weimin, manager of the engineering department of the real estate
company, and an engineer Qin Mingxiang, are also suspected of involvement.
Meng, Zhang and Qin have been arrested with the approval of the Haidian
Procuratorate, while Yang is still at large, according to a public security
bureau spokesman.
The spokesman also released details of another case in which 13 homes were
illegally destroyed and six residents injured in the early hours of September 21
in Fengtai District.
The police claim a property developer Wang Lina and her employee Li Yujun
paid Cao Yuanlin, a native of Central China's Henan Province, 200,000 yuan
(US$24,000) to lead a dozen people in the illegal demolition.
Wang and Li have been detained by the police, while Cao is still on the run,
said the spokesman.
Liu, vice-director of the public security bureau, said the conflicts rising
from the relocation of residents were serious and complicated. He said his
bureau would do more to guarantee the interests and security of households
relocated due to building work.
