Rebel Chinese village has captured world attention by demanding and obtaining local elections | Democracy, elections and voting at Democracy Chronicles
AFP From:
https://www.npr.org/2012/03/04/147888068/vote-in-small-chinese-village-holds-big-meaning
In southern China, a village that rebelled against corrupt Communist officials has elected the main protest leaders as its new village committee leaders. Reformers are hoping this could be a template for defusing unrest through grassroots democracy, but others say the experience of the rebellious village is unique.
With a flourish, polling opened at 9 sharp at a Wukan village school in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong. The national anthem rang out, and the villagers of Wukan stood respectfully for the raising of the national flag. Just three months ago, the streets here were festooned with banners calling for the downfall of corrupt officials, and rallies of thousands of people filled the square, chanting in unison.
On election day, the banners hanging from the buildings called for China’s laws to be respected, and villagers voted for their new village committee leaders, filling out pink ballot forms in makeshift plywood voting booths. The committee has real powers, in that it controls local finances and the sale and apportioning of collectively owned village land.
Protest leader Xue Jinbo was detained and died in police custody during the rebellion. His daughter, Xue Jianwan, ran in the following elections. “I’m 40 years old,” said voter Huang Meizhi, beaming, “and I’ve never held a ballot in my hands before. Wukan has never had a proper election before.”
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