 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Beijing (AFP) Jan 23, 2011 New rules aimed at ending illegal forced demolitions have come into force in China, state media said, as the government moves to quell what has become the nation's biggest source of unrest. The regulations seek to ease disputes over the expropriation and demolition of people's homes to make way for new buildings, Xinhua news agency reported late Saturday. Under the rules, which came into effect Friday, violence or coercion must not be used to force homeowners to leave. If government authorities cannot reach an agreement with residents over expropriations or compensation for their property, demolitions can only be carried out after the local court has reviewed and approved them. The previous rules had authorised local governments to enforce demolitions at their own will, the report said, quoting unnamed officials at the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the State Council, China's cabinet. Neither were available for comment when contacted by AFP. Land disputes have become China's most volatile social problem as officials and developers seek to cash in on the nation's property boom, sometimes forcing people out of their homes without proper compensation. According to figures released by the China Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), a top government think tank, fights over land account for 65 percent of rural "mass conflicts", and the problem is highly prevalent in cities too. Reports of grizzly land dispute deaths emerge on a regular basis. Earlier this month, a 38-year-old woman was killed by a digger while protesting against a canal project in the central province of Henan, in front of numerous officials and security guards. And last month, a village chief in the eastern province of Zhejiang was suspiciously run over and killed by a truck after he had protested for years against a government-backed land grab. Compensation for people's homes is often a key trigger for land disputes, and the new rules state that the money paid for expropriated homes must not be lower than the market price for similar properties. Yu Jianrong, a CASS researcher, said last month that since 1990, the disparity between money paid to residents and the land's market value amounted to about two trillion yuan (294 billion dollars), state media reported.
Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links China News from SinoDaily.com
Hu faces rough welcome in US CongressWashington (AFP) Jan 19, 2011 Chinese President Hu Jintao, challenged and feted at the White House Wednesday, faces a rougher welcome a day later from top US lawmakers who shunned his state dinner and branded him a "dictator." Hu was to meet Thursday with leaders of the US Congress - home to frequent, ringing attacks on China's rights record and economic policy as well as sharp criticisms of its role in nuclear standoff ... read more |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2010 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook
