For the first time on record, the Chinese Communist party has lost all control, with the population of 20,000 in this southern fishing village now in open revolt.
The last of Wukan’s dozen party officials fled on Monday after thousands of people blocked armed police from retaking the village, standing firm against tear gas and water cannons.
Since then, the police have retreated to a roadblock, some three miles away, in order to prevent food and water from entering, and villagers from leaving. Wukan’s fishing fleet, its main source of income, has also been stopped from leaving harbour.
The plan appears to be to lay siege to Wukan and choke a rebellion which began three months ago when an angry mob, incensed at having the village’s land sold off, rampaged through the streets and overturned cars.
Unlike the cul-de-sac revolutionaries who stunk up our public parks the last several months claiming to occupy Wall Street, these people have courage. The Chinese face more than a persistent itchy rash for their stand.
UPDATE: More on the unrest, and some context:
Conflict like this over land is not unusual in the Chinese countryside.
There are thought to be tens of thousands of what the government refers to as mass incidents every year.
But this row seems larger and more intense than many others. Local people have shown they are willing to take on the authorities.
Tens of thousands of "mass incidents" each year! Good grief. Don't those people understand that they live under the rule of reasonably enlightened despots leading them to a new, green future? Have they not seen the new airports in the big cities. Ingrates, obviously.
