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On March 1st Wukan villagers will vote for their village chief. Wukan is the Chinese village that kicked out all Communist Party authorities at the end of last year, as part of a protest against illegal land grabs. And after a two-week stand off with the police, the Chinese regime agreed, in principle, to meet their demands—one of which was for fair local elections.
Many suspect the Chinese regime does not want to let the elections get too much media attention. Reporters from Hong Kong's "Apple Daily" recently saw a large billboard detailing election regulations in Wukan, yet the next day the board had been removed.
Wukan villagers told NTD on February 1st they had elected a committee to oversee the election process. Forty people ran for eleven positions. At time of report, the results were not out yet. The committee will oversee the election of new leaders to replace those who were dismissed after the protest.
[Mr. Cai, Wukan Villager]:(Male, Chinese, First in footage)
"There is a ticket office for each village. Only two villages are done, five villages remain. We elected the notary public and next month, on March 1st, we will elect the village committee."
The original conflict in Wukan was over officials carrying out illegal land grabs. Villagers are still wary of the regime and question whether it will keep its promises, even after the election in March.
[Mr. Cai, Wukan Villager]: (male, Chinese, second in footage)
"It is still in progress and after March 1, they may check the land. It is not yet clear now. We will see how they will do."
Cai said the daughter of Bo Xuejin, the village representative who died mysteriously in police custody last year, also attended the election.