Government Response
Photographs as well as comments on the Guizhou protest in chatrooms and forums were quickly deleted by the mainland Internet censors. The government launched a campaign to defuse protest ahead of the Beijing Olympics to continue carrying out social harmony and stability. An "Olympics Stability Drive" was announced after the incident. Public security officials in Guizhou offered a total of 9,000 yuan (about $1,300 or £700 or €800) to the parents of the teenage girl, with 3,000 paid by each suspect. The father said “We will never accept an evil deal like this, we need to seek justice for our daughter.”
Guizhou's Communist Party chief, Shi Zongyuan (石宗源), estimated that prior use of force by local officials have contributed to the widespread discontentment. He further said the deep rooted reasons behind the protest were "rude and roughhand solutions" by local authorities to solve disputes over mines, demolition of homes for public projects, relocation of residents for reservoir construction, and many other issues. Several local officials, including Weng'an's Party chief, have been dismissed for breach of duty on July 3 and 4, 2008.
Read more about this topic: 2008 Weng'an Riot
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