Surprise Me!

Rebel China villagers in polls

2012-03-03 23 Dailymotion

PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

This election in a small fishing village in southern China is the next step in a ground-breaking revolution.

Last year the villagers of Wukan forced out the local government in a massive backlash over illegal sales of farmland.

Now they're electing their own village council to control local finances and the sale and distribution of collective farm land.

It's being hailed by rights activists as a new model for greater grassroots democracy in China.

These were the scenes last year in Wukan as villagers went on the march in protest over corrupt land grabs and abuse of power.

They ransacked government offices and when that got them nowhere they barricaded themselves in until provincial authorities stepped in to settle the row.

During the lengthy dispute many villagers were abducted and jailed.

One died in police custody. His daughter says the authorities didn't want her to stand in Saturday's election.

SOUNDBITE: Xue Jianwan, election candidate, saying (Mandarin):

"I thought of the reasons why they kept looking for me so eagerly, to dissuade me from running in the elections. So I thought that if I took part in the elections, would I actually be of any help to my fellow villagers? So in the end I decided to take part."

Village elections have been allowed for decades in China.

This one is different because Wukan is united against higher authorities and keen to get back the land illegally sold off.

SOUNDBITE; 25-year-old villager Zhu Qijie saying (Mandarin):

"I feel very excited because this is the first time since I was born that I've been able to vote for who I want to vote for. Even if the candidate I voted for doesn't win I feel this is my right and my democracy."

Wukan may seem an insignificant backwater.

Yet those who've mobilised fellow villagers to get this far have spoken of extensive surveillance, veiled pressure and fears of reprisals.

Paul Chapman, Reuters