'Outraged' scholar wins backing against eviction comments
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Comments made by local authorities in East China's Jiangxi Province to the effect that forced evictions and demolitions are necessary to develop the economy have caused an online uproar after a renowned scholar who has spoken out against the trend posted them on his microblog.
Yu Jianrong, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, reproduced the remarks after he was invited to give a lecture to over 700 local officials early this month in Wanzai County, Jiangxi Province.
"I acknowledge that demolition helps the development of our society, but violent demolition is forbidden. Even demolition for public interests should be handled through legal procedures. But the county head refuted me immediately," Yu told the Global Times Wednesday.
Yu was referring to an incident that occurred over a dinner with the local officials when the Party secretary surnamed Chen challenged him by asking, "What would intellectuals like you have if it wasn't for demolitions?"
Yu said he was outraged by Chen's remark and left the dinner immediately.
He later posted Chen's words on his microblog at sina.com, one of the most popular online portals in China, drawing a scathing response from netizens.
"These officials' houses should be demolished," wrote one Internet user who posted under the name Compliance.
"Over-emphasizing the positive influence of demolitions on the development of our society is wrong," Yu said.
The Wanzai local government refused to comment on this case Wednesday.
China's current demolition regulations allow local governments to seize residents' houses for public projects. Professional demolition companies are usually hired to handle the negotiations, usually resulting in violence and force during the process, prompting calls to revise the regulations.
However, pressure from local governments, who in turn face pressure to develop the economy, caused the adoption of the revised regulations to be delayed since January.
Zhang Jiehai, a professor of psychology and a member of the Shanghai Academy of Sciences, said that the official was correct in saying demolitions were necessary for development.
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