An avoidable deadly clash

Other Views

Witnesses are reported as saying that hundreds of men, wearing uniforms and holding shields marked "police", attacked the villagers and started the fight. This is obviously a criminal gang, and the local police are responsible for finding out who organized them. By employing the poor to fight the poor, the organizers have committed a greater evil than the direct attackers.

Wu Ruoyu, ifeng blog, Oct 16

The construction is a commercial program in which villagers with land should be equal with the developer. If there were rule of law, the tragedy could have been prevented. It is the responsibility of the local government to prevent illegal actions - including violence by either side.

Qianjiang Evening News, Oct 16

Many blame those who attacked the villagers and killed two of them, but they are victims, too. Both sides come from the bottom of society. The attackers are just cannon fodder, used by the rich and powerful to steal land from the villagers. Only by reforming the system and shutting evil power in the cage of democracy can such tragedies be prevented.

Beijing News, Oct 16

Developers tend to maximize their profits by cutting reimbursements for villagers whose lands are exploited for commercial use. That is contrary to the interests of the villagers and requires the local government to perform its role as night watchman well to prevent disputes from escalating into violence. It seems the Jinning municipal government has forgotten its duty.

zjjzx.cn, Oct 16

The gang started attacking villagers at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The villagers called the police several times, but the police did not arrive until more than three hours later. The police boasted of quick reaction after a terrorist attack this March, and should have remained alert because a dispute also erupted on May 17. Where were the police? Have they failed to perform their duty?

Beijing Times, Oct 16