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Version 13 | Version 14 |
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Chinese man sets himself on fire | Chinese man sets himself on fire |
(20 minutes later) | |
A Chinese man is being treated in hospital after setting himself on fire in the capital, Beijing, to protest against the demolition of his home. | A Chinese man is being treated in hospital after setting himself on fire in the capital, Beijing, to protest against the demolition of his home. |
The man, named by local media as Xi Xinzhu, set himself alight when a demolition crew arrived to move him out and start tearing down his home. | The man, named by local media as Xi Xinzhu, set himself alight when a demolition crew arrived to move him out and start tearing down his home. |
Analysts say the incident will add to already intense pressure to reform China's rules on forced eviction. | Analysts say the incident will add to already intense pressure to reform China's rules on forced eviction. |
Last month a woman died after setting herself alight in a similar protest. | Last month a woman died after setting herself alight in a similar protest. |
Growing anger | Growing anger |
Xi Xinzhu suffered burns to 10% of his body, officials told the Chinese Communist Party-controlled People's Daily newspaper. | |
"We tried everything to raise legal questions about this demolition through normal channels, but nobody would do anything, although there are plainly problems," Xi's brother, Xi Xinqiang, told Reuters news agency. | "We tried everything to raise legal questions about this demolition through normal channels, but nobody would do anything, although there are plainly problems," Xi's brother, Xi Xinqiang, told Reuters news agency. |
The protest is just one of a series in a country where land is effectively controlled by the state. | The protest is just one of a series in a country where land is effectively controlled by the state. |
The law currently allows local governments to claim land and confiscate homes for urban development projects - a system which critics say is open to abuse. | The law currently allows local governments to claim land and confiscate homes for urban development projects - a system which critics say is open to abuse. |
Residents often complain that the amount of compensation offered is far below the real value of their homes. | Residents often complain that the amount of compensation offered is far below the real value of their homes. |
Chinese legal experts have called for major changes, and in a sign that the government may be seeking to ease public anger, officials met nine of them on Wednesday to discuss the issue. | Chinese legal experts have called for major changes, and in a sign that the government may be seeking to ease public anger, officials met nine of them on Wednesday to discuss the issue. |