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Wukan goes to the polls Wukan goes to the polls
(about 2 hours later)
Wukan residents have cast ballots that mark the start of grassroots rights being restored after violent confrontations during which the authorities were run out of town over land grabs.Wukan residents have cast ballots that mark the start of grassroots rights being restored after violent confrontations during which the authorities were run out of town over land grabs.
The rebellion in 2011 against abuse of power and the illegal sale of hundreds of hectares of farmland in the coastal village has become a benchmark of rural defiance against land grabs and corruption that blight villages nationwide. The rebellion in 2011 against abuse of power and the illegal sale of hundreds of hectares of farmland in the coastal village has become a benchmark of rural defiance against the land grabs and corruption that blight villages nationwide.
About 4,000 eligible people in the southern Chinese village voted on Wednesday to select an independent election committee that will oversee upcoming ballots, including one for the village committee on 1 March. About 4,000 eligible people in the southern Chinese village voted on Wednesday to select an independent election committee that will oversee forthcoming ballots, including one for the village committee on 1 March.
With China's top leadership jockeying for power ahead of a succession in the autumn that will usher in a new generation of leaders, the smooth handling of the Wukan unrest has been paramount for Guangdong province's Communist party boss Wang Yang, one of the country's most prominent officials. With China's top leadership jockeying for power ahead of a succession in the autumn that will usher in a new generation of leaders, the smooth handling of the Wukan unrest has been paramount for Guangdong province's Communist party boss, Wang Yang, one of the country's most prominent officials.
Several dozen police in green uniforms and caps guarded the entrance of the school where voting took place, with several police vans nearby.Several dozen police in green uniforms and caps guarded the entrance of the school where voting took place, with several police vans nearby.
Wukan villagers endured decades under the previous Communist party village secretary, who was toppled in last year's turmoil.Wukan villagers endured decades under the previous Communist party village secretary, who was toppled in last year's turmoil.
"For 40 years we've never had a proper election," said a villager named Chen Junchao. "I've never seen these papers before," said an emotional Chen, clutching a white ballot registration slip stamped with an official red ink government seal. "I was crying when I saw this." "For 40 years we've never had a proper election," said one villager, named Chen Junchao. "I've never seen these papers before," said an emotional Chen, clutching a white ballot registration slip stamped with a government seal in official red ink. "I was crying when I saw this."
Not all are optimistic. One young woman with a baby swaddled against her said she would vote but worried a power struggle was under way for the 1 March village committee seats that could see some of the corrupt old guard regain influence. Not all are optimistic. One young woman with a baby swaddled against her said she would vote but was worried a power struggle was under way for the 1 March village committee seats that could see some of the corrupt old guard regain influence. "I'm a little worried for the future," she said.
"I'm a little worried for the future," she said. The Communist party maintains single-party authority across all levels of government – national, provincial, city, county and township – but began experimenting with grassroots democracy in the 1980s, when Deng Xiaoping was paramount leader.
The Communist Party maintains single-party authority across all levels of government – national, provincial, city, county and township – but began experimenting with grassroots democracy in the 1980s when Deng Xiaoping was paramount leader. Village-level elections are now common, if still stage-managed by the party. Wukan is unique in having elections held after unrest.
Village-level elections are now common, if still stage-managed by the party, but Wukan is unique in having elections held in the wake of unrest. After rioting in September, villagers in Wukan expelled the old village guard and barricaded themselves in for 10-days in December.
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/>The standoff forced concessions from Wang's provincial government, which acknowledged there had been mistakes at the local level and granted the village a chance to wipe the slate clean and elect true people's representatives.
After rioting in September, villagers of Wukan expelled the old village guard and barricaded themselves in for a dramatic 10-day stand-off in December.
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/>It forced concessions from Wang's provincial government, which acknowledged there had been mistakes at the local level and granted the village a chance to wipe the slate clean and elect true people's representatives. 		The approach to Wukan contrasts sharply with the response to unrest among ethnic Tibetans, who have been met with truncheons and bullets, which killed several protesters in Sichuan province.
The approach to Wukan contrasts sharply with the response to unrest among ethnic Tibetans, who have been met with truncheons and bullets that killed several protesters in Sichuan province. The success of Wang's approach could be pivotal for his prospects of advancing to the top echelons of power at the Communist party's 18th congress this year.
The success of his approach could be pivotal for Wang's prospects to advance to the top echelons of power at the Communist party's 18th congress this year.