HONG KONG, Mar. 30, 2011 (Kyodo News International) -- Thousands of people clashed with police in southwestern China's Yunnan Province over compensation for being forced to resettle for a dam project, a human rights watchdog and the government confirmed Wednesday.
The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy said thousands of people blocked major traffic routes in Suijiang County from Friday until Tuesday when 1,500 paramilitary police, led by an armored vehicle, forcibly dispersed the crowd, leaving 30 protesters and 20 police injured.
The Hong Kong-based center said an ambulance was wrecked after paramedics in it took care of injured police and ignored protesters.
About 100,000 people in the region are to be moved to make way for the construction of a dam and power plant on the Jinsha River, but disputes over payment for grave removal and resettlement remain unresolved.
The center said the government offered people 1,000 yuan ($152) for grave removal that cost more than 5,000 yuan and that the people are dissatisfied with the quality of resettlement houses that are located in an earthquake zone.
Police in riot gear and protesters gathered in what was said to be Suijiang were seen in an undated video shown by Hong Kong's Cable TV.
A county government statement issued Wednesday said as many as 2,000 people blocked roads Friday over ''misunderstanding of migration policies, demanded fee to use the roads, disrupted businesses and blocked produce from entering markets.''
It said after four days of disruption, county officials tried to disperse the crowd, which left 22 people injured, including 17 police officers and a civilian.
The matter was solved and traffic resumed normally Tuesday after provincial and municipal party committees stepped in and took care of people's complaints, it said.
But the government made no mention of the riot police clashing with the protesters or any details on the cause of the blockade and or the solution offered.