【Epoch Times, December 20, 2024】For several consecutive days, thousands of residents in the Jinma Street, Wenjiang District of Chengdu, Sichuan Province have gathered at the district government office and the construction site to protest against the government’s plan to build a large funeral project in the residential area near the water source. They are demanding the cancellation of all new construction and expansion projects in the area.
On December 13, residents of Jinma Street received a letter titled “Notice to All Residents of Jinma Street”, which revealed that the local government plans to establish a new cemetery with funeral and cremation facilities. Concerned about the impact on normal living conditions and the environment for future generations, residents were called upon to visit the Wenjiang District government’s reception office on the 15th.
On August 15, around a thousand people gathered in front of the district government, chanting slogans and urging the government to immediately halt the project.
A resident named Yu (pseudonym) told Epoch Times that on the 15th, thousands of people were present. The police were called in to maintain order, and eventually officials from the Civil Affairs Bureau and the Reception Office addressed the crowd, claiming to cancel three projects. However, residents demanded an official written notice from the government, and they have been waiting for it in the following days.
Some residents have been guarding the construction site to prevent any work from progressing. Li Bin (pseudonym), a resident at the site, mentioned that they have been stationed there for three to four days. The residents voluntarily donated supplies, set up tents, and take shifts to guard the area around the clock.
Li Bin said that construction vehicles have been trying to enter and exit the site, but when questioned about their activities, they claimed to be working on other projects. The residents have been obstructing any construction efforts.
“We are waiting for the official documents. If they don’t come within three days, we will go to the district government again. Some residents are currently at the site preventing construction,” Li Bin stated.
Yu also expressed skepticism towards the verbal promises made by the officials on the 15th, stating that without a formal notice to halt the project, which costs 229 million, the residents have lost trust in the government and fear being deceived.
Residents have stated that their demand is to cancel all new and expansion funeral projects, including the expansion of Dalang Fushouyuan Cemetery (to be built on 388 mu), the construction of Tianfu Cemetery (to be built on 88 mu), and relocating the existing Dalang Lingyuan Cemetery (70 mu).
Once completed, the project will increase the total number of burial plots to 137,320. Yu emphasized, “It is only 70 meters away from the water source protection zone, which violates legal regulations. Across the road are food factories and residential areas with hundreds of thousands of residents. The project involves funeral ceremonies and cremation, which means residents downstream from Jinma, in areas like Wenjiang and Shuangliu, will have to drink water processed from 130,000 bodies.”
Yu believes there is undoubtedly corruption involved in the project: it was tendered without consulting the residents, with the primary goal of making money, regardless of public welfare. “What should be of utmost concern is how to improve the living conditions of the living. Yet, colossal funds are being invested in dead people’s graves. The government is cash-strapped and aims to profit from it, showing no responsibility to the common people.”
Local residents are also worried that once the crematorium is built, property values in the vicinity will plummet, making it undesirable to live near the cemetery in the future.
“If it is built, we will have no choice but to move away. Otherwise, everything we’ve invested in our lifetime will be in vain, and the value of our homes will plummet,” Li Bin expressed.
On the evening of December 14, the Civil Affairs Bureau of Wenjiang District in Chengdu issued a notice stating that the project is currently in the bidding and public announcement phase. After comprehensive consideration, it has been decided to suspend the implementation of the project to reexamine the site selection.
In the early hours of December 15, the WeChat public account “Wenjiang Network Information” posted that recently, some netizens raised concerns on online platforms about the construction of a crematorium in Wenjiang District, sparking discussions. The announcement clarified that these claims were “false information.” According to the District Civil Affairs Bureau, “There is no plan to build a crematorium in Wenjiang District. The project is a public cemetery without cremation facilities, and it has already been stopped.”
Local residents remain unconvinced by the government’s statements, insisting on seeing the official written notice. They vow to continue defending their rights until all projects are completely stopped.
When Epoch Times contacted the Wenjiang District government, a staff member declined an interview, stating that official announcements should be regarded as primary sources of information.