Sichuan Gongo County’s Yu Fenglian’s parents passed away leaving behind a piece of forest land. The inheritance rights belonged to Yu Fenglian’s siblings, but in 2009, it was mistakenly given to the children of the neighboring Yu Da Hui by the Gongo County government. Yu Fenglian and others have been fighting for their rights with no success.
Over the years, the Yu family siblings have tried various methods to fight for their rights, but the courts have consistently refused to file the case. The higher court even issued a notice of “end of complaint letter and petition” verbally stating that it should be resolved by the local party committee and government.
In April 2022, the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Committee suggested that the Gongo County Political and Legal Affairs Secretary, County Chief, and Public Security Bureau Chief organize a special investigation team to understand the forest ownership dispute issue. However, no written investigation results were produced.
Finally, the Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Committee suggested that Gongo County Party Secretary Zhou Wenwu organize a hearing to handle the forest ownership certificate issue. The hearing was attended by over a hundred people, including media, citizens, NPC deputies, CPPCC members, Municipal Political and Legal Affairs Committee, Municipal Government, Municipal Forestry Bureau, County Party Secretary, Political and Legal Affairs Secretary, County Public Security Bureau, County Letters and Visits Office, County Forestry Bureau Chief, County Court, lawyers, and multiple witnesses. The hearing lasted for three and a half hours, but to this day, the authorities have not processed the post-hearing evaluation results for the Yu family’s forest ownership certificate.
Upon inquiry from Yu Fenglian and others, relevant leaders of Gongo County government stated, “The forest ownership certificate can only be processed after a court ruling.” Therefore, the Yu siblings had to go to Beijing to request the Supreme Court to handle the matter.
On the night of October 26, 2024, Yu Fenglian and her brother Yu Haitang boarded a train to Beijing from Chengdu West Station. Around 5:30 am on October 28, they arrived at Beijing West Station, only to be abducted by more than ten unknown individuals as soon as they stepped off the train.
Yu Fenglian told a reporter, “On the morning of the 28th, as soon as we arrived at Beijing West Station, we were kidnapped by more than ten unidentified individuals and taken to the Gongo County Public Security Bureau Investigation Center. Policeman with badge number 085343 forcibly abducted me into the Investigation Center without providing a summons, just like the five previous times. He even said he owed me five summonses. This time, there was no summons, and I was forcibly taken to the Public Security Bureau for interrogation.”
On October 18, Yu Fenglian went to the Sichuan Provincial Government to meet the governor but was kidnapped by the police before reaching the entrance. She expressed, “All reception windows for registering the public are useless, just for show! I can’t bear the various cruel and ruthless means employed by the local county officials’ organized criminal gang to suppress us!”
Yu Fenglian’s brother, Yu Fangtang, disclosed to a reporter, “My brother and sister were kidnapped back to the Gongo County Public Security Bureau Investigation Center upon arrival in Beijing. My brother was released on October 30. My sister, once released, was then monitored by corrupt individuals and forbidden from pursuing rights protection activities in Beijing.”
Yu Fangtang, who has been working and petitioning in Beijing for a long time, faced prolonged suppression due to advocating for his rights, resulting in the confiscation of his properties by the public security. He remarked, “My properties were seized, and more than a year has passed without resolution. I am now being controlled, preventing me from petitioning. They are behaving recklessly, openly refusing to solve issues according to the law and regulations. Officials even claim that following the law is difficult, and government officials dare to say, ‘We are acting recklessly, what can you do to us!'”
Yu Fangtang expressed, “Society is in chaos now, there is no freedom, and no reasoning in place.”