In recent news from Yulin Township, Bainjing Village, Nanning City, Guangxi Province, a violent clash erupted between villagers and riot police, leaving over a dozen villagers injured and hospitalized. The conflict arose from the local government’s forced land acquisition for the construction of wind power poles without the consent of the villagers. Moreover, three of the construction sites were located less than 300 meters from the villagers’ residential land, causing concerns about noise disturbances.
Upon learning of the situation, a group of villagers rushed to the scene to stop the construction work, leading to a confrontation where an elderly villager was injured. Mr. Li revealed that upon hearing the news, villagers were incensed, and by the afternoon, a large number had gathered at the site to block the construction, resulting in a large-scale clash.
According to Mr. Li, the villagers were unarmed, while the opposing side wielded batons, shields, and even fired tear gas at the villagers during the confrontation, resulting in many villagers being seriously injured and bloodied.
It was reported that the villagers called the police on-site, but their calls were disregarded. Fifteen villagers were injured and hospitalized, and it remains uncertain whether the local government will cover their medical expenses.
Following the clash, some villagers attempted to petition various levels of government; however, they were intercepted by the police on their way, and to this day, no resolution has been reached regarding the injured villagers. Mr. Li informed reporters that the villagers plan to travel to Beijing to voice their grievances.
Mr. Li disclosed that the wind power project began in April of last year and is being constructed by Er’an Construction Co., Ltd. There are 11 wind power poles in the village, with three located less than 300 meters from the villagers’ residences. Due to concerns about noise disturbances, the villagers have requested alternative locations for these three sites.
Mr. Li stated that the local government initiated the project in April last year, and during negotiations with the villagers, the government had agreed to relocate the aforementioned three sites. However, this was merely a verbal promise from the government, as the construction continued at the original locations without any public announcement of land acquisition in the village and without the villagers’ consent, leading to ongoing petitioning by the villagers to safeguard their rights.
Mr. Li further pointed out that another reason for the villagers’ resistance was the proximity of the construction to their homes, which could have adverse effects on various aspects of their daily lives.
Data indicates that wind power projects can bring harm by occupying vast amounts of land, leading to vegetation destruction, soil erosion, and potential disruptions to the ecological balance of the ecosystem. Construction processes such as leveling land, road construction, and material disposal may alter the local terrain; furthermore, the operation of wind turbines can affect air circulation and potentially impact the local climate. Moreover, the rotation of wind turbine blades poses a threat to bird and bat populations, endangering biodiversity, while the noise generated during operation may disrupt the lives of nearby residents.
Despite attempts to contact the Baiji Town government for comments on the issue, all calls went unanswered.