Protesting workers of the Liaoyang Ferroalloy Factory who have pressed their demands with the Liaoyang city government for the release of four detained workers' leaders have been given positive reassurances about the release of the detainees. Yao Fuxin (54), Xiao Yunliang (57), Pang Qingxiang (58),Wang Zhaoming (37) have been detained since mid-March, 2002 for organizing demonstrations by the plant's workers against retrenchment.
Workers have been staging continuous demonstrations at the city government offices to demand the release of their representatives. After several arrests, the protesters decided on a new tactics, and sent largely retired old workers to the demonstrations in order to avoid confrontation with the police. Nevertheless, on 15 May, 2002, several protesters, including a woman in her fifties, were beaten up by the police. On 16 May, more workers, most of whom pensioners, joined the demonstrations to protest against the police brutality. The government office finally met with two representatives of the demonstration and agreed to arrange a meeting with the city's mayor the following day.
On 17 May, the deputy mayor of Liaoyang, met with three representatives of the protesters and promised them that the detainees would be released soon if the demonstrations eased off. The demonstrators hope that the detainees will be released by the end of June.
CLB was also told by the demonstrators that they had learned about the aborted solidarity mission sent by the Paris-based International Liaison Committee [http://www.clb.org.hk/en/node/4690] and felt greatly encouraged by this attempted visit.
(Source: China Labour Bulletin)
2002-06-06
News and articles about Daqing, Liaoying, Guangyuan labour struggle