Farmers stage land protest at Beijing Olympic venue

16 June 2005 1. Wide shot of farmers blocking way to site, banners visible 2. Mid shot of farmers 3. Farmers sat beneath Olympic billboard 4. Close up on farmers sat in front of illustration of proposed Olympic site 15 June 2005 5. Farmer holding piece of paper 6. Land where construction was due 7. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Li Shibo, Farmer: "We love this land where we grew up, and the local government have taken over our land of five thousand hectare and did not pay one penny for it, I think they are the worst kind of robber." 8. Close up on paper with scribble reading: "Don't take it away!" 9. Protest blockade 10. Farmers standing in front of Beijing Olympic poster STORYLINE: Dozens of farmers have blocked the entrance to an Olympic site on the outskirts of China's capital city Beijing, saying they won't budge until they are compensated for land that will be used for the venue. Li Shibo, a farmer, said more than 1,000 villagers have been demonstrating for the past 20 days in the hope they will receive some money to make up for the loss of their livelihoods The protest is one of a growing number that have erupted since Beijing began its preparations to host the 2008 Summer Games. Many residents have complained that they were forcibly evicted from their homes, inadequately reimbursed or deprived of their land. Amnesty International has cited the case of Ye Guozhu, who was reportedly driven from his home to make way for an Olympics venue, then sentenced to four years in prison for disturbing the social order after applying for a permit to hold a protest against forced evictions. The 5,000-hectare (12,300-acre) plot of land in the city's Shunyi district is to be turned into facility for water sports. Li and the other farmers have set up metal barriers and used bicycles and trucks to block the main road leading to the Shunyi site, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) northeast of the heart of the city. A red and white banner fluttering at the blockade read: "Support the Olympics. Reasonably settle with farmers who have lost their land." Li said police had dropped by every few days to tell them to leave and to film their activities. Some, he said, had threatened their children. Beijing's Olympic organisers said Tuesday that local authorities had already been paid by the government for the land. Beijing expects to spend 2 (b) billion US dollars on sports venues, plus 24.2 billion US dollars on new subway lines, roads and other facilities by 2008. China began slowing its frantic construction pace last year after the International Olympic Committee voiced concerns that facilities would be finished too early, adding to maintenance costs. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/673143ca6cd011d7089f4ba3571e1239 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork