Compensation to Evicted Artists in China

By M.E. Dodge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

BEIJING, China – A group of artists who resisted violent attempts to evict them, will receive compensation for giving up their claims to property and for their hardship.  A spokesperson for the group stated that they were awarded 6 million yuan ($0.88 million) for their protest. The amount is to be divided among dozens of artists living and working in the district.

Artists in China compensated after daring protest A worker uses a hammer on an old building to be demolished in China. Photograph courtesy of Yahoo! World News.

The artists involved were from art districts, Zheng Yang and the 008 area. The group’s representative, Zhang Jun, said that they were able to form an agreement after negotiations with local officials. Compensation came after an incident involving about 100 men who wore white masks and were armed with iron rods. They swarmed the two art districts, beating several as they marched through the regions.

Zhang stated that it was unclear who would pay the compensation, because the ties between the real estate developer and the government of the Chaoyang District of Beijing were murky. He said the negotiations went smoothly and took place with district officials, though police officers acted as intermediaries. In a public announcement, Zhang indicated that, “If they had been so rational and polite three months ago, everything would simply be fine.  We just want to be treated as humans.” 

The incident in Zheng Yang was not, however, an isolated event. Another group of artists in the Zhengyang district have also been compensated, although the amount has yet to be confirmed, according to spokeswoman, Xiao Ge.  Xiao is the curator of a project supporting the artists. For three months, the artists have taken turns standing guard to prevent developers from coming in to take over and destroy their studios.  Local authorities and land developers had said the artists must move out to make way for redevelopment. Water and electricity have reportedly already been cut off.

According to Xiao, “This is the first time that Chinese artists have united to protect their rights. It’s a small victory.” An even bigger triumph is the detention of 18 people last month, who were suspected of assaulting the artists, state media reported.

In the aftermath of negotiations, leaders from both Zhengyang and 008 will establish a “rights protection fund” to assist people in similar situations, such as the teachers and children in nearby migrant schools resisting forced eviction.

For more information, please see:

 Yahoo! World News – Artists in China compensated after daring protest – 16 March 2010

Global TimesArtists receive compensation for attack – 16 March 2010

New York Times –  China Compensates Evicted Artists – 15 March 2010

Author: Impunity Watch Archive