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Gold Member
China to probe environment dispute after riot
16 Apr 2005 0702 GMT
Source: Reuters
BEIJING, April 16 (Reuters) - China pledged on Saturday to investigate an environmental dispute that led to rioting by thousands of villagers, in a move apparently aimed at ending a stand-off between peasants and factories accused of polluting.
Thousands rioted in a village outside Dongyang city in eastern Zhejiang province last Sunday, injuring up to 50 policemen, after rumours spread that two of about 200 elderly women keeping a two-week vigil and protesting against factory pollution died during police efforts to disperse them.
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"The Zhejiang provincial government has set up a special team to investigate the environment dispute case of Huashui Township in Dongyang city," the official Xinhua news agency said, quoting provincial government sources.
Protesters outnumbered police, who fled the scene after trying without success to tear down sheds and road blocks set up by villagers outside an industrial park housing 13 chemical factories.[/quote]
