On March 29, at the First People's Hospital in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, 92-year-old Tao Xingyao, who was burned in the Donghai self-immolation incident, lay on a hospital bed. This photo was taken by our reporter, Wang Shen. On the same day, relatives of the deceased stood on the ruins after the forced demolition in Huangchuan Town, Donghai County, Jiangsu Province. This photo was also taken by our reporter, Wang Shen.
■ Follow-up on the "Jiangsu Donghai Self-immolation Incident"
According to reports, yesterday, the Donghai County Government of Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, responded again to the self-immolation of a 92-year-old man caused by forced demolition on March 27. The government spokesperson said that the reason for continuing with the forced demolition even after the elderly man's self-immolation was mainly to prevent secondary disasters.
On March 27, in order to stop the forced demolition of their pig farm by the Huangchuan Town Government of Donghai County, 68-year-old Tao Huixi and his 92-year-old father Tao Xingyao doused themselves with gasoline and set themselves on fire. Tao Huixi died while his father was injured. Eyewitnesses stated that after the two set themselves on fire, the demolition staff did not provide assistance and the demolition did not stop.
Yesterday, the Donghai County Government of Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province, held a press conference. The government spokesperson, Li Baofu, referred to the forced demolition and self-immolation incident as a villager casualty accident.
He said that follow-up work for the "March 27 Villager Casualty Accident" has been fully launched, and the injured Tao Xingyao is currently being treated. Currently, the condition of this 92-year-old man is relatively stable. To ensure effective control of the elder's injuries, the government invited doctors from Beijing Jishuitan Hospital to participate in the treatment.
At the same time, arrangements are being made for the aftermath of the deceased Tao Huixi, but the specific compensation amount has not yet been finalized. However, Li Baofu said that it can be confirmed that the compensation standards and measures will strictly follow relevant regulations.
Li Baofu confirmed that the demolition indeed continued after the self-immolation of Tao family members. He explained that the demolition was not for demolition's sake, "Mainly because after the self-immolation incident, Tao's house was severely damaged. The fundamental reason for continuing with the demolition was that the on-site staff were concerned about secondary disasters caused by fire."
■ Investigation
Family of the Deceased Denies Excessive Compensation Claims
Villagers revealed that the demolition department never presented any procedures; the county government said they would announce the investigation results.
The face of the burn victim has turned charcoal black, his body covered with bandages, and the smell of burnt flesh still lingers.
Yesterday, Tao Xingyao, a veteran of the Kinmen Campaign, lay on the hospital bed with his eyes tightly closed, shaking his head constantly.
"Now it's much better. When grandpa first came to the hospital, he kept shouting in pain," said Tao Qiuyu, grandson of Tao Xingyao. "After grandpa self-immolated, he was unconscious for quite some time. Occasionally, when he woke up, he asked people around him how my dad (Tao Huixi) was doing? Were the house and pigs at home okay?"
Tao Qiuyu introduced that they have not yet dared to tell grandpa that his father has already passed away.
Grandson of the Deceased Denies Excessive Compensation Claims
According to Tao Qiuyu, after the incident, the county government released information claiming that the Tao family demanded 1 million yuan in compensation, and the self-immolation was for money. This claim was denied by Tao Qiuyu.
Tao Qiuyu said that the direct cause of the self-immolation was: the people responsible for the forced demolition first seized more than 80 pigs raised in grandpa's pigsty, followed by the self-immolation.
"A lot of money was owed due to Tao Huixi's pig farming, and the compensation for the house was insufficient, so he couldn't understand. After the pigs were seized, it was strange that he didn't self-immolate," an informed villager confirmed Tao Qiuyu's statement. The informed person emphasized that the seizure of pigs preceded Tao Huixi's self-immolation.
Villagers Claim Demolition Officials Did Not Follow Procedures
After the self-immolation of Tao Xingyao and his son, the Donghai County Government classified the self-immolation incident as a villager casualty accident. Local villagers do not agree with this classification. Villagers introduced that if the demolition personnel had followed proper procedures, the self-immolation would not have occurred.
"Since the demolition began, they have never shown any procedures," said a villager who wished to remain anonymous. Everyone within the area targeted for forced demolition knew that Tao Huixi had repeatedly told the town officials, 'If you bring the forced demolition procedures and court judgments, we will move immediately.' But until Tao Huixi's death, the town officials never brought the procedures.
Villagers also revealed that during the formulation of the compensation standards, the town officials did not genuinely consider the villagers' interests. Many things were just formalities, which triggered resistance from the Tao family.
A villager gave an example, stating that the town officials claimed they hired professional appraisers to evaluate the Tao family's property. However, upon investigation, it was discovered that all the appraisers' qualification certificates had expired, greatly angering the Tao family.
"They Brought Professional Fire Extinguishers"
Some villagers even believed that the town officials were aware beforehand that the Tao family might self-immolate but did not take it seriously.
On March 29, what remained of Tao Xingyao's house was only rubble. Four half-meter tall red fire extinguishers were discarded on the south side of the house.
An eyewitness to the self-immolation incident said that as soon as the Tao family lit themselves on fire, the demolition personnel immediately pulled out fire extinguishers from their vehicles.
"The fire extinguishers in the car weren't that big. I guessed that before the forced demolition, they had prepared for the possibility of someone self-immolating," the villager said, "Otherwise, who would bring professional fire extinguishers to demolish houses?"
Spokesperson Says No Physical Contact
Regarding the aforementioned doubts, Donghai County spokesperson Li Baofu said that currently, a comprehensive investigation is underway regarding the reasons for the self-immolation, whether the demolition procedures were complete, and whether the appraisers' qualifications were valid. The results will be announced soon.
He emphasized that according to preliminary investigations, there was no seizure of pigs, and it can be confirmed that before the Tao family's self-immolation, no staff member had physical contact with them.
This report was written by our reporter, Cui Muyang.
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> Follow-up Report on Another Demolition Self-Immolation Incident in Jiangsu:
> Elderly Man in Yancheng, Jiangsu, Continues Self-Immolation: Multiple People Claim They Were Beaten and Detained Due to Demolition
> Related Reading:
> Donghai County, Jiangsu, Reports Father-Son Self-Immolation Incident to Resist Demolition, Claiming They Broke Down Doors to Save the Father
> One Dead and One Injured in Jiangsu Donghai Father-Son Resistance Against Forced Demolition
> Some Family Members of the Jiangsu Donghai Father-Son Were Forced to Be Sent to the Suburbs Before the Self-Immolation Incident