China Defends Relocation Of 15,000 for Olympics

BEIJING — Beijing officials yesterday defended their relocation of nearly 15,000 people as part of the massive construction projects that have transformed the capital into a 31-venue showcase for the Olympic Games.

More than 6,000 households have voluntarily relocated from the venue sites over the past several years, and all have been fairly compensated, the vice chair of the Beijing Municipal Construction Committee, Zhang Jiaming, told reporters. The policy he outlined has been the focus of petition campaigns and protests, which the Communist Party has tried to suppress.

"The relocation project went very smoothly, so no one was forced out of their homes at any of the venues," Mr. Zhang said. Families who could prove ownership were compensated, on average, about $87,500, enough to allow some displaced residents to pass up government-provided affordable housing, purchase apartments, or buy a new car, Mr. Zhang said. Mr. Zhang's remarks were disputed by some residents and by advocates for the displaced, highlighting yet another controversy confronting authorities in the run-up to this summer's games. "The key issue remains the lack of transparency for all this massive relocation," China researcher for Human Rights Watch, Nicholas Bequelin, said. "People did get money and were resettled, but what is important is what happened to the people who protested. Many people were taken to police stations or threatened with job dismissal."

Unresolved grievances include accusations that much of the compensation money was embezzled by corrupt local officials, that many relocations were in fact forced, that heavy-handed police tactics were used to evict residents, and that there was no opportunity to object when compensation didn't match the value of people's homes, Mr. Bequelin said.