Please help saving China’s Largest community!

Discussion in 'News from around the damp planet' started by txcelestial, Dec 5, 2013.

  1. txcelestial

    txcelestial New Member

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    Please help to save China's largest ecovillage which is now facing illegal forced disbandment from Local government since Nov 5. 40 members had moved out from one branch from Nov 9-19 under the strong power of local government. 150 permanent members including 14 children and 16 seniors are under high pressure of insecurity and threat everyday.

    A petition has been set up on AVAAZ by GEN(Global Ecovillage Network). (Check the following link)
    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petitio...Jinping_Save_Chinas_largest_ecovillage/share/

    If you can offer any media help on this, please contact [email protected] Tongxin

    It is of global significance that China, the world's most populated country, has a vibrant and expanding ecovillage movement. That Chinese citizens are voluntarily seeking more sustainable ways of living is of importance for all mankind. However, the Second Home of Lifechanyuan, the largest ecovillage in China, is now under threat. Local provincial government is trying to disband this successful and harmonious community within the next 3-4 months.
    The Second Home Ecovillage was established in May 2009. This ecovillage has three branches located in Yunnan Province, with 150 permanent members in total. There have been guests from 15 countries visiting them in the past three years, which has proven to be open and well-organized. It is also an active member of Global Ecovillage Network (GEN). The Second Home is a very rare example in China of an ecovillage community that practices a fully communal way of living.

    In March 2013, the third branch located at Chuxiong was verbally notified that the local Village Committee that government had decided an alternative use of the land which they occupy. But because no written government documents nor notices were shown and the compensation offered to the community was too small to cover the funds people spent on the project, they refused to move. In April, vandals cut off the road and power lines to community and torn down the main gate. In November, local government officials even contacted the families of community members and told them that the founder of the community, Xuefeng, is “a big cheater”, and threatened families who work for the government that they would lose their jobs if they do not take their relatives back out of the community immediately. The local government representatives tried all means to persuade the community members to leave by threats and intimidation. Forty members were moved out from the place and transferred to the other two branches on November 19 under high pressure. On November 30, the branch located at Lincang city was notified that all people must move out from the property within ten days. And one female member was treated violently when she was taking pictures of vandals who forced their way into the community. The other branch in Anning city also received the similar notice.

    The example of sustainable communal living without focus on material wealth is considered a threat by some rather than the hope it in fact is. The existence and growth of the Chinese ecovillage movement gives the hope that all humans can live in harmony on the Earth. But now, this community which many people have put their whole hearts and souls into for four years is facing the crisis of forced closure by the local Chinese government. And it is now calling for urgent international help, and a petition has been set up on AVAAZ by GEN. (Check the following link)

    https://secure.avaaz.org/en/petitio...Jinping_Save_Chinas_largest_ecovillage/share/
     

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