VZCZCXRO3149
RR RUEHAST RUEHDH RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD RUEHSL
RUEHTM RUEHTRO
DE RUEHGZ #0593/01 2920659
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 190659Z OCT 09
FM AMCONSUL GUANGZHOU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0993
INFO RUEHGZ/CHINA POSTS COLLECTIVE 0291
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0779
RUEHGH/AMCONSUL SHANGHAI 0225
RUEHSH/AMCONSUL SHENYANG 0235
RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0226
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0295
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI 0213
RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHZN/ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COLLECTIVE 0028
RHMFIUU/HQ EPA WASHINGTON DC 0038
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC 0274
RUEKJCS/DIA WASHDC 0270
RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI//J00/J2/J3/J5// 0026

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000593 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/CM, DRL AND OES/PCI 
EPA FOR OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV PHUM ECON PGOV CH
SUBJECT: Fujian Wastewater Treatment Plant Update: Officials Claim 
Peaceful Resolution, but Access Denied 
 
REF A: GUANGZHOU 553 AND PREVIOUS 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000593  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
(U) This document is sensitive but unclassified.  Not for internet 
distribution.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Despite official claims that a standoff at a 
villager-occupied wastewater treatment plant in Fujian Province had 
been resolved peacefully, local Party and government officials 
prevented travel to the site or contact with the villagers in 
mid-October by Post personnel.  End summary. 
 
Officials Claim "Peaceful Resolution" 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) Quangang District Party Standing Committee member and 
Information Director Mr. Lin and Quanzhou Foreign Affairs Office 
(FAO) Deputy Director Mr. Huang briefed ConGenoff in Xiamen October 
15 to provide an official update on the situation in Fengwei 
township, where a nearby suspect wastewater treatment plant was 
occupied by villagers August 26 (reftel).  Lin and Huang said that, 
following a meeting between villager representatives and Quanzhou's 
acting mayor on September 28, during which the acting mayor publicly 
apologized for the government's handling of the pollution problem 
and pledged that the wastewater plant's operations would be brought 
into conformity with national standards, the mood within the village 
shifted markedly in support of working with the local government to 
find a peaceful resolution of the issue. 
 
¶3. (SBU) At the same September meeting, the acting mayor also told 
the village representatives that because it was imperative that the 
plant return to operation, authorities would give the villagers 
until October 5 to relinquish control of the facility, according to 
Lin.  Lin said that although "99%" of the villagers favored 
surrendering control of the plant, a very small group of "holdouts" 
remained past the deadline and refused to leave the plant.  Lin said 
the situation was finally resolved "peacefully and without incident" 
October 13, when plant workers and Environmental Protection Bureau 
officials were able to enter and retake control of the facility. 
 
¶4. (SBU) When asked if any of the villagers had been detained in 
connection with the wastewater plant protest, Lin said that "fewer 
than 10 people" had been detained and were currently under 
investigation.  Lin and Huang emphatically claimed that the 
situation had been successfully resolved because local officials 
exercised patience and restraint, listened to villager concerns and 
implemented confidence-building measures following the first, failed 
attempt to retake control through the use of police force. 
 
Actions Belie Official Claims of Open Access 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) When asked if there were currently any constraints on 
travel to or from the village or on villager contacts with media or 
others outside the village, the officials said there were "no 
constraints," as the situation had "returned to normal."  Moreover, 
according to Lin and Huang, the vast majority of the villagers were 
supportive of the manner in which the issue was resolved. 
 
¶6. (SBU) After subsequent failed attempts to phone contacts in the 
village to corroborate the official statements, ConGenoff determined 
to take advantage of the officials' earlier claims of free access to 
the village by making an unannounced evening visit.  Although this 
decision was made late in the day -- and closely held -- authorities 
clearly anticipated the visit. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Upon exiting the expressway, but still a number of miles 
from Quangang, a plainclothes officer at a police checkpoint asked 
the driver, "Is there a diplomat in the car?"  The officer then 
asked if the Quanzhou FAO had been informed of the travel. 
ConGenoff responded that he had met with the FAO earlier in the day 
and had been told there were no constraints on travel to the 
village.  The officer then called FAO Deputy Director Huang. 
ConGenoff explained to Huang his interest in independently verifying 
the information received earlier in the day, noting that Huang and 
Lin had said there were no constraints on travel to the village. 
 
GUANGZHOU 00000593  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
Huang remarked that he happened to be nearby, and that he would 
drive to the police checkpoint to discuss the situation. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Huang subsequently summoned Lin, who expressed dismay that, 
after having provided such a detailed update, ConGenoff would desire 
to independently verify his report.  Lin also expressed concern that 
ConGenoff would "misunderstand" the situation if he happened to talk 
to the "small minority" in the village that was discontented.  Lin 
also noted that the "dissenters" might try to use the USG presence 
to re-galvanize the villagers' protest.  ConGenOff reiterated post's 
interest in independently verifying the officials' information so as 
to be able to report on the situation with confidence, but desisted 
after it became clear that the officials did not plan to allow a 
visit to the village. 
 
GOLDBECK