More than 500 soldiers complain that the monthly pension of 66 Euros can not provide food for the family, the children's school fees, medical care. A man is left unconscious following a clash with security forces. Journalists expelled.

Guangzhou (AsiaNews / Agencies) - More than 500 army veterans demonstrated yesterday in front of the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall in Guangzhou asking for an increase in their meager pensions. In a confrontation with police who tried to evict them, a veteran was injured and taken away on stretchers. Police forces also chased away some journalists and operators who wanted to film the scene.

With the approach of the 18th Communist Party Congress, scheduled in the fall, the authorities have increased security measures prohibiting or controlling demonstrations and nipping petitions in the bud.

According to a report in the South China Morning Post, the demonstration was supposed to have been attended by at least a thousand veterans, but many were discouraged by the authorities from participating. But at least 500 of them between 50 and 60 years of age, with a red ribbon on his chest, gathered in the park next to the Memorial, with banners and slogans demanding a pension increase given the increased cost of living.

The Chinese government says that inflation is contained at 4%, but prices of essential commodities have increased by 15-30%.

Some veterans complain that with a monthly pension of 510 Yuan (about 66 euros) they are unable to feed their families, others claim they can not send their children to school because they can not pay school fees, others cure themselves because can not afford medical expenses.

"The local government - says one of them - should follow the instructions of the central government and increase our pensions." In China, military pensions are paid by local governments. Beijing orders that they be distributed taking into the cost of living account.

The protesters wanted to meet Zhu Xiaodan, the provincial governor, but hundreds of police blocked their attempts from 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The governor's building, next to Sun Yat-sen Memorial was completely cordoned off by barricades and police.

The demonstrators - all veterans of the war against Vietnam in the late 1970s - waited until 4 o'clock in the rain. After several clashes between police, protesters and journalists, an old man - whose identity is unknown - fainted and was carried away on stretchers. The police and security personnel disbanded the group at about 5 pm.

 

• china
• Guangzhou
• veterans
• demonstrators
• pensions
• humna
• rights
• communist
• government