10 November, and local Nanjing resident Ms. Jin told of the graves of her family members being dug up and destroyed by a real estate developer, leaving behind only a small amount of bones but a large scar of psychological injury.
As a response, the developer has stated they knew nothing of the site being a graveyard before beginning work.
Shijiu town government, in the Nanjing district of Lishui, told sources that the real estate developer had dug-up and destroyed two villagers’ graves, with a lack of communication being the cause.
According to Ms. Jin, whose grandparents are native to Shijiu town, 20 years ago two people died, and according to local custom, they were buried in private plots.
The graves were apparently buried on a “normal hill” with no tomb stones. Staff members from the real estate firm further explained that the company “absolutely did not” purposely dig-up the graves; workmen simply came across them. Developers also commented that it was strange to find a coffin but no remains, suggesting the possibility of the graves being falsified in the knowledge that the developers would excavate.
An area government official later said that although the Biguiyuan Real Estate Company has started work on the land, it should be phased in accordance with common sense, and was quoted as saying, “The most important thing is to coordinate the relocation of the graves”.
The government said if the plot remains a graveyard then the developer needs to notify the families, and according to the standard process, give some compensation. Yet, in this case, no notification was given before work commenced.
Damages and compensation are now being sought for the unearthing of the graves. The government official said that at present, family members have asked for ￥500,000. Normally, if the company were notified of the graves and went ahead with excavation, compensation would be set at ￥700; since two graves were moved the price would be ￥1,000.
The developer is outraged at the demands of the villagers and is refusing to pay. To this end, the government has set up a platform for Shijiu town and the developer to coordinate and solve the matter, and try to meet the reasonable demands of the masses.
