The orchard disappeared overnight, and who moved whose "cheese"?
The hard work of a fruit farmer in Ye County, Henan Province for more than ten years came to naught overnight. The orchard that the farmer had painstakingly managed was forcibly demolished without any compensation.
What the hell is going on? Can the government demolish people's property at will? This makes people wonder, who moved whose "cheese"?
The reason for the incident is that in 2024, the fruit farmer suddenly received a notice of forced demolition. He felt that he had worked hard to run the orchard for more than ten years, how could he say that it would be demolished? So he took out the reply from the Department of Justice, wanting to prove that his rights and interests were protected by law. However, this did not stop the demolition from happening.
One day, the deputy county magistrate came to the orchard with a group of people and began the forced demolition operation without saying a word. Fruit farmers must be very uncomfortable when they see their hard work for more than ten years being razed to the ground by bulldozers, right? This is a feeling that only those who have experienced it can experience.
Official demolition, legal or overbearing?
This incident quickly spread on the Internet and attracted a lot of attention and discussion. Everyone expressed their dissatisfaction with the government's approach, thinking that this was simply bullying the people! Some people say, "Isn't the government doing this because it has power?" Some people also think, "Isn't this undermining the rule of law?" "
In the face of public pressure, the Pingdingshan Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government set up an investigation team on September 20. They said that the matter would be thoroughly investigated, and that the qualifications of the deputy county magistrate would also be checked. However, everyone wondered: will the results of this investigation be fair? Will it be the protection of officials again?
Truth be told, this kind of forced demolition is not uncommon. Something similar happened elsewhere in previous years. For example, in 2019, more than a dozen acres of cherry trees planted by a farmer in a certain place were forcibly demolished, which also caused quite a stir at that time. The reason for these things is often that the government wants to develop the economy, but ignores the interests of the people.
Compensation standard: One ruler can't measure everyone
In fact, this incident reflects a larger question: Is the current compensation standard reasonable? In many places, compensation standards were set many years ago, but now prices have risen many times ago. How can it be satisfying to compensate with such an old-fashioned standard?
Take this orchard as an example, people have planted fruit trees for more than ten years, and now is a good time to bear fruit. If it is calculated according to the ordinary farmland compensation standard, it must be a big loss. It's like if you have raised a golden rooster for ten years and laid eggs, but others bought it at the price of an ordinary chicken, are you willing?
Some experts say that the current compensation standard should be more flexible, taking into account the characteristics and economic value of different crops. For example, trees and ordinary crops cannot be measured by one standard. However, developing such a standard is indeed complex and there are so many factors to consider.
Miscommunication: The "chasm" between the government and the masses
The incident also exposed a serious problem: the communication between the government and the masses was too poor. If the government had communicated with the growers in advance, explained the situation, and discussed the compensation plan, perhaps it would not have reached this point.
However, the reality is often that the government feels that it is for the sake of economic development and the welfare of the people. But the people feel that the government is infringing on their rights. It's like two people speaking different languages and can't understand what the other person is saying.
Some netizens said: "The government should listen more to the voices of the people, and it can't always be high." "Indeed, if the government can put down its shelves and communicate with the masses sincerely, many problems can actually be solved.
Rule of law society: rules should be the same
It has also sparked reflection on the rule of law. In a society governed by the rule of law, both ordinary people and government officials should abide by the law. But in this matter, it seems that the government's actions are somewhat unlawful.
Some legal experts have pointed out that even for the public interest, the government must comply with legal procedures and provide reasonable compensation when expropriating land. If the farmer's claim is true, then there is a serious violation of the law in this forced demolition.
However, in reality, it is often "a strong dragon does not suppress the head snake". Local governments sometimes ignore legal procedures in order to achieve their goals when implementing policies. This practice not only harms the interests of the masses, but also seriously affects the image and credibility of the government.
Reflection and Prospects: How to Prevent Similar Tragedies from Happening Again?
Looking back, we can't help but ask: how can we prevent similar tragedies from happening again?
When formulating policies, the government should give more consideration to the interests of the masses and should not sacrifice the fundamental interests of the people for the sake of development. The compensation standard should keep pace with the times, and fully consider the actual situation and market value. The government should strengthen communication with the masses and establish an effective dialogue mechanism. Both the government and the people should strictly abide by the law and solve problems in a way that is governed by the rule of law.
The forced demolition of the orchard has sounded the alarm for us. It reminds us that we must not neglect the most basic fairness and justice while pursuing economic development. Only when the government and the masses work together and understand each other can we truly achieve harmonious development.
But then again, what will happen to this? Will the findings of the investigation team be impartial? Will the farmer be compensated in the end? I'm afraid it will take time to answer these questions. We can only hope that in the near future a similar tragedy will not be repeated.