Life in the Fast Lane

Farmer in eastern China refuses to budge after contractors build a motorway around his home.

Published

7 months ago

Categories

Seriously?

Topics

Seriously?, Asia

Places

China

Transcript

Home is on a highway for one stubborn farmer in eastern China. He is refusing to leave his home to make way for a new road. In China its called a nail house -- it's a building that stands alone after others have been demolished, and is almost certainly hammered down in the end. But don't say that to 67 year old Luo Baogen. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 67-YEAR-OLD FARMER LUO BAOGEN, SAYING: "This is not a nail house! How can this be a nail house? What I want is for the government to build another similar home for me. I don't want their money. If the country needs my land, I should leave." He says he never wanted any trouble -- just a place to call home. (SOUNDBITE) (Mandarin) 67-YEAR-OLD FARMER LUO BAOGEN, SAYING: "What can I do? I was born here. It's fine if the government buries me here. I won't move if they only give me the money they have offered me. I can't rebuild a house like this with that kind of money." The road has been completed but it is not yet open to traffic. Luo says if he's not compensated properly, he plans to stay on.