Rights group: 1.5m people evicted for Olympics
6 December 2007
The Beijing municipal government evicts 13,000 people a month Olympics-related projects, according to a housing rights group, AP reported. The Center on Housing Rights and Evictions said a total of 1.5 million people will have been displaced by the time the Beijing games begin. The group said 1.25 million people had already been displaced in June, and that forced evictions were continuing when they checked again in August. The director of Beijing's construction committee said the group's estimates were "definitely wrong," and that 2,000 people were moved to make way for Olympics venues. The official, Sui Zhenjiang, also said residents were adequately compensated and that 16,000-17,000 affordable houses had been built. The International Olympic Committee has made Russia promise not to displace people when the 2014 Winter Games are held in Sochi, on the Black Sea.