Home, our haven for decades.

I come from Guangdong, China, a world-renowned authoritarian state. Here, two generations of our family lived, our roots firmly planted. However, the "urban redevelopment" and "tourism development" of recent years have shattered our lives like a sudden hurricane.

A Sudden Ultimatum

At the beginning of this month, our peaceful life was shattered by a cold, hard demolition order. Government officials, citing "regional redevelopment," ordered us to move out within a week. This place wasn't just a concrete and steel dwelling; it was our home for decades, the place where I played as a child, where I grew up, and where my parents spent their youth. Faced with this forced demand lacking reasonable explanation and resettlement, we chose to stand firm, we chose to protest, never imagining that this would be the beginning of a nightmare.

Blood and Tears Under the Violence

March 8th, which should have been a peaceful day, turned into a violent slaughterhouse. A large number of government personnel forcibly broke in, violently driving away residents who refused to leave or were preparing to leave. Regardless of age, everyone seemed to be merely an obstacle to the construction schedule in their eyes.

My septuagenarian father was pushed and dragged in the chaos. During the violent enforcement of the law by government personnel, he broke two ribs, fractured his leg, and suffered a severe blow to the lung. Currently, he remains in the ICU, on a ventilator to stay alive.

The Last Thoughts Destroyed by Fire

The malice didn't stop after the atrocity. Late on the night of March 10th, while everyone was still grieving, an unnamed fire destroyed everything. Our house, where we'd lived for decades, was instantly engulfed in thick smoke. Because it was early morning, the weather was freezing, and given the sparse population and the fact that it was arson, few people noticed. We didn't return until the next day to find our house on fire; all our belongings and possessions were reduced to ashes.

Now, our home is scorched earth, and my elderly father is seriously injured and bedridden. Our livelihood has been cut off, plunging this ordinary family into despair. I plead here, hoping that kind-hearted people from all walks of life will extend a helping hand. I only hope to get through these most difficult two or three months and provide my family with temporary shelter.