Henan farmers form own govt, forge official documents

(ECNS) -- Three famers in Dengzhou city, Henan province, have rejected the local government, accusing it of dereliction of duty, and formed a new city government, appointing themselves city heads.

Ma Xianglan and Wang Liangshuang, who are unsatisfied with the local government because of an urban developing project, along with Zhang Haixin, worked together and formed a "New Dengzhou Municipal People's Government" opposite the real one in September last year.

The two women and one man, who all received only a primary school education, even appointed themselves as mayor and heads of subordinate township governments.

Then they issued suspension and punishment notices to a developer of the project in the name of their "government."

The developer reported the papers to local police.

Using fake city government seals, they were found to have issued 40 appointment letters and more than 20 notices.

They even forged an official letter from the central government, with which they claimed to have the authority to award certificates on managing rural land via contracts and "all newly-built houses without our approval are illegal."

At least 200 households have applied for certificates with them.

The three even distributed want ads seeking new graduates to work in their "government."

They are being prosecuted for forgery of official documents.