WHAT THE SENSATIONAL ARSON in a village in East China's Shandong province has revealed is not just the conflict between villagers and realty developers. It is also about how villagers' contracted arable land should be requisitioned and how corruption be curbed in the process of urbanization.

In this incident, arsonists set fire to a tent in Dujiatuan village, Pingdu city, at midnight on Mar 21, killing a villager and injuring three others. The makeshift tent was the "stronghold" the villagers were using as they tried to defend their land from being occupied. A realty developer and the village leader are suspected of being behind the violent attack and they have been detained along with five others.

The case is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to illegal and irregular occupation of farmers' land.