A Chinese official was removed from his Party secretary post, nearly 20 days after unrest in his county, according to the Pu'er City government in the southwest Yunnan Province on Friday.

Hu Wenbin, chief of the Menglian County Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), was responsible for the unrest on July 19 that killed two and injured 50-plus others, said Gao Xusheng, the CPC chief of Pu'er City. He admitted causes for the unrest were complicated.

"But Hu and other township officials cannot sidestep their responsibilities," Gao stressed.

He said a work team was sent out to probe the unrest to find if there is any corruption activities behind the incident.

Police were attacked by around 500 rubber farmers with knives, steel tubes and bars while attempting to arrest five suspects in a social security raid in Mengma Town, Menglian County.

In total, 41 police were injured and eight police cars damaged. Police had to use riot guns for self-defense. Fifteen farmers were injured and two died.

The unrest was initially caused by interests disputes between rubber farmers and a local rubber company. Farmers said the private company had infringed their interests and thus attacked the company many times.

Police were trying to arrest the five key people in the attacks but were attacked by farmers.

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2008)