Up to 20,000 people from several villages in Guangdong province's Sanjiao township near Zhongshan city gathered on a highway just after dusk on Saturday to continue protests that had begun earlier in the week, locals said.

"Between 30 to 50 people were injured as police were attacking anyone they saw," one villager named Tan, told AFP. "There is a lot of talk that a 13-year-old middle school girl student was killed in the attack."

Late Sunday, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported the highway was open again after a four-day-old blockade had "dispersed" at noon.

No one had died in the incident, Xinhua quoted a spokesman with the Zhongshan municipal government as saying.

"Police used no tear gas or electronic batons or water cannon while dispersing the petitioners and onlookers," the Xinhua report said.

"However, two policemen and three villagers were injured after the throw of rocks and firecrackers at policemen by petitioners led to chaos," the report said.

The windshield and lamps of a police car had been smashed, and some instigators of the attack had been detained, it added.

Earlier Sunday, officials answering phones at the Sanjiao township government and police stations had refused to comment on the incident. Officials from the Zhongshan government were also unavailable for comment.

Tan said villagers had begun demonstrations in the evening to avoid police cameras that earlier in the week had been recording the protests.

Another villager confirmed the Saturday night clash, but refused to discuss it in detail, saying, "I am afraid I will be arrested if I discuss this".

Hospitals, which on Saturday reported receiving injured protesters, refused to comment Sunday.

Villagers were demanding compensation for land taken to build a local road leading to the highway, as well as the acquisition of 200 hectares for a Hong Kong developer, Tan said.

"We oppose the government's use of force and tear gas in quelling the protests," said Guo Feixiong, a legal aid officer and activist who has helped farmers in other land disputes.

"We call on the authorities to begin talks with farmers to reach a negotiated settlement.

"We also oppose the methods of the protesters. They should not block roads but should protest in a peaceful and lawful manner."

Guo spent nearly three months in jail, before his release last month, for his role in organizing peasant protests in Taishi village, not far from the Sanjiao protests.

As China's economy continues to race ahead, violent clashes over land requisitions have become increasingly common as a result of local officials' frequent collusion with property developers.

In the past few months alone, Guangdong province has witnessed several major cases of unrest. As many as 30 protesters were shot dead by police in a confrontation in Dongzhou village last month, according to residents.

The government claims only three were killed, but acknowledged that police opened fired at the protests.

Farmers who have had their lands confiscated for little or no compensation often have little recourse and their frustrations boil over into violent clashes with the authorities.

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