A recent radio broadcast from China has reported that opponents of the massive Three Gorges dam were arrested in October and face up to 20 years in prison. The news report, from the Hubei People’s Broadcasting Station, calls the dissidents "evildoers" and accuses them of damaging power facilities, "indulging in swindling and robbery, hindering the performance of public affairs, provoking disputes and spreading obscene videotapes."

The Three Gorges area will become "the object of the covetous gaze of criminals" from outside China, as well as a key area for sabotage by "criminals harboring a strong desire for revenge on society," warn Chinese authorities in two security documents leaked to Human Rights Watch/Asia.