Although Nguyen Van Thanh, Party Committee Secretary in the northern city of Hai Phong has penalised many officials in Tien Lang District for acquisition of land allotted to a local farmer, the aquaculture association in the district has filed a petition to the Prime Minister on February 8 asking for dismissal of more local officials over the related incident.
Luong Van Trong, vice president of the aquaculture association, on behalf of the association’s executive board, proposed dismissal and expulsion of Bui The Nghia, secretary of the Tien Lang District Party Committee, from the district Party Committee.
The petition asked for a similar dismissal of Pham Xuan Hoa, head of the local Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Vu Van He, chief of the local Justice Division; Vu Hong Chuan, head of the local Propaganda Committee; and Ngo Ngoc Khanh, chief of the district People’s Committee Secretariat.
The association also proposed that Pham Dang Hoan, commune Party Committee Secretary and Le Thanh Liem, chairman of the commune People’s Committee, be prosecuted.
On the other hand, the association said that it was not satisfied with the decision of the Hai Phong City Party Committee on the suspension of Nguyen Van Khanh, deputy chairman of Tien Lang District as Khanh was the only state official who opposed the district chairman Le Van Hien’s decision to take forceful possession of 50 hectares of land from Dao Van Vuon in 2010 and 2011.
When talking with a SGGP journalist, Vu Van Luan, secretary of the association and a landowner, said Khanh was forced to lead the group of law enforcement officers or else he would have been removed from office, and his action must be reconsidered by the Prime Minister.
Luan said the association wants to attend the next meeting of the Prime Minister with city leaders to discuss the incident. The association will provide the Prime Minister with information so that he can get a multi-dimensional overview of the incident, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of our members in general and Doan Van Vuon in particular.
Soon after the decision to suspend the district chairman, residents in Vinh Quang Commune expressed their happiness as the truth was that district officials had destroyed Vuon’s two-storey house but laid blame on his neighbors.
On February 8, Nguyen Dang Khoa, deputy minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, told the deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on their mission trip to Tien Lang District for investigating the incident further.
According to the ministry, Doan Van Vuon had used the land for the right purpose and followed all environmental regulations, making the land very profitable.
However, Vuon still owed the District Tax Department VND10million. In addition, Vuon had leased out 5.6 hectares of the land to another resident for an eight year period for VND5 million per hectare.
Chu Pham Ngoc Hien, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, said the mission delegation had finished working with Hai Phong officials in investigating the case. They had sent their report to the Prime Minister.
Yesterday, the association spoke with Vo Van Trac, vice president of the Vietnam Fishing Association. The association petitioned the Vietnam Fishing Association that Tien Lang District People’s Committee must revoke its decision to take back forceful possession of 50 hectares of land from Dao Van Vuon. Moreover, the People’s Committee must compensate Vuon and Quy for their losses.
Trac affirmed it is the farmers’ sweat, toil and blood that changes waste land into cultivable areas; hence, we must give due credit.
On the same day, the Hai Phong City Investigation Police decided to look into who had razed Doan Van Vuon’s property after it received a letter of denunciation from Vuon’s wife, Nguyen Thi Thuong, and Doan Van Quy’s wife, Pham Thi Hien. The Investigation Police will also assess the damages.
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