Ban Mong - where worries are no longer just premonitions
Following the uproar over some forest land allocated to residents in 2013 overlapping with the Ban Mong irrigation reservoir project's planning, we traveled to Chau Binh commune in early September. From what we heard and saw, our premonition from 2022 has become a reality: this area, already facing numerous difficulties due to a record-breakingly long "stalled" large-scale project, is beginning to experience complications…
Nhat Lan • September 30, 2024
During a visit to Chau Binh in October 2022, the root causes of the problems in the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project, and the hardships faced by many in the "long-stalled" planning area, were conveyed by Nghe An Newspaper through articles.Bản Mồng, full of sighs, “Mong village, a premonition of worry…”; “Ban Mong, a large-scale project with no completion date in sight."
Indeed, that period in areas like Dong Phau, Binh Quang, and Quynh 2 was filled with worries and anxieties for the people; and concerns for the Party Committee, the local government of Chau Binh commune, and village officials. A significant portion of the population, after receiving compensation and support, had not yet been resettled, forced to accept temporary living conditions while waiting for the State to arrange and allocate new housing. A considerable number of other residents, after receiving compensation and support for their land, returned to their old homes to maintain their way of life and production; some even built new temporary houses, disregarding warnings and violation reports from the authorities. These shortcomings and inadequacies are glaringly obvious, known to officials from the grassroots to the district level, but they can do nothing to help the people, except to educate and persuade them not to violate the law, or to record in official reports some violations of construction on agricultural land or land that has been reclaimed and compensated for.
The case of Mr. Nguyen Viet Chung's family (Dong Phau village) is an example of the weary wait for resettlement land. Mr. Chung's family had their land confiscated in late December 2021; all their land, house, and garden assets were exchanged for a compensation and support payment of exactly 1 billion VND.
Before preparing the compensation documents, the Compensation Council promised Mr. Chung that resettlement land would be allocated soon. However, the resettlement land did not arrive "soon" as promised by the officials, and subsequently, his family's residence was constantly shifting, disrupting their lives and livelihoods. From their old house, Mr. Chung's family sought temporary shelter with relatives; after a short time, they accepted a precarious life in the dilapidated house of another family whose land had also been confiscated but had moved elsewhere… Because of this prolonged hardship, Mr. Chung lamented: "Eating away at a mountain is like eating away at a mountain. If we keep waiting for resettlement land, the compensation money will be squandered and eventually run out…"
The area most notable for the construction of temporary structures and the replanting of perennial trees in the water reservoir area of the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project is Binh Quang village. In October 2022, vast areas of acacia trees were replanted by the people on land previously reclaimed by the State. In some areas, the acacia trees are 2-3 years old, with a trunk circumference of about 7-8 cm; in other areas, the acacia trees are only a few months to a year old, 30-50 cm tall, with canopies of various shades of green stretching for kilometers. Interspersed among the acacia forests and gardens are numerous houses and livestock sheds built hastily and temporarily using cheap materials. Some houses are inhabited; but many others are abandoned, overgrown with weeds and bushes, requiring a narrow path to access...
Due to numerous existing problems, the area where the Ban Mong Reservoir Project was implemented in Chau Binh commune was like a painting without bright colors, causing great concern among officials in Quy Chau district. As the then Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Mr. Lo Thanh Son, confided: “Because of the lack of project funding, compensation, support, and resettlement work faced many difficulties and obstacles that the district could not resolve completely…” Similarly, the Secretary of the Quy Chau District Party Committee, Vuong Quang Minh (now the Principal of the Provincial Political School), stated: “There have been many meetings between National Assembly representatives and voters in Quy Chau district. Each time, the district has proposed and petitioned on this issue to the National Assembly representatives. To be frank, the project has dragged on for more than 10 years, and the officials and people of Quy Chau are extremely tired…”
"The district has repeatedly proposed and petitioned on this issue to the National Assembly representatives. To be frank, the project has dragged on for more than 10 years, so the officials and people of Quy Chau are extremely tired..."
Former Secretary of the Quy Chau District Party Committee, Vuong Quang Minh
At the end of August, there was some commotion on social media that reminded us of our ominous premonition regarding the Ban Mong Reservoir Project in 2022. This involved some residents of Chau Binh commune posting on Facebook about overlapping land use plans for their allocated forest land, affecting their rights when the district developed a land reclamation plan.
Contacting the leaders of Chau Binh commune confirmed the information. The Chairman of the Chau Binh Commune People's Committee, Mr. Le Van Toan, briefly stated: “In 2013, the Provincial People's Committee reclaimed forest land from the Co Ba Forestry Farm and transferred it to Quy Chau district to allocate to households without land for production. Among this land were over 47 hectares of natural forest within the planned area of the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project, but the consulting unit and the commune were unaware of this and allocated it to the people in the first phase. Now, the land is being reclaimed, and according to regulations, no compensation is allowed. The district has proposed a plan to provide equivalent land, but the people have not agreed, and some have even posted about it on social media…”
"...Now, during the land reclamation process, according to regulations, no compensation is allowed. The district has proposed providing equivalent land as compensation, but the people have not agreed, and some have therefore posted about it on social media..."
Chairman of Chau Binh Commune People's Committee Le Van Toan
Accessing the report from the Chau Binh Commune People's Committee a few days later provided a clearer picture of the situation. It originated in 2013, when the Provincial People's Committee reclaimed over 1,100 hectares of forest land belonging to the Co Ba Forestry Farm and transferred it to the Quy Chau District People's Committee for management. Along with the District People's Committee, Chau Binh Commune received the land on-site from the Co Ba Forestry Farm. Following directives from higher authorities, Chau Binh Commune developed a plan to allocate land to hamlets and villages, holding meetings to select eligible households. Later that same year, in coordination with consultants, they promptly allocated forest land to the people. However, in 2019, during the land reclamation process for the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project, it was discovered that 47 hectares of forest land allocated to 149 households overlapped with existing planning. This issue was reported to relevant levels and departments, and the solution proposed was to redistribute the land and amend the land use right certificates for the affected households. To implement this plan, the Quy Chau District People's Committee assigned the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Chau Binh Commune People's Committee to hold meetings on August 23rd and 28th to solicit opinions from local households.
However, at two meetings, the people requested that the reclaimed natural forest land be converted into land for planting raw material forests to develop the economy, rather than receiving the natural forest land back. Representatives from the District Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Commune People's Committee explained the situation to the people. However, according to current laws, their request could not be fulfilled, so after the meetings, some people posted information on social media, causing negative public opinion. Therefore, the Chau Binh Commune People's Committee met with them to stop the dissemination of information and wait for the authorities at higher levels to resolve the issue...
On September 19th, knowing that the Quy Chau District People's Committee was continuing to hold meetings to gather public opinion, we went to Chau Binh commune to attend two meetings with residents of hamlets 34 and Quynh 1. At these two meetings, we heard Mr. Tran Bao Linh - Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and Mr. Le Van Toan - Chairman of the Chau Binh Commune People's Committee, explain the reasons for the overlapping planning, apologize on behalf of the officials who allocated the land 10 years ago, and present specific land exchange plans for each household.
Listening to the people describe the reality of overlapping natural forest land use with local planning, their hardships, and their aspirations, it was truly heartbreaking. As Mr. Tran Bao Linh said, "The land reclaimed by the province and handed over to the local authorities was given entirely to the people; district and commune officials didn't receive a single inch. The allocation of forest land in the context of the Ban Mong Irrigation Reservoir Project being stalled for many years, with unclear boundaries and a lack of attention to planning management, has led to overlapping areas," which is true. And the people's desire to have the land exchanged for planting trees is entirely legitimate. Forest land allocated to the people was originally intended to become a means of production for them. However, because the allocated forest land contained natural forests, for 10 long years the land users only bore the responsibility of protecting the forest, and only in 2023 did they receive a meager 400,000 VND/hectare for forest protection work!
However, the two meetings concluded with mutual understanding and sharing. After understanding the reasons and specifics of the land exchange plan, although not entirely satisfactory, the majority of residents in villages 34 and Quynh 1 agreed. Subsequent summaries from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Chau Binh Commune People's Committee showed that after careful review, the data had changed. The area of forest land allocated to residents in 2013 that overlapped with the planning was 29.3 hectares; affecting 94 households in 7 villages, including Ke Nam, Binh 2, Ke Khoang, Quynh 1, Quynh 2, village 32, and village 34. At the meetings on September 19-20, a total of 71 households attended, of which 51 agreed with the district's plan, and 20 did not.
With limited time in Chau Binh commune, we returned to Binh Quang village, where a significant number of residents had received compensation and handed over their land to the State but returned to their old homes. On the land that will become the future Ban Mong reservoir, acacia forests still stretch endlessly, interspersed with temporary houses. Mr. Nguyen Van Manh, a resident of Binh Quang village not subject to relocation, observed that the households returning to replant trees are taking a big gamble. If the project is delayed for a few more years, they will win; but if the project is implemented, they will lose everything.
I was also suggested to plant on the land of a family who had moved away, but I didn't dare. Living in an area without electricity, without phone signal, and without knowing how to communicate with anyone like this is very depressing. But what worries me most is that when the reservoir is filled with water, there's a risk of losing the road as well, and I don't know what the future holds…”
Mr. Nguyen Van Manh - a resident of Binh Quang village
Further information from Chau Binh commune indicates that the reservoir area still faces many unresolved issues and obstacles. One prominent issue is the 443 graves in Ke Khoang village cemetery that cannot yet be compensated or relocated due to the lack of a new cemetery. “This issue has been addressed early on; specifically, an agreement has been reached with the Co Ba Forestry Station to select a site for the new cemetery. The district has also completed the compensation dossiers for the graves, which are currently being publicly posted and feedback is being gathered to finalize the plan, leading to approval and payment of compensation to the people. However, the process of allocating land to the local authorities is still pending; meanwhile, because there is no new cemetery, when a loved one passes away, people still have to bury them in the old cemetery. This is a major concern for the commune's Party committee and government because, according to traditional culture, the relocation process takes time and will affect land clearance when the project continues…”
In Chau Binh commune, we have established contact with Quy Chau district to understand the situation in the Ban Mong irrigation reservoir area and have a detailed plan to thoroughly address each specific issue. Simultaneously, we have connected with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to obtain firsthand information on the next steps to be taken in the Ban Mong irrigation reservoir project, along with directives from provincial leaders. Through this, we learned that the completion date for the main structures of the Ban Mong irrigation reservoir project (phase 1) is set for the end of 2025. Thus, time is very limited, while the workload is truly extensive and challenging. To complete the project on schedule, once funding is secured, concerted effort is needed. This requires not only the involvement of Party committees, government agencies, and departments, but, most importantly, the cooperation and solidarity of the people in the affected area!
