Reporting to the Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Committee the results of the inspection and handling of information reported by Nghe An Newspaper on the case of natural forest destruction in Chau Cuong commune, Quy Hop District Party Committee affirmed that this is a serious case, being investigated and clarified for strict handling!
On August 2, 2022, the Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 1328-CV/BNCTU.P2 regarding the handling of the case according to information reported by the press, with the information: "Nghe An Newspaper on July 10, 2022 had an article "Close-up of the scene of the deforestation case in Chau Cuong (Quy Hop)"with the content: In early May 2022, more than 2.5 hectares of natural forest were cut down by subjects in Chau Cuong commune, Quy Hop district, belonging to compartment 7, Sub-area 295B managed by Quy Hop Forestry. Initially, 2 subjects surrendered and the investigation agency is continuing to expand the investigation and clarify the case...".
On August 12, 2022, the Standing Committee of Quy Hop District Party Committee issued Official Dispatch No. 40-CV/HU reporting the results of handling the content mentioned in the newspaper. The specific content is as follows: On April 28, 2022, the local forest rangers in charge of Chau Cuong commune coordinated with Quy Hop Forestry to organize forest patrols according to plan and discovered two areas of illegally cut forest land in lots 14, 18, 19, compartment 7, Sub-area 295B of Chau Cuong commune. The cut-down area is located in the forest area managed by Quy Hop Forestry. After the discovery, the working group determined that the subject would continue to cut and destroy, so the working group assigned Quy Hop Forestry to assign forces to protect the scene.
Immediately after that, Quy Hop Forest Protection Department chaired a meeting with Chau Cuong Commune People's Committee and Quy Hop Forest Farm, and reported to the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee and Quy Hop District People's Committee about the incident. Under the direction of the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee and District People's Committee, Quy Hop Forest Protection Department coordinated with the District Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chau Cuong Commune People's Committee and Quy Hop Forest Farm to inspect the scene and determined that there were 2 locations where trees were cut down. The first location is in Lot 14, Section 7, Sub-area 295B; the second location is in Lot 18 and 19, Section 7, Sub-area 295B...
On May 30, 2022, the Standing Committee of Quy Hop District Party Committee held a meeting of the internal affairs bloc in May 2022. Here, after listening to the District Forest Protection Department continue to report and provide more information on the illegal deforestation case in Chau Cuong commune, the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee determined that this was a serious case of illegal deforestation; the area of natural forest that was cut down exceeded the administrative penalty level prescribed in Decree 35/2014/ND-CP dated April 25, 2019 of the Government regulating administrative penalties in the forestry sector and Article 1, Decree No. 07/2002/ND-CP dated January 10, 2022 of the Government amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Decrees on administrative penalties in the forestry sector; plant protection and quarantine; veterinary medicine; animal husbandry.
Therefore, the Standing Committee of Quy Hop District Party Committee directed the District Forest Protection Department to transfer the file to the Investigation Police Agency - District Police, and at the same time directed the District Police to speed up the investigation of the case and strictly handle it in accordance with the provisions of the law, in order to deter, educate and prevent in general. After that, Quy Hop Forest Protection Department issued Official Dispatch No. 54/CV-KL dated May 30, 2022 on reporting the content of the case with signs of crime to transfer the entire file to the Investigation Police Agency - Quy Hop District Police to handle for consideration of prosecuting the case and investigating in accordance with the provisions of the law.
After receiving the case, the Investigation Police Agency - Quy Hop District Police organized a crime scene investigation (with the participation of the Working Group sent by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to support in determining the area and status of the forest; District Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Quy Hop Land Use Registration Office Branch; Quy Hop Forest Protection Department; Quy Hop Forestry Farm and with the participation of the People's Procuracy of Quy Hop District). The results of the crime scene investigation showed that the total area of forest that was cut down was 15,255m2(initial measurement is 26,300m)2measured including the area that had cleared vegetation but not yet cut down trees); the number of trees cut down was 210 trees. Location 1 belongs to lot 14, compartment 7, Sub-area 295B (plot number 242, map sheet number 2), production forest type, status is natural evergreen broadleaf mountain forest, poor; the area cut down is 6,362m2, there are 139 trees cut down. The second location is in lot 18, 19, compartment 7, sub-area 295B (plot number 247, map sheet number 2) in Chau Cuong commune, production forest type, status is mixed forest of bamboo - natural wood of the mountain soil; the area cut down is 8,893m2, 71 trees were cut down.
Also in Official Dispatch No. 40-CV/HU, the Standing Committee of Quy Hop District Party Committee informed that initially, 2 subjects proactively surrendered to the investigation agency. One subject named Quang Van Cuong residing in Ha Dong village, the other subject named Lo Van Manh residing in Teo village (both in Chau Cuong commune) confessed to the act of deforestation. At the same time, it reported: "Currently, the Investigation Police Agency - Quy Hop District Police is continuing to expand the investigation, verify and consolidate the records to handle in accordance with the provisions of law".
Regarding the natural forest destruction case in Chau Cuong, on July 10, 2022, along with the photo report "Close-up of the scene of the forest destruction case in Chau Cuong commune (Quy Hop)", Nghe An Newspaper also published an article "The silent note in Chau Cuong". This not only describes the destroyed natural forest area; but also specifically reflects the geographical characteristics of the destroyed forest area (far from residential areas, no roads, to get there from Chau Cuong direction, it is necessary to go through the forest, climb the mountain slope); analyze the investment in forest planting (must invest funds for human resources, fertilizers, seedlings...); to request Quy Hop district and relevant agencies to clarify the cause and purpose of the forest destruction!
The reason for such a proposal is that in a number of deforestation cases that have occurred in Quy Hop, the subjects directly destroying the forest are local people who often work for "brokers" (such as the deforestation case in Bac Son commune in 2020 - 2021). In the deforestation case in Chau Cuong commune, with the geographical characteristics of the deforested area, it is very likely that the situation of "brokers" hiring local people will repeat. Moreover, in Quy Hop district, over the past five years, there have been disputes over forestry land, deforestation and land grabbing by forestry farms; there are areas that are still "hot spots" but have not been thoroughly resolved. Therefore, if the nature of deforestation is investigated and clarified, all related subjects can be strictly handled, effective forest protection solutions can be proposed, and new "hot spots" cannot occur.
On August 15, connecting with Quy Hop District Party Secretary, Mr. Phan Dinh Dat to reiterate this content. Quy Hop District Party Secretary acknowledged the need to clarify the nature of the forest destruction case in Chau Cuong commune. He said: "The Standing Committee of Quy Hop District Party Committee will soon hold a meeting to discuss internal affairs, listen to and give opinions on some contents after the inspection and examination. At this meeting, the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee will urge the focus on handling a number of cases, including the forest destruction case in Chau Cuong commune...".
