Investigation into deforestation and assault on officials in Nghe An

On the morning of March 9, Nghe An Newspaper reporters were present at the pine and acacia forest in Sub-area 343B, plot 3, lot 1, located in Quynh Chau commune (Quynh Luu), where a serious deforestation incident occurred on February 28, 2023. At the scene, an area of ​​pine and acacia forest was devastated. Photo: Nhat Lan

The devastated area is a forest planted from the Project of planting 5 million hectares of pine and acacia forests according to Decision 661/QD-TTg dated July 29, 1998 of the Prime Minister. This is a public property owned by the State, assigned to the Management Board of Northern Nghe An Protective Forests for management. However, on February 28, a group of people residing in Village 6, Quynh Tan Commune (Quynh Luu) arbitrarily encroached on the land, used excavators to level and destroy the forest. Photo: Tien Dong

The incident was initially discovered on the afternoon of February 28, when the group entered the aforementioned forest area, used machinery to cut down pine trees, and loaded the wood onto a truck in preparation to leave the scene. After the discovery, the Northern Nghe An Forest Protection Management Board mobilized forces to stop the incident and sent forces to protect the evidence at the scene. In the photo, an excavator is brought in to dig a road into the deforested area. The image was recorded by the authorities on February 28. Photo: CSCC

While the incident that occurred on February 28 had not been handled, at 4:40 p.m. on March 2, 2023, the above-mentioned group continued to enter this area to cut down the remaining acacia trees in the forest. The acacia wood was also quickly cut into pieces and loaded onto trucks. Immediately afterwards, the Northern Nghe An Protective Forest Management Board coordinated with local forest rangers to make a record of the scene and report to the authorities for handling, while also assigning people to watch over the evidence and vehicles left behind by the subjects at the scene. At the time we were there, many logs were still lying around in this area. Photo: Nhat Lan

At the scene, many pine tree stumps with diameters of about 25cm - 30cm still oozing sap were mercilessly cut across. Photo: Tien Dong

According to observations, the destroyed forest area covers an area of ​​about 2.2 hectares, adjacent to a number of production forest plots and plots. This area belongs to Quynh Chau commune, but the vandals came from Quynh Tan commune. Photo: Nhat Lan

According to confirmation from land officials and forestry officials of Quynh Chau commune, as well as the Quynh Luu - Hoang Mai Forest Protection Department, the area that was deforested was formerly the land of Quynh Luu Forestry Enterprise, now managed and protected by the Bac Nghe An Protective Forest Management Board. Photo: Tien Dong

The area where the deforestation occurred (in the red circle) was confirmed to be part of the former Quynh Luu Forestry Enterprise. Photo: Nhat Lan

The trucks and pine wood that were cut down by the subjects have now been temporarily detained at Team 2, the Northern Nghe An Forest Protection Management Board. The estimated amount of wood cut down is up to tens of cubic meters. Currently, the authorities are continuing to count the exact amount. Photo: Tien Dong

In addition to blatantly destroying the forest, the subjects also injured Mr. Nguyen Khac Hoan - a forest protection officer of the Northern Nghe An Forest Protection Management Board. Photo: Nhat Lan

In addition to the head injury, which was diagnosed as a traumatic brain injury, Mr. Hoan was also beaten with a stick on his shoulder and back. The bruises are still visible. This serious incident is being investigated and clarified by the Quynh Luu District Police. Photo: Tien Dong