Two Nghe An teenagers escape from gold mine in Quang Nam

(Baonghean.vn)- Being tricked into working hard at a gold mine, Toai tried to escape many times but was discovered and brutally beaten by the gold mine supervisor. Taking advantage of the mine owner being drunk, in the dark of night, Toai and his friend walked through the forest for many hours to escape.

Two students, Cut Van Toai (17 years old) and Hong Van Cau (15 years old), both living in Luong Minh commune, Tuong Duong, Nghe An,

On July 11, Mr. Tran Doan Minh Hiep, Chairman of the People's Committee of Binh Lam Commune (Hiep Duc District, Quang Nam) said that the locality has prepared a file to send Cut Van Toai (17 years old) and Hong Van Cau (15 years old), both residing in Luong Minh Commune, Tuong Duong, Nghe An, to the Quang Nam Provincial Social Work Center to complete procedures for them to return home. Hearing that the two young gold diggers had just escaped from the gold mine, many people in Binh Lam Commune took the children to get a haircut, go shopping, and some even bought phones for Toai and Cau to call their families.

According to Toai, he believed a man named Mao (living in Ky Son district, Nghe An), after the Lunar New Year of Binh Than, he and 6 people from the same hometown went to Quang Nam to work as gold miners in Phuoc Hiep commune (Phuoc Son district, Quang Nam). Less than a month later, the other 5 people were not strong enough to work, so they ran away.

“I had to work from 6am to 11pm. Every day, we had to go into deep tunnels to dig, carry rocks, blast mines... Everyone was forced to do hard work and work without rest. If anyone was late or intended to quit, they would be beaten. The owner of the mine did not let anyone go out. The gold miners' lives were closed in here and they were closely monitored and supervised. The owner also confiscated my phone so I could not contact my family,” Toai said.

In mid-April, Toai also tried to escape but failed and was brutally beaten by the owner of the yard. “However, I always intended to escape so I waited for an opportunity,” Toai said, wiping away tears.

Many workers from mountainous districts of Nghe An have been participating in gold mining at gold mines in Quang Nam province.

On the morning of July 6, taking advantage of the drunkenness of the gold mine owner, Toai invited Cau to escape with him. Leaving the gold mine, the two teenagers headed towards the power line connecting to the camp to get out of the forest. “We were exhausted from hunger and thirst, but when we thought about working at the gold mine, we were determined to keep running. We walked until dark and still couldn’t get out of the forest, so we picked leaves to cover the ground and sleep,” Toai said.

On the morning of July 7, when they had just left the forest in Phuoc Hoa commune (Phuoc Son, Quang Nam), Toai and Cau met Ho Van Hong (41 years old, living in Ngoc Lam village, Binh Lam commune, Hiep Duc). Seeing two teenagers coming out of Phuoc Son forest, tired and hungry, Hong started a conversation and asked them questions. When he learned that Toai and Cau were on the run from the gold mine, the man who used to work as a gold miner took the two children back to his camp and got them some food. The next morning, Hong went to the market to buy sandals and clothes for Toai and Cau. In case they were caught by the gold mine owner, Hong waited two days before daring to take Toai and Cau back to his house in Binh Lam commune.

Hearing that Mr. Hong had rescued the two young gold diggers, many people in the commune came to share and donate money for the two children to have the travel expenses to return home. “People contributed more than 2 million for the children. I just hope that they can return home safely,” Mr. Hong said.

Receiving gifts from the people, Cau could not hold back his tears. At 15 years old, this teenager only weighed less than 35 kg. His parents died early, he did not have the opportunity to study, and his only sister also married a Chinese man, so he had to live with his cousin. Despite his small body, Cau had to work to make a living. When he went to Quang Nam, Cau only had a pair of old sandals, but the strap broke, so he had to work barefoot.

“Luckily, when we ran away, Toai felt sorry for me and let me wear his sandals. Otherwise, I don’t know what would have happened to his feet. Toai’s feet were sore and swollen, it was very pitiful,” Cau said sadly, his eyes still showing fear.

Mr. Ho Van Hong (left) and many people in Binh Lam commune donated money and bought clothes for the two children to return home.

Colonel Nguyen Gioi, Chief of Phuoc Son District Police, said: the unit has not received any information about gold miners escaping from the gold mine in Phuoc Hiep commune or about the mine owner exploiting workers.

Previously, on the evening of April 25, two Khmu ethnic girls from Bac Ly commune, Ky Son district, Nghe An province came to the Nam Giang district police headquarters to cry for help in a state of starvation. They told the police that they were forced to do hard labor day and night. The gold mine where they worked was identified as owned by Mr. Ngo Van Quang. The two girls were handed over to Quang Nam provincial police to continue taking their statements, then provided with transportation money to return home. However, Quang Nam provincial police later said that "there was not enough basis to conclude that Mr. Quang used child labor".

Tien Hung