Aspirations of Ke Khoang villagers

Direction of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee

Ban Mong Reservoir Project(Phase 1) is a national key project in the agricultural sector. Due to the slow progress of the project, many obstacles in the implementation process, and a large amount of remaining work, on July 5, 2024, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung (currently Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee) chaired a meeting with relevant sectors and localities.

In Notice No. 548/TB-UBND issued by the Provincial People's Committee a few days later, the direction of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee was clearly shown. Specifically, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Trung requested the Investor, the Project Management Board and relevant localities to seriously draw lessons to effectively organize and implement the Project in the coming time.

Assign the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to directly direct and take full responsibility before the Provincial People's Committee and the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for the project's progress and the disbursement of the 2024 plan capital of the Project. Organize a review of all project items, especially the plan to handle landslides in Chau Binh drainage canal, to ensure compliance with procedures and regulations; at the same time, coordinate with the People's Committee of Quy Chau district to complete the project adjustment dossier to submit to the Provincial People's Committee before October 31, 2024. Direct the re-establishment of the detailed construction progress of the Project, report to the Provincial People's Committee before July 31, 2024; periodically every week, request the leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to directly hold meetings with the Project Management Board and localities (if necessary) to promptly direct and remove difficulties and obstacles to ensure the completion of the project as planned.

Review and handle proposals from the People's Committee of Quy Chau district on adjusting production areas according to regulations when requested. Assign staff to participate in the Compensation Council of the districts to grasp difficulties and problems, work with relevant departments and branches to promptly resolve and handle...

For the People's Committees of Quy Chau, Quy Hop, Nghia Dan districts, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requests to prepare a report on the specific implementation of the project's site clearance work (clearly stating the completed volume, remaining volume, completion time, difficulties and obstacles) and send it to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development for synthesis. Coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to establish a progress schedule for site clearance work, sign a commitment to jointly implement. The Chairmen of the District People's Committees are fully responsible to the Provincial People's Committee and the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for the implementation of the site clearance work of the Project.

As for the People's Committee of Quy Chau district, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee also requested the handover of the entire natural forest land before October 31, 2024. Urgently complete the dossier and directly work with the Department of Construction on the adjustment of the Slope 77 Resettlement Area, ensuring the completion of the approval of the project adjustment before July 31, 2024. At the same time, to relocate 443 graves of the people of Ke Khoang village, Chau Binh commune, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee assigned the People's Committee of Quy Chau district to coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to send a document to Co Ba Forestry to resolve procedures related to land; at the same time, direct "urgent completion of the construction of Ke Khoang cemetery".

Up to now, the updated report on the implementation results of the Ban Mong Reservoir project (phase 1) compiled by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and sent to the Provincial People's Committee in November 2024 shows that, for the construction of Ke Khoang cemetery, the People's Committee of Quy Chau district has issued a decision on compensation for 443 graves that need to be relocated, waiting for the project to transfer money to the compensation council for payment. On the side of Co Ba Forestry, trees have been cleared on the area for the construction of the new cemetery to prepare for handover to the District People's Committee...

Soon to fulfill people's wishes

The cemetery of Ke Khoang villagers is only about 700-800m from National Highway 48A, with dense trees shading 443 graves. According to Mr. Lang Viet Dan - Head of Ke Khoang village, since around 2014, there has been a plan to relocate the graves of the villagers to implement the Ban Mong Reservoir project. However, it was not until the last few years that the superiors implemented it. On the part of the villagers, when being informed, they understood that the project would bring many benefits to society, so they agreed to relocate the ancestral graves to a new location about 500m away, on a higher hill to avoid flooding.

But Ke Khoang Village Chief Lang Viet Dan said that the people wanted to urgently build a cemetery as soon as possible, and the new cemetery needed to have a road to access it. The reason for this request was because there was no road in the area where the new cemetery was to be built, while currently when someone dies, people use hearses to transport them, not carrying them like in the past. One request that the Ke Khoang Village people made was that a ceremony must be held before the relocation. Ke Khoang Village Chief Lang Viet Dan said: “The ceremony is to report to the local god and to the ancestors about the relocation. This is a custom, if we do that, the people will support it…”.

Mr. Lang Viet Dan also said that according to custom, the Thai people do not move graves. Therefore, having to move ancestral graves is an unavoidable task. In particular, moving the newly deceased is extremely difficult, so it is necessary to quickly build a new cemetery so that people have a place to bury the newly deceased.

Mr. Dan said: “Over the years, I have only seen the graves of martyrs in the South and the North being moved to the cemetery area, but never from the cemetery area to another place. Therefore, I feel very guilty if the construction of the new cemetery is delayed. During the period when the superiors discussed that the cemetery area of ​​Ke Khoang village would be heavily flooded when Ban Mong lake was filled with water, we had to do a lot of propaganda so that the people would understand and agree to the move. Therefore, I really hope that the superiors will urgently invest in the construction so that the people of Ke Khoang village can complete the relocation of the graves. If it is delayed, and more people die, it will be very difficult…”.

According to information from Chau Binh commune, by December 9, 2024, the majority of Ke Khoang villagers had received compensation and support funds to relocate graves; only 5-6 households, due to working far away, had not received funds for relocation. As for Co Ba Forestry, trees on the land had been harvested and the land handover had been completed. As for the People's Committee of Quy Chau district, the detailed construction plan at a scale of 1/500 for Ke Khoang village cemetery had been approved, and steps were being prepared according to regulations to invest in building a new cemetery. According to Chau Binh commune Party Secretary Le Van Toan, the approved plan includes roads leading to the cemetery and internal roads, responding to people's requests. Regarding the concerns raised by Lang Viet Dan village chief, the Party Committee and authorities of Chau Binh commune have also reported to higher levels.

“This is an important matter because if the investment is delayed, problems may arise. According to the district’s plan, the new cemetery will be completed by around April 2025. We hope that the progress will be guaranteed, meeting the people’s wishes…” - Chau Binh Commune Party Secretary Le Van Toan shared.