'A meeting will be held to discuss the plan to build the Hiep Hoa sewer memorial stele'

Regarding the construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele according to the policy of the Provincial Party Committee in Official Dispatch No. 5258CV/TU dated June 5, 2018, Mr. Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said that currently the Provincial People's Committee has not finalized the plan or has any specific plan.

Hiep Hoa culvert, where in 1978 a work accident occurred, killing 98 people. Photo: Nhat Lan

But the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee said that the Provincial People's Committee will soon hold a meeting with the sectors to listen to the general situation to find a feasible plan. "After the meeting with the sectors, the Provincial People's Committee will finalize the plan, but the trend will be to hand it over to the locality to implement..." - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long said.

In early May 2023, Mr. Nguyen Ba Binh (residing at 544 Ngo Gia Tu, Ward 9, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City) sent a petition to Nghe An Newspaper, informing that in 2018, the Provincial Party Committee had a policy to build a memorial stele at Hiep Hoa culvert, but it has not been implemented yet; at the same time, it recommended that attention should be paid to building a memorial stele to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives at the Hiep Hoa culvert project in 1978, thereby educating history and good traditions for future generations. Nghe An Newspaper then verified, researched, and published articles "Hiep Hoa, the unfulfilled promise...” (May 14), “Department of Agriculture and Rural Development explains why the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele has not yet been built” (May 18), “Need to soon deploy the construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele” (May 25).

Cover of the article "Hiep Hoa, unfulfilled promise..." on Nghe An electronic newspaper. Photo: Nhat Lan

Mr. Nguyen Ba Binh's petition was also sent to the Provincial People's Committee. In 2020, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development was assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to research and build the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele. Therefore, the Provincial People's Committee later issued a document directing the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to respond to Mr. Nguyen Ba Binh's petition.

On June 1, 2023, in Document No. 1939/SNN-QLXD in response to Mr. Nguyen Ba Binh's petition, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development assessed the necessity of building the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele:“The construction of the Memorial Monument at Hiep Hoa culvert, Hoa Son commune, Do Luong district is a very meaningful work to commemorate the victims who died during the construction of Hiep Hoa culvert in 1978, demonstrating the spirit of “When drinking water, remember its source” of the Vietnamese people.”

At the same time, explain the reasons for not yet building the Hiep Hoa sewer memorial stele as follows:“Implementing the direction of the Provincial Party Committee and the People's Committee of Nghe An province; the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has organized the preparation of design documents for the construction drawing of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele at the K7+274 route on the right bank of the main canal, in Hoa Son commune, Do Luong district, under the Project to Restore and Upgrade the Northern Nghe An Irrigation System (JICA2); using JICA loan capital and Central counterpart capital; sent for comments and received responses from the following agencies: Nghe An Provincial Youth Union; Department of Culture and Sports; Department of Construction.

Cemetery of the martyrs at Hiep Hoa culvert in Thanh Lien commune. Photo: Contributor

However, after reviewing, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development found that:The implementation of the above items is not consistent with the basic principles in state management of ODA capital and preferential loans (Section 2, Article 6, Decree No. 114/2021/ND-CP dated December 16, 2021) and is not consistent with the general objectives of the project (through investment in repairing and upgrading key works, canal systems and facilities to contribute to ensuring national food security, hunger eradication and poverty reduction, while enhancing the capacity of the management team and beneficiaries in effectively exploiting and operating the irrigation system). Therefore, to ensure compliance with current State regulations and not contrary to the regulations of the Sponsor, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development does not use JICA loan capital to invest in the construction of the Hiep Hoa sluice memorial stele, the Project to Restore and Upgrade the Northern Nghe An Irrigation System (JICA2).

Regarding this content, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported to the Provincial People's Committee in Document No. 3671/SNN-QLXD dated October 12, 2022 on stopping the implementation of the item. On the website https:/baonghean.vn/ on May 18, 2023, an article titled "Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Rural Development explains why the Hiep Hoa Cement Memorial Monument has not yet been built" by author Nhat Lan was also posted. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development responded so that Mr. Nguyen Ba Binh would know.

“Do Luong is ready to accept the mission…”

This is the exchange of Mr. Bui Duy Dong - Secretary of Do Luong District Party Committee when Nghe An Newspaper reporter discussed the trend of assigning localities to build the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele, as Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Bui Dinh Long mentioned above.

According to Mr. Bui Duy Dong, the Party Committee and the government of Do Luong district are ready to take responsibility for building the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele if assigned the task by the Provincial People's Committee.

According to the Secretary of the Do Luong District Party Committee, the construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele is necessary, meeting the long-standing expectations of the relatives of the deceased and of society; and was approved by the Provincial Party Committee in 2018. However, the construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele was previously assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Therefore, if the Provincial People's Committee transfers the construction to Do Luong district, it is necessary to ensure the process, have meetings, conclusions, and documents assigning tasks...

Near Hiep Hoa culvert, for many years there has been only a small shrine to burn incense for those who died in 1978. Photo: Nhat Lan

Secretary of Do Luong District Party Committee Bui Duy Dong said: “The construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele project is related to land, public investment..., so if Do Luong district is assigned to carry out the project, it must also ensure the procedures according to regulations. Do Luong is ready to accept the task assigned by the province, considering it a political task to strive to complete...”.