Ky Son District People's Committee "defends" the destruction of Pu Lon forest

(Baonghean) - In the November 27 issue, Nghe An Newspaper published Official Dispatch No. 573/UBND.NN, dated November 1, 2013, of the People's Committee of Ky Son District sent to the Provincial People's Committee, a number of departments, branches and Nghe An Newspaper in response to the results of the inspection and verification of the content of the article "Illegal loggers cut down Pu Lon forest (Tay Son, Ky Son)". Based on the actual situation in Pu Lon forest in the past and present and the content of the dispatch, it shows that the People's Committee of Ky Son District is deliberately concealing the truth, covering up and condoning the subjects cutting down Pu Lon forest.

Firstly, in the official dispatch, the People's Committee of Ky Son district stated: "Inspecting the scene of the wood according to image number 1 (the wood covered with tarpaulin) we discovered the wood was exactly as stated by Nghe An Newspaper, specifically: the wood was gathered at lot 1, compartment 15, sub-compartment 458 including 25 bars, volume 1.6m3, de wood. This wood of illegal origin belongs to Mr. Vu Ba Ho in Huoi Giang 1 village, Tay Son commune". “Inspecting the scene of the wood according to image number 2 (the sawed wood lying next to the felled tree, in lot 1, section 15, sub-area 458), the amount of wood was found to be exactly as reported in the report, specifically: 1 felled chestnut tree, the diameter of the cut stump was 55 cm, the amount of wood cut from the felled tree was 16 bars (horizontal), volume 0.3m3. Through inspection, this wood of illegal origin belonged to Mr. Vu Ba Banh, Huoi Giang 3 village, Tay Son commune”.

Regarding this content, not to mention the right or wrong of the volume of wood reflected in the document compared to the reality at the scene, the document cited "reasons" for the subjects to enter the forest to cut down trees in an unreasonable and incomprehensible way: the subjects did not have a house, were poor households and had submitted an application to build a house to the Commune People's Committee. Let's ask, as one of the most disadvantaged communes in Ky Son district (Tay Son commune has 67% poor households), each year there are dozens of couples getting married. If every family living separately had an application to "build a house" and was "allowed" to go to the forest to cut wood, it is unknown how long Pu Lon forest would last. Not only that, Tay Son Commune People's Committee also does not have the right to "grant permission" for these households to exploit forest wood to build houses.

One of the piles of wood that the District People's Committee said was collected by people from the Specialty Forestry Company.

Third, in Official Dispatch 573, the People's Committee of Ky Son district acknowledged on one hand: image number 3 (the person using a motorbike to transport wood) is Vu Ba Ha in Huoi Giang 3 village, Tay Son commune. Mr. Ha used his motorbike to transport a chestnut log weighing 0.3m3 out of Pu Lon forest. However, the People's Committee of Ky Son district continued to rely on the "statement" of the subject who cut down the forest to conclude that "this is a piece of wood taken from the top branches of the special forest company left to make a desk for the child". A piece of chestnut wood of such quality, the interdisciplinary team also believed it was "a piece of wood taken from the top branches" (?), while the image of many ancient chestnut tree stumps that had just been cut down and were still fresh in the forest, the interdisciplinary inspection team of Ky Son district did not see it?.

After the Official Dispatch of the People's Committee of Ky Son district, the scene of transporting wood out of Pu Lon forest by motorbike still recurs.

Fourthly, not only did the Official Letter 573 of the Ky Son District People's Committee deliberately conceal the truth and cover up for those who destroyed the forest, but after more than 15 days since the Ky Son District People's Committee sent an official letter to the relevant authorities, the destruction of Pu Lon forest continued to occur. The motorbikes of the "forest bandits" were still boldly "carrying" wood out of the forest. The amount of confiscated wood, according to the opinion of the Vice Chairman of Ky Son District, Mua No Xu, "had been temporarily detained and transported to the headquarters of the Tay Son Commune People's Committee for the authorities to handle according to the provisions of law", was still "standing in the dark" in Pu Lon forest. That means there was no "temporary detention" or confiscation of wood and transportation to the commune headquarters as reported in the official letter.

Deep in the forest, many piles of wood are still hidden around the gathering area, some are camouflaged by forest trees, some are openly exposed to the sun and rain. And there are still square wooden boards, newly sawn and still smelling of oil... In particular, around the forest, the temporary camps were built by the forest-cutters, surrounded by broken sawn timber. The images show that many ancient tree stumps were cut down a few months ago, some were newly cut, and there were still branches and sawdust scattered around. Is this the right way to "collect" as the Ky Son District People's Committee responded to the press and the authorities?

The cut tree stumps still have fresh traces.

Through witnessing the reality in Pu Lon forest in the past as well as at present, Nghe An newspaper has sufficient evidence to confirm that the situation of deforestation in Pu Lon forest in Tay Son, Ky Son as reported by Nghe An newspaper is completely accurate, true, not "fictional" or "baseless" as answered in Official Dispatch 573 of Ky Son District People's Committee. Ky Son District People's Committee has been dishonest and is deliberately covering up the ongoing situation of deforestation in Pu Lon forest.

Nghe An Newspaper reflects the deforestation situation in Pu Lon, which is not beyond the hope that the sectors, levels as well as local authorities will soon intervene, restore security and order, strictly handle illegal loggers, and protect the few remaining upstream forests. By doing this, we will protect the living environment, reduce the harmful effects of climate change, which causes unpredictable consequences for the people of Ky Son, as well as the people of Nghe An province.

Once again, Nghe An Newspaper thanks the People's Committee of Ky Son district for their attention and timely handling of the issue raised by Nghe An Newspaper; hoping that the People's Committee of Ky Son district will bravely face the truth, strictly handle those who cut down forests, and those officials and forest rangers who are irresponsible, conniving, and ignoring the problem of deforestation in Pu Lon in the recent past, to protect the "green lungs" in the Western region of Nghe An.

Nghe An Newspaper