Why are Nghe An workers flocking to Quang Nam to 'make gold'?
(Baonghean) - Despite mine collapses, drug abuse, prostitution, killings over territory, and torture and unpaid wages by gold mine owners, thousands of workers from all over the country have still flocked to the gold mines in Quang Nam over the past few years. Notably, the majority of them are from the western region of Nghe An.
The miserable life of a gold digger
A few years ago, when I was working in Quang Nam, I met Cut Van Hanh (Ky Son district) on a business trip to the highlands. Hanh is a veteran gold miner who has worked all over the gold mines in Quang Nam. I only learned the name Cut Van Hanh much later, through the gold mining community. When I met him in an illegal gold mine deep in the forest, the young man refused to reveal his real name or hometown.
At that time, Hanh was the head of a notorious gold mine, managing dozens of workers from his hometown. The gold mine was a big success, and Hanh was rewarded many times by the boss, so he always had plenty of money.
“The goldsmithing profession is very expensive, losing more than gaining. But if you follow this profession, you live today and die tomorrow. No one can predict what will happen. Some people die from mine collapses, some die from drug addiction, some get infected with HIV and die… Knowing this, but still can’t give up this profession.”
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| Workers at the Quang Nam gold mine. Photo: Tien Hung |
Recently, on our return to Quang Nam, we visited a series of gold mines, both licensed and illegal, hoping to meet this gold miner again. However, Hanh was no longer there. After asking some gold experts, we learned that not long ago, Hanh fell into a deep gold mine, his body was no longer intact....
At this moment, I suddenly remembered Hanh's confessions about his life as a gold digger during our previous meeting. I wondered why, knowing in advance that dangers were always lurking, even death, many people like Hanh still defied everything to find the gold mines!? To explain this question, every time I had the opportunity to meet gold diggers, I asked them, and most of the people we met gave very vague answers: "This is a career that is difficult to end."
"Follower" mentality
As mentioned above, most of the gold miners working in Quang Nam are from Nghe An. They are ethnic minority youths from Ky Son, Tuong Duong districts..., the largest number are Kho Mu people. To continue to find an answer to the problem of workers flocking to the gold mines to work despite the danger, we decided to go to these localities.
Answering this question, Mr. Nguyen Van Hai - Secretary of Tuong Duong District Party Committee said that in this locality, although there are not many jobs for workers, there are many better options than going to Quang Nam to make gold despite the danger.
“Currently, going abroad to work is also a good choice. The government has many support policies but very few people are recruited, it is due to the mentality of people in this mountainous region,” said Mr. Hai.
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| Illegal workers working at a gold mine during a raid. Photo: Tien Hung |
According to the District Party Secretary, local workers are mostly low-skilled and low-educated. Meanwhile, to go abroad to work, one must undergo training, learn the language, and complete many procedures.
They don't want to study. They don't want to work legally, have guaranteed benefits, and have a stable income, but they want to work illegally."
Mr. Hai said: highland workers often do not want to work in companies, which are disciplined environments with specific working hours, even though they are guaranteed benefits and stable income. They just want to work freely, especially jobs that can receive "cash" immediately on the day, regardless of the risks. |
| The silhouettes of gold diggers can be seen in the mining tunnel. Photo: PV |
Mr. Hai said that a few months ago, he went directly to Do Luong to meet the director of a large garment company to ask for 50 workers from Tuong Duong to come back to work. However, after going to the company and hearing the regulations and working hours, 30 people left that day. The other 20 people only worked for a few days and then left, while working at this factory had a fairly high income...
As for why they choose the gold mines in Quang Nam, according to Mr. Hai, it is because of the "follow" mentality of the people in this highland region. "Whenever they see someone coming back with a little money, they rush to follow. In addition, the gold mine brokers who come to recruit people often entice people by appealing to their psychology such as "working in a comfortable environment with flexible hours, getting paid in advance, getting free vacations...", Mr. Hai explained.
I am a minority here but sometimes I don't understand their psychology. Here, if you work as a construction worker, the salary is even higher than working in a gold mine, but they still flock there to work, regardless of the risks.
Sharing the same opinion with Mr. Hai, Ms. Vy Thi Bich Thuy - Secretary of the Party Committee of Xa Luong commune said: local people often have the habit of inviting others to go with them when they come back from work somewhere.
Meanwhile, in Ky Son district, Mr. Le Hong Lap - Head of the district's Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs said that currently, the district has more than 5,300 workers who have to leave their hometown to work far away because there is a lack of jobs in the area. Opportunities to start a business in their hometown are too limited. These workers mainly work freelance, through introductions from friends and relatives. Earlier this year, the district organized a meeting with nearly 2,000 workers who returned from far away to grasp the situation.
Through this meeting, Ky Son district realized that local workers who go to work in the country (especially in Quang Nam to make gold) often have their wages owed. Because they are not equipped with knowledge about the job they are about to do and do not have much life experience, they are easily drawn into bad habits and social evils...
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| Despite the risks, many Nghe An workers still flock to Quang Nam to make gold. Photo: Tien Hung |
Explaining why many workers go to Quang Nam to make gold, Mr. Lap said that it is due to low education level and weak labor discipline. When entering industrial zones or working abroad, they cannot stand the working style. “Local people just want freedom and comfort. They work when they want, and rest when they want. They work and earn money every day, leading to a reluctance to sign contracts according to regulations. Many people want to make money quickly but do not want to learn a trade. They hear that working in gold can change their lives, so they pull each other along,” Mr. Lap said.
