Strictly handle acts of encroachment on protective and special-use forests in Que Phong

(Baonghean) -The act of destroying protective and special-use forests by some Mong people in Tri Le commune (Que Phong) is a violation of the law. However, for personal gain, some people deliberately oppose and distort the settlement of encroachment in Que Phong district. Reality shows that to end the situation of forest encroachment, it is necessary to strictly implement the provisions of the law.

325.8 hectares of forest were seriously damaged.

In April 2016, the Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve inspected and discovered the situation of Mong people in Tri Le commune illegally cultivating and clearing forests for farming on a large area. Through the initial inspection results, the Management Board of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve discovered the phenomenon of illegal cultivation and clearing forests for farming in compartments 1 and 6 of sub-compartment 97; compartments 11 and 10 of sub-compartment 93, sub-compartment 96 with a total area of ​​53.5 hectares (including 26.4 hectares of protective forest and 27.1 hectares of special-use forest).

A special-use forest area in Nam Giai commune was encroached by Mong people in Tri Le commune.

The total number of encroaching households is 15 (2 households residing in Muong Long village, the remaining 13 households in Huoi Xai 1 and Huoi Xai 2 villages). In the encroached forest area, the Mong people have been cultivating for many years. Some households have brought their whole families here to build huts, sheds, and raise chickens and pigs. When they discovered the inspection team, they fled into the forest.

In fact, in the lots and plots belonging to sub-areas 93, 96, 97 and 104 that have been encroached upon, there are dozens of huts, rice huts, poultry and livestock pens built. Around the huts, huts and pens are fields with large and small tree stumps that are blackened by burning.

According to Mr. Le Van Nghia - a forest ranger of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board: "The scene of the destruction of special-use forests and protective forests is still intact, many areas of forest have been destroyed by Mong people for farming for about five years now. Many areas of forest have been destroyed and there are still tree stumps with large diameters of 40 - 50cm left."

On April 28, 2016, the People's Committee of Que Phong district established an interdisciplinary team to coordinate in solving the problem of encroachment on protective and special-use forest land on Nam Giai land. Through inspection, the team discovered that in plots 1, 3, 8 of sub-zone 104 (protective forest land), there were 17 households encroaching; in plots 1, 5 of sub-zone 97 (protective forest land), there were 2 households encroaching; in plots 10, 11 of sub-zone 93 (special-use forest land), there were 3 households encroaching; in plots 16, 17, 19, 21 of sub-zone 96 (special-use forest land), there were 24 households encroaching. The total area that had been encroached was very large, up to 325.8 hectares. Of which, there were 125.3 hectares of special-use forest land and 200.5 hectares of protective forest land.

In some areas of encroachment, Mong people in Muong Long village have built tents and shacks like a village (photo taken in the protective forest area, in sub-region 104, on June 15, 2016).

According to Mr. Sam Van Thanh - Chairman of Nam Giai Commune People's Committee, the encroachment and deforestation of some Mong people in Tri Le Commune has been happening for a long time. Every year, the district has issued instructions to resolve the encroachment; the authorities of the two communes have also negotiated many times to resolve the issue but have not been thoroughly implemented.

“Every time, people promise to withdraw from the encroached area after the harvest; they even sign a commitment but then do not do so. Before, it was only a few hectares, then it was a few dozen hectares, now it is hundreds of hectares…”, Mr. Sam Van Thanh said.

Mobilize and dismantle illegal guard towers

For many years, the authorities of Que Phong district have known that the Mong people residing in Tri Le commune have encroached on Nam Giai commune, causing the burning of forests for slash-and-burn cultivation. The People's Committee of Que Phong district clearly affirmed that encroachment and deforestation for slash-and-burn cultivation are illegal acts that destroy the environment...

In official dispatch 341, the People's Committee of Que Phong district clearly stated: "After the prescribed deadline, if any household deliberately does not return and continues to encroach and destroy the forest, the interdisciplinary team will resolutely dismantle the huts and camps illegally built on protective and special-use forest land; at the same time, strictly handle households that deliberately violate the law."

Inter-sectoral delegation officials next to an abandoned rice shed.

After conducting propaganda and mobilization work in the villages where Mong people have invading, the interdisciplinary team inspected the scene and proceeded to dismantle illegally built huts. Continuously for 3 days (from June 13 to 15, 2016), the team dismantled 62 barns and huts; the number of huts that have not been dismantled is 23 huts of 14 households (mostly Muong Long villagers). The reason is that the team was incited by some people to use sticks, sharp knives to cause fights, and even use guns to threaten people...

Mr. Le Phung Dieu - Deputy Director of Pu Hoat Nature Reserve Management Board, Head of the interdisciplinary team, recounted the incident, at around 9:30 am on June 15, when the team was processing and signing a commitment with Mr. Xong Giong Lao's household (Muong Long village), Mr. Tho Thong Ly - Secretary of the Muong Long village Party Cell and his younger brother brought about 20 people armed with knives and sticks to oppose, curse, and threaten to slash the interdisciplinary team. In Mr. Tho Thong Ly's group, someone used a gun to fire two shots into the air, then shouted at the head of the interdisciplinary team to shoot at the people, demanding the guns be taken away.

Mr. Ly was also the one who stood up to distort the content of the district's handling of the encroachment issue, saying that "Que Phong District People's Committee threatened to expel Muong Long people from Que Phong area...". Realizing that the situation was tense and could easily lead to conflict, Head of the delegation Le Phung Dieu directed the members of the delegation to withdraw from the area, then made a report to the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee and the District People's Committee to ask for opinions.

Notice of the Interdisciplinary Team posted at uninhabited camps.

Handle strictly according to the law!

On June 29, 2016, the People's Committee of Que Phong district held a meeting to resolve the issue of forest land encroachment. Most of the secretaries, village chiefs, prestigious people and representatives of the clans of the three villages of Muong Long, Huoi Xai 1, Huoi Xai 2 attending the meeting all recognized that encroachment and deforestation for slash-and-burn farming is wrong.

However, there are also a few cases that give reasons to demand to keep the land that has been encroached upon, including the Secretary of the Muong Long village Party Cell, Mr. Tho Thong Ly. As the Party Cell Secretary, at the meeting, Mr. Tho Thong Ly justified his "lack of education" and "inability to speak the common language" to use Thai to speak with an irresponsible attitude, causing disunity.

Mr. Ha Ngoc Thi - Head of the Propaganda Department of Que Phong District Party Committee said that it is necessary to consider the people's recommendations to find a solution, but affirmed that the act of deforestation is a violation of the law, the handling by the interdisciplinary team is necessary and in accordance with regulations... At the same time, he expressed disagreement with the attitude of the Muong Long Tho Thong Ly Party Cell Secretary because "as the Party Cell Secretary, it is responsible for bringing the Party and State's policies and laws to the people but "not speaking clearly in common language" is unacceptable".

The interdisciplinary team burned down a temporary shack illegally built in a special-use forest land encroachment area.

Concluding the meeting, Vice Chairman of Que Phong District People's Committee, Mr. Lang Van Minh said: In the coming time, the delegation needs to continue to coordinate with the authorities of Tri Le and Nam Giai communes and functional forces in the area to continue to mobilize and propagate among the people, determined not to let violations recur, and at the same time, have a plan to remove households that have encroached on the area;

Tri Le Commune People's Committee urgently reviewed accurately and reported full data of households in the area that do not have land for production to the District People's Committee; Relevant departments advised the District People's Committee to propose to higher levels on land policies for people in the three villages of Muong Long, Huoi Xai 1, Huoi Xai 2.

At the same time, coordinate with the interdisciplinary team and functional forces to thoroughly handle the encroached areas. Within 3 months, all materials and assets must be moved out of the encroached area and 100% of households that cultivate rice in the encroached area must sign a commitment to return the land after harvest and not repeat the violation...

To resolve this, for those who lack legal knowledge, have difficulties, or lack land for production, it is necessary to quickly put forth appropriate policies to help them ensure their livelihoods; and for those who deliberately violate the law, it is necessary to resolutely and strictly handle them according to the provisions of the law, especially for cadres and party members who, for personal gain, disregard the Party and State's policies and regulations of the law.

Nhat Lan