Regarding the second phase of land acquisition and clearance of Yen Thanh Industrial Park - Final article: Consensus for the common good

(Baonghean) - As mentioned, in the implementation of land acquisition and clearance for the project to expand the export garment factory in the Yen Thanh town industrial cluster construction project (phase 2), the compensation and support policies and the settlement of petitions for 8 households in hamlet 4, Yen Thanh town were in accordance with the law and in accordance with the actual situation. Therefore, households, especially cadres and party members, need to share for the common interests of the district, the province and their own children...

During the dialogue sessions and through many announcements and conclusions, the Yen Thanh District Land Acquisition Council has repeatedly responded and resolved the questions and recommendations of 8 households. Most recently, after the dialogue with households that have not yet handed over the site on May 13, 2015, in the Conclusion Notice No. 230/TB-UBND dated May 15, 2015 of the Vice Chairman of the Yen Thanh District People's Committee - Mr. Phan Van Tuyen, on a number of issues related to the implementation of the Yen Thanh Town Industrial Cluster Construction Project Phase 2, once again answered the concerns and questions of the people regarding the legal basis for project implementation, land acquisition basis and land acquisition authority; basis for pricing compensation and support; the disclosure of land acquisition records, policies, etc. However, up to this point, 8 households have not agreed to hand over the site.

3 party members in 8 households, Mr. Phan Van Thang, Phan Trung Duong and Ms. Nguyen Thi Hieu also said that "We are brave people who actively fight with the masses to protect the Party and State's guidelines and policies. Currently, we are continuing to fight for our legitimate land rights when others encroach" (??). And although they refused to hand over the land, were forced to be reviewed by the local government and issued a decision on administrative violations to forcibly recover the land, participated in collective complaints, provided information without evidence causing bad public opinion and creating doubts among the people, obstructed the implementation of site clearance for the industrial cluster according to the State's policy, and were brought to the Party cell for review, the former Head of the District Statistics Office, Mr. Phan Van Thang still declared: "I did not violate the 19 things that party members are not allowed to do".

He also cited Article 1 of the regulation on 19 prohibitions (speaking, acting against or not implementing the Political Platform, Party Charter, resolutions, directives, regulations, decisions, and conclusions of the Party; doing things that are not permitted by law) to affirm that "based on the above regulations, I have not committed any shortcomings". The former Head of the District Statistics Office also argued that "In the 19 prohibitions that Party members are not allowed to do, we do not see any specific regulations on local policies and guidelines. Therefore, using this to conclude that we are guilty of Article 1 of the regulation on 19 prohibitions that Party members are not allowed to do is unreasonable and incorrect".

When we (PV) asked the question: According to the law, citizens have the right to denounce, however, there must be evidence. Here, you denounce without evidence. As a party member, why do you just listen to "public opinion" and then use that as an excuse to obstruct and not hand over the land? Mr. Phan Van Thang replied: I think so too, so I told them to just file a complaint, we are just for the common good!...

That is the thinking of party members like Mr. Thang, Mr. Duong, Ms. Hieu and the other 5 households, however, the cadres and many people in Hamlet 4 have a completely different way of thinking. Mr. Phan Van, former Secretary of the Party Cell of Hamlet 4, said: Most of the people support the project and do not agree with the cases that are still causing obstacles. The evidence is that out of the total 143 cases affected by the project, up to this point, only 8 households have refused to sign to receive the documents. For the Party Cell of Hamlet 4 alone, there are 30 party members, 27 party members agreed to sign to receive the documents, only 3 party members have not signed to receive, forcing the district to review them: Mr. Phan Van Thang, Phan Van Duong and Ms. Nguyen Thi Hieu. “Party members who do not strictly comply with the State’s guidelines, policies and laws must be criticized, the severity of which depends on the higher-level Party Committee. Recently, our Party cell has brought out a criticism, but these Party members claim that they have not violated anything. They say they are fighting for the people, but in reality, it is only for their own benefit, the people get nothing…” - Mr. Van said.

Mr. Tran Van Hung, Hamlet Chief and Party Secretary of Hamlet 4 also affirmed: The project to expand the export garment factory phase 2 brings practical benefits not only to the locality but also creates jobs and a stable source of income for the people (Currently, in Hamlet 4, there are 17 people working at the factory and some people are studying a trade so that when the factory expands, they will apply to work), so most of the people agree to support. Moreover, the rice fields that were confiscated from the families are not large in area, 1-2 meters of land for each person compared to the fact that their children can have jobs right in their hometown is nothing; Among the 8 households that have not received money, there are households that are retired government officials and civil servants, with no economic difficulties... When asked about the issue of environmental pollution, Mr. Hung said: "Since it is an industrial park, it will have some impact, but it is also at an acceptable level, because people only specialize in garment export, not to the extent of causing serious consequences as some households above have reported."

Mr. Phan Van Tai, whose daughter-in-law, Ms. Vo Thi Dao, is working at MLB Tenegry Company Limited, frankly expressed: “I think that it is not right for cadres and party members to not accept support and compensation money to hand over the site. Compensation prices are based on State regulations, who dares to do wrong? Children rely on their fathers, the elderly rely on their children, who doesn't want their children to have jobs near home to help their parents, like my family, before my son and daughter-in-law worked as garment workers in Thai Binh, but now they can work right in the locality, the whole family is excited and feels much more secure...”.

When talking about the 8 households that have not yet handed over the land, Ms. Ha Thi Phuong (Hamlet 4) also expressed: “Those people do not know how they think to behave like that. We have had many meetings, discussed many times,... I think for the future of our children, we should not obstruct, the whole community agrees, why don't we follow? Moreover, the garment factory expansion project will create more jobs near home for our children, the benefits are many!...”.

I wonder if the 8 households and especially the cadres and party members like Mr. Thang feel sad when hearing the above opinions. And have they forgotten that as cadres and party members, they must accept sacrifices, disadvantages, go first, stay behind, and be an example for the masses to follow? In fact, their failure to strictly comply with the policies and guidelines for handing over the site has affected the construction progress of the investment attraction project of the district, the province, and the interests of local people in general in terms of employment and income increase. Furthermore, it has damaged the image of the locality and Nghe An in the eyes of foreign investors... In general, it is difficult to accept their self-proclaimed "fighting spirit" as well as their sense of civic responsibility and role as party members.

In my opinion, households, especially party members who have not yet handed over the land in Hamlet 4, Yen Thanh Town, need to clearly understand: Currently, the red carpet for investors to realize Resolution 26 of the Politburo is being thoroughly implemented by authorities from the provincial to the grassroots level, aiming to change the face of localities in general and the province in particular. To do this, it is necessary to have the joint efforts and consensus of the people, including the people of Yen Thanh rice district, to share with investors and authorities at all levels during the general difficult period of the economy. On the other hand, the project to expand the export garment factory located in Yen Thanh Industrial Park Phase 2 is being implemented with the aim of creating favorable conditions to attract investment. Thereby solving employment, increasing income for people, promoting socio-economic development of Yen Thanh district in particular, Nghe An province in general, so it is not possible to apply the agreed price as for urban commercial projects, but based on Point d, Clause 3, Article 62, Land Law 2013, the project to build industrial clusters is in the case of land acquisition by the State.

The land price is approved by the Provincial People's Committee based on the survey of the consulting unit and the proposal of the Provincial Price Appraisal Council, there is no such thing as the District People's Committee setting the price itself. Therefore, once the authorities at all levels have directly dialogued, answered the recommendations, and ensured legitimate rights in accordance with the provisions of the law, then for the common benefit, including the benefit of their own children, the people need to soon reach a consensus to speed up the progress of the project, avoiding waste of land and capital. Because the project will soon come into operation, creating jobs for children in the area is the desire of many people in Hamlet 4, Yen Thanh Town in particular, and people in Yen Thanh District in general. According to our observations (PV) at the scene, the entire area within the scope of the expansion of the Garment Factory Project in Yen Thanh Industrial Park has almost completed the leveling and building of surrounding walls, except for a few small plots of households that have not yet handed over the land? Is it possible that just because of "immediate benefits" and illegal demands, these households unintentionally become barriers to local development and lose job opportunities for their own children?

To solve the problem, the leaders of Yen Thanh district also determined that it is necessary to quickly complete the infrastructure of the industrial cluster to ensure the investment environment, work with the leaders of the garment factory to completely resolve the problem of pollution caused by domestic waste; continue to propagate and mobilize people, in case of deliberate procrastination and disagreement, apply coercive measures, protect construction according to regulations to ensure the dignity of the law. For cadres and party members who violate what party members are not allowed to do, do not comply with the Party's policies and the State's laws, of course, they must be strictly handled according to the provisions of the Party's Charter. On the side of investors, it is also necessary to coordinate well with local authorities in resolving environmental issues; create conditions to solve jobs for local workers, prioritize children in the area where they are located, ensuring harmony of interests between the parties.

PV Group