Regarding the construction of National Highway 1A: Early consensus for the common good

(Baonghean) - With the drastic participation of the entire political system and the support of more than 4,000 households along both sides of National Highway 1A, on the 73.8 km long route from Hoang Mai Town to Vinh City, many sections of the road have been basically completed. However, in hamlets 11 and 12, Quynh Giang Commune and Block 8, Cau Giat Town, Quynh Luu District, there are still 410m/12.25 km of road length due to some households re-encroaching on the land, causing construction congestion. During the process of approaching the reality in localities in the province, we have recorded many thoughts and feedbacks surrounding this issue...

Mr. Vo Duc Cai - a parishioner in Quynh Tam commune (Quynh Luu): I think that everyone, whether Catholic or non-Catholic, is equal before the law. If the authorities have propagated, mobilized, and persuaded but the households still do not agree, then protecting the construction is correct, because National Highway 1A is a key national project serving the needs and common interests of the whole community. Why is it that on the same national highway, from North to South, people all comply and support, but when it passes through the houses of some households in Quynh Giang commune and Cau Giat town, there is a problem? Actions such as ringing church bells, placing statues of the Virgin Mary on excavators to pray in the middle of the road are not in accordance with doctrine and canon law. Church bells are used to call parishioners to pray, not to gather crowds, oppose the government, and oppose the law. As a parishioner, my opinion does not agree with these actions. There are signs of taking advantage of grassroots democracy regulations and taking advantage of religious beliefs.

The thoughts and actions of a few individuals cannot affect the image of the church and the great national unity. The fact that some households obstruct the construction of National Highway 1A only serves the personal interests and needs of a group of people, not the collective interest...

Mr. Nguyen Van Hai - parishioner, Block 8 leader, Cau Giat Town (Quynh Luu): Supporting the Government's policy of upgrading and expanding National Highway 1A, my family has a house adjacent to National Highway 1A and has agreed to hand over the site to the contractor for construction since July. In my block, there are 45 parishioner households affected, most of them have realized that national interests are the rights of each citizen and have complied well with the State's policies and guidelines. Sadly, although authorities at all levels from the commune to the block executive committee have repeatedly propagated and mobilized, there are still 8 households in the block that have not agreed. Previously, they had agreed to hand over the site, but now they have turned around to demand their rights and no longer agree, in fact they are just "following the crowd".

The obstruction of construction by some households was opposed by many other households around who had handed over the land, because most of the road had been paved with clean asphalt concrete, but now there are still a few places that have not been paved, causing difficulties for travel and common activities. In particular, the story of some people putting pictures of the Virgin Mary on an excavator to pray to prevent the construction of National Highway 1A is, in my opinion, incorrect, blind, and ignorant. I hope that those who are still obstructing the construction will, for the common good, soon reach an agreement to ensure the progress of the construction of this national key project.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Nga - parishioner in Quynh Giang commune (Quynh Luu): My parents' house is also on National Highway 1A with a total area of ​​121m2, the section along the national highway is 13.5m long and the affected area is 97m2, they have handed over the site to the construction unit since the beginning of October. Of course, the propaganda and mobilization process is also difficult because they are still wavering with the opinions of the neighbors, they think that if the State has a compensation policy now, they will not be entitled to it anymore. As a commune official who performs the duties of land administration and land, and has a firm grasp of legal policies, I have tried every way to convince and explain to them. I think that if I cannot persuade my own family, if I do not set an example in compliance, how can I persuade other families! Now my grandparents are also very excited because the road is high, clean, and convenient for traveling... It's just a pity that some of my family's neighbors are still not friendly, so there are still some roads that are not beautiful or flat...

Mr. Nguyen Van Nam - Secretary of the Party Cell of Block 8, Cau Giat Town (Quynh Luu): We have been persistently campaigning for a long time in many forms, mainly in the direction of arousing the sense of responsibility of each citizen to the country, to the locality and above all for the big, beautiful and spacious road passing through their commune and their family, so that people understand and agree. I am an irrigation officer who has lived in Cau Giat Town since 1982. Before, I saw the State setting up land acquisition markers, but later, some people intentionally and some people unintentionally removed or demolished them.

At that time, many households showed me that the GPMB markers were far away from their houses and they had moved their fences themselves, not building any houses there. One time when I went to build an irrigation project, the people told me, “Don’t dig there, they have already set up the traffic safety corridor markers, the State will not compensate you tomorrow.” But now, some people keep using the demand for compensation within the 13.5m radius to prevent construction, because they think that fighting will cost nothing, and that “maybe” they will benefit. One household the day before came out to prevent the construction unit from spreading asphalt concrete, and the next day complained to me, “We are not united.” I immediately said that unity is for what is right, but for what is wrong, it is not called unity, it cannot be unity… The State builds roads first and foremost for the people to travel on, so why don’t we support them? According to the information I have received from the press, on the entire 73.8km of National Highway 1A passing through Nghe An, more than 4,000 households have handed over their land and supported the State's policies. So, why are only a few dozen households in hamlets 11 and 12, Quynh Giang commune and block 8, Cau Giat town demanding different policies from thousands of households on the route with the same rights and obligations as them?

Mr. Le Xuan Trach - Chairman of Quynh Giang Commune People's Committee (Quynh Luu): Up to this point, in general, people have understood the meaning and benefits of the construction of upgrading and expanding National Highway 1A, and all agree that the demands of the above households are hindering the completion of the national project, affecting the lives of the surrounding people and themselves. Now, many households among those who have not yet handed over the re-encroached land really want the contractor to continue the construction, they themselves also feel that their demands are going against the policy and direction and making it difficult for themselves. Some households even went to the commune and said: "You guys just go and persuade other households, when it comes to my house, just do it like that". I also hope that from now on, households who have not yet handed over will think about the interests of their community and themselves, put aside all calculations of gains and losses, and demands for personal interests so that National Highway 1A through Quynh Giang commune can be completed soon.

Lawyer Trong Hai - Head of Trong Hai Law Office and Associates (Vinh City): The long-standing problems, mainly due to the parties' inconsistent understanding of the rights and obligations related to the project to upgrade and expand National Highway 1A without putting national and local interests first, must be ended. The regulations related to land recovery and land compensation are clearly stated in the Land Law and related legal documents. It is necessary to identify that in the process of national development, through many ups and downs, the issuance of legal documents on land management and use is not always favorable, but many localities have reached a consensus, shared a common mind and eliminated personal interests. In the current context, to ensure the progress of key national projects, land users need to clearly understand their rights and obligations. Preventing people from performing official duties (land clearance and construction forces on National Highway 1A) is a violation of the law that needs to be strictly handled.

PV Group