Private leasing of historical relic leaves it in ruins

Gianh Ferry Pier in Quang Binh has been ranked as a national historical relic since 1998 but has been turned into “ruins” after being leased out by the commune.

The site commemorates battles and sacrifices of the Vietnamese Army, assault youth force during the American war. However, it’s hard to recognize it now because only three old ferry piers on both sides of Gianh River where the Vietnamese army exchanged in fierce battle with American soldiers remains. Its stele is covered with leaves and wild grass. There is a house with a toilet and a cowshed right behind the stele.

The relic’s boundary cannot be identified clearly when so many cows and buffalos walk through it. Some local people even release their waste there.

Notably, Ha Trach Commune came up with an “initiative” in 2005 when they decided to lease out the ferry piers in the south of Gianh River which are a part of the relic.

Accordingly, Nguyen Van Diep has rights to use these ferry piers and a part of the river until the end of 2010 to do his business. He has to pay VND10 million ($526) per year.

Under the contract with commune, Diep started trading sand and even charged any boat or ship which wanted to reach the piers to cover the expenditure he paid to the commune.

Recently, the Customs Department of Quang Binh was force to pay Diep VND10 million ($526) for his land leasing contract extension for one year (until the end of 2011), in turn, Diep “allows” them to build headquarters and a ship harbour for their anti-smuggling team.

In mid-April 2010, a petrol enterprise was stopped by Diep when their truck passed through his leased land. “I rented this land from the commune so it belongs to me. Anyone who wants to get in here, they need to pass over my dead body,” said Diep. Then he asked the enterprise to give him dozens of millions of dong as leasing fees for land and the river.

However, it seems very strange that Luu Van Tac, Chairman of Hai Trach Commune certainly confirmed that he did not know the ferry piers were ranked as a national historical relic. Tac explained, “I found that the piers were abandoned, so the People’s Committee of the commune decided to lease it out in 2005.”

Due to the contract with Diep, the commune thought that they could not interfere with what Diep had been doing to the historical the relic.

Speaking to DTiNews, Phan Van Gon, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Bo Trach District, said that he and managers of relevant divisions were directly inspecting the relic’s state. They came to know that the commune leased the relic to Diep and all his business activities at the piers. In addition, some families built and expanded their supporting construction inside the relic.

Gon affirmed that the People’s Committee of the District would resolve this mistake by canceling the contract with Diep as the first action, and then request him to clear his sand and return the relic to the commune.

The relic stele located among wild trees, an old fence and toilet

Diep placed obstacles to prevent vehicles from entering the relic