VietNamNet Bridge – Thousands of people of Phu Lam commune, Tien Du district in Bac Ninh province surrounded the headquarters of the commune government for two days to protest the implementation of a waste treatment project. Not until 9pm on January 17, did they leave and the commune chairman could leave office.

People of the four villages of Phu Dong, Vinh Phuc, Tam Tao and Xom Mieu of Phu Lam commune began flocking to the commune government office on the morning of January 15 to protest the project to build a waste treatment facility amid the field of Phu Lam.

They said that the project would affect the lives of 100 households. Moreover, the project is located near the canal that supplies water to the fields of seven villages.

They were angry because they were not informed of the project. They knew about it through a TV bulletin.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tru, a local farmer, said that the disposal site is less than 50 meters from his farm. According to him, most of the farms near the waste treatment establishment are built from loans. If this establishment is built, their business would be seriously harmed.

On January 16, people flocked to the Phu Lam commune headquarters again to protest the project and asked the local authorities to explain about it.

While the chair – Mr. Nguyen Van Thang - was answering people’s questions, some people used their cell phones to film. Some police officers prevented them from filming and a clash occurred. Given that two women were beaten by policemen, thousands of people gathered in the courtyard of the commune government office and asked the chairman to confirm the incident and to stop the project.

Hundreds of people surrounded the office overnight to wait for the Chairman to sign the documents. At the same time, a woman repeatedly asked people to disperse and to "free" the commune chairman through the commune loudspeakers.

"They said that we violated the law but we just asked the chairman to sign to verify the incident," many people said.

At 2pm on January 17, after the district chairman and district police officers came, the commune chairman was “released.” A dialogue between the district leaders and local people was held immediately at the hall - where the commune chairman was trapped for many hours.

The commune chairman said he was not worried during the arrest. According to him, police officers did not beat people.

A police official of Tien Du district said the two women who were supposed to have be beaten by police had confirmed that they were not beaten.

At 5pm, after the dialogue, locals did not agree with the answers of the district leaders, so they kept surrounding the commune chairman.

The chairman had to run into the Phu Lam Secondary School. Thousands of people surrounded the school. Many people bowed in front of the school, asking the chairman in tears to stop the project. The district officials could not leave.

Until 9pm on January 17.

In pictures: People surround the Phu Lam Secondary School:

Le Ha