VietNamNet Bridge - On October 22, hundreds of aloes wood hunters from the provinces of Quang Nam, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa gathered to demand the authorities of Khanh Son district, Khanh Hoa province to make public the investigation results of some local officials who had confiscated their aloes wood and promised to share money to them but they did not realize the promise.

Mr. Thai Tung and Mr. Bui Van Khanh, residents of Khanh Son district said on the night of September 26, over 300 people searched for aloes wood in Gop Nga forest, in Khanh Son district. Some police officers, including Ha, Kien, Trung and some others, allowed these people to search for aloes wood in this area, with the sharing rate of 50/50.

These people collected around 1.5kg of aloes wood but the above police officers took the wood without making seizure minutes.

On October 8, some people in Khanh Son District represented 56 aloes wood seekers to write a petition to the People's Committee of Khanh Son district and Khanh Son district police, asking them to handle the case. Not yet receiving a response from the authorities, people grouped up to ask for the local government to clarify the matter.

Mr. Tran Manh Dung, Chairman of Khanh Son district, said: "The authorities invited representatives of this group of people to enter the office to present their petition. We made it clear for them that the matter will be handled in accordance with law and request them not to gather in big groups."

Dung said that related to this case, 11 military officers who had received VND220 million ($10,000) from an aloe wood seeker returned the money and they will be handled according to law. Related to the district police, four officers returned more than VND1 billion ($50,000).

In related news, while people are rushing into Gop Nga woods in Khanh Son district to hunt aloes wood, hundreds of others are flocking to the Hon Ba Nature Reserve (adjacent to Khanh Son district) to seek aloes wood, despite the ban from the local government.

Hon Ba Nature Reserve covers more than 20,900 hectares, about 60 km from Nha Trang City, including several mountains, with an elevation of over 1,500 meters. It is located in the territory of four districts: Khanh Vinh, Khanh Son, Cam Lam and Dien Khanh of Khanh Hoa province.

Khue Vu