The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has approved the sale of sua trees grown by local residents, but Hanoi People’s Committee says that city authorities have the right to decide what to do with the precious wood.

 

More than 50 people from Phu Chinh Hamlet have come to the Chuong My District People’s Committee’s head office, requesting the city to give back the sua wood and the money to them.

Phu Chinh’s people have grown and taken care of two sua trees located next to a village road, in front of the Duc Thanh Nhi Temple. The two trees are over 140 years old. In September 2010, a heavy storm broke some branches of the trees. Locals then decided to sell the branches to get money to upgrade the temples and cultural works in Phu Chinh Hamlet.

In October 2010, the Hoa Chinh Commune People’s Committee released a document, affirming that the trees had been grown by people. The Chuong My District Forest Rangers’ Unit also confirmed the trees were put under the hamlet community’s control. As such, local people had the right to auction the wood.

MARD also confirmed that the sua trees were grown by people and they have the right to sell them. 

The wood was sold to Duong Van Thai, a dealer, who paid VND20.5 billion for the 2,506 cubic meters of sua wood. After making payments, Thai carried the wood away. 

However, the wood was seized by Chuong My District’s police. The money has also been blocked for further investigation.

In May 2011, the Hanoi Police sent a dispatch to the Forestry General Directorate, asking about the origin of the wood, to which the directorate replied that local people have the right to determine the planting, protection and use of the trees.

Thirty months later, in March 2013, the police released a decision not to take criminal prosecution. However, both the wood and the money are still being kept by the authorities.

Thai and Phu Chinh’s people have been repeatedly demanding the wood and money for five years. But their efforts have been in vain.

On March 31, 2015, Hanoi Mayor Nguyen The Thao released a decision instructing Chuong My District authorities to hand over the sua wood for sale. The money collected from the auction will be given to the district’s budget.

Phu Chinh’s people, after hearing the information, visited local officials, requesting to stop the auction.

Hoang Minh Hien from Chuong My District People’s Committee said the auction must be organized prior to April 25, 2015.

Vu Viet Binh, one of the locals, said if the Hanoi People’s Committee refuses to pay the wood back, people will take legal proceedings against city authorities.

Lao Dong