On May 23, 2007 a group of around 80 farmers from Tien Giang whose land and properties were seized by local authorities gathered at the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee hoping to meet Le Van Hai, a member of the communist party central committee. Instead they were surrounded by security police and forced to go away. Disappointed and upset, the group headed to 194 Hoang Van Thu Street in Saigon to protest. Farmers carried banners saying “Tien Giang authorities are stealing from the people” and “Tien Giang authorities betray the people.”
Originally the group started out with approximately 300 people when they left Tien Giang province (about 50 kilometers from Saigon). Knowing about the trip, the public security of Tien Giang made attempts to stop the protest group by harassing the members. Only 80 made it to their destination.
This is the first protest after the one-party National Assembly election on May 20th. Some who have been suppressed for a long time are appealing for help from the incoming legislature. However, as one protest participant was quoted on Viet Tan’s Chan Troi Moi radio broadcast into Vietnam: “the government talks a lot but does very little…there is little hope among farmers.”
Reportedly no people were arrested during this protest. However it remains to be seen what recriminations participants will face in the upcoming days.
Meanwhile, at Mai Xuan Thuong park in Hanoi, citizens are still gathering to demand back their confiscated land. In February a group of farmers attempted to meet with prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung when he carried out his much publicized online chat sessions. Like the farmers from Tien Giang, they were harassed, beaten, and never able to meet with the prime minister. Today they are still staying at Mai Xuan Thuong park.