Reporting from Saigon, June 26, 2007
At 10:00 AM on June 22, 2007, residents from Tien Giang Province have congregated at 11 Ly Chien Thang, Tien Giang, to hire ferry-boats and personal vehicles to travel to Sai Gon to demand the government must return all their properties that had been confiscated. However, they were stopped and their vehicles were detained by the police.
Determined to protest in front of National Assembly Office II which located at 194 Hoang Van Thu Street, Phu Nhuan district, the Tien Giang’s residents tried to get to Saigon using every kind of vehicles that they can access by 7:00am on 23/06/2007.
Mrs. Hoa, one of the protesters, spoke of the injustice because the government officials had used their power to confiscate their properties. The aggrieved citizens of Tien Giang Province are demanding for their properties to be returned to them, and hoping that Vietnamese community abroad and the international community would speak out in support of their effort.
The protesters were told that Congress closes on the weekend, and they could wait outside until their next working day. Despites of their difficult situation, the aggrieved citizens decided to stay until their problems are solved.
In May 24, 2007, the same group of aggrieved citizens from Tien Giang came to National Assembly Office II to protest, but they dispersed because of threats from the police and several elders were exhausted. Now, facing similar difficulty, they become even more determined to stay until the government returns their properties.
At 9 AM on the 25 of June 2007, Mrs. Hoa informed that the numbers of aggrieved citizens participating in the protest in front of National Assembly Office II is over 200 and increasing with many more en route. Despites the physical exhaustion of 3 days on the road and living outdoor, the moral of the protesters are high and they are resolute to be heard and will not accept any empty promise as they have had received before.
The Government Interagency Investigation promised that they would investigate the corrupted government officials of Tien Giang Province whom confiscated their properties. Mrs. Hoa said that the government’s representative promised that he would look into the case.
Day 5 of the protest, the number of people rose up to nearly 300. Despite promises from the government that they would investigate and resolve these illegal cases of confiscated properties, but nothing had been done and therefore the people decided to continue their peaceful protest.
Of note, at 2 pm, on the 25 of June, two buses of about 200 aggrieved citizens from Vung Tau and Ba Ria provinces also arrived to join in protest with the people of Tien Giang demanding the return of their confiscated lands. However, they later went back to their provinces after being promised by the local government officials that their cases will be looked at and resolved.
The protest continues.
Reporting from Saigon, 9 AM, June 26, 2007 at 10 am in front of the Congressional Office II.
