From early morning, the entire stretch of Le Trong Tan road -- passing
through the land area to be confiscated and about 500 meters long -- was
barricaded by the police with makeshift fences; vehicles cannot pass
through this road. Hundreds of farmers -- who were determined to hold
on to their land and were staying in makeshift tents -- were completely
isolated.
At 08:30am, police force in charge of confiscating the farmers' land
started to attack the area where Duong Noi farmers have been staying in
makeshift tents. The farmers responded by burning wood to fight back
the attacking police force.
A fire truck was immediately mobilized the police and the fire was
quickly extinguished. Shortly thereafter, armed police force violently
suppressed the farmers who were mainly old people and women without
weapons.
During the clashes with police, many farmers were severely beaten and
had to be hospitalized. A few young people were also injured when they
tried to intervene.
This last attempt by Duong Noi farmers to try to keep their land ended
with violence and blood. The force -- that the government sent to
confiscate the farmers' land on April 25 -- appears to include some
soldiers in uniform and wearing red tape on the arm.
Land grabbing and arresting farmers
At least 10 Duong Noi farmers -- including Mrs. Can Thi Theu and her husband Trinh Ba Khiem -- have been detained by police.
It is known that at the behest of the Secretary of Duong Noi Ward (named
Le Khanh Duong) and the chairman of Duong Noi Ward (named La Quang
Thuc), police force was instructed to arrest Mrs. Can Thi Theu at all
costs.
Many farmers intervened vehemently when the police tried to arrest Mrs.
Can Thi Theu. Due to the large and aggressive police force the farmers
were unable to protect Mrs. Can Thi Theu.
Mrs. Can Thi Theu was beaten by the police and became unconscious.
After that, Mrs. Can Thi Theu was sent to detention center #3 in Ha Dong
District (in Hanoi).
As for the other farmers, Tran Van Tuyen and about 10 other people are
currently being held at the police headquarter in Ha Dong District.
The entire land area owned by the farmers -- about 32 hectares filled
with vegetable plants -- was then bulldozed and destroyed the police.
The nearby area is still being barricaded with makeshift fences.
On April 22, in another episode of suppression to confiscate the
farmers' land in Duong Noi, four farmers including Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ngan,
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thanh, Mrs. Dang Thi Toan and an elderly man Nguyen Van
The were arrested by police. Presently there is absolutely no news
about these four people.
In addition, police are currently detaining two other farmers -- Mr.
Tran Van Tran Sanh and Tran Van Mien -- from Duong Noi. The two men were
charged with 'disturbing public order' under Article 245 of the penal
code. After the arrest, the police informed their family that they had
'committed suicide'. However when other farmers demanded to see these
two men, the police did not respond.
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