US embassy cable - 03HOCHIMINHCITY1080

UNCLAS HO CHI MINH CITY 001080 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/BCLTV, DS/IP/EAP, DS/IP/ITA/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PINS, PREL, SOCI, VM, HUMANR 
SUBJECT: HCMC LAND PROTEST: POLICE TURN MOLEHILL INTO MOUNTAIN 
 
REF:  HCMC 00949 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  A protest against land expropriation drew 
extra attention after police attempted to remove ConGen personnel, 
who were observing the protest from the sidelines.   The 
protesters -- illegal migrants, squatters, and legal land owners - 
- whose land had been seized in Ho Chi Minh City's District 11, 
had been demonstrating near the municipal People's Committee 
offices.  The protest remained peaceful, in spite of police 
overreaction to the presence of a foreign observer.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  (SBU) On November 4, 2003, Poloff received a tip from another 
ConGen officer who happened to be passing by, that protesters 
(possibly from the Central Highlands, he thought) were 
demonstrating about land issues outside the People's Committee 
building.  Poloff and FSN arrived on the scene and found 23 
protesters on the sidewalk surrounded by 14 Vietnamese police 
officers.  Some observers said the protest had included 50-60 
participants earlier in the morning, but had dwindled to half that 
by 10 a.m.  The predominantly female protesters chanted loudly and 
occasionally stopped Vietnamese passersby (but not foreigners) to 
show them their petitions for redress.  Poloff and FSN observed 
from well behind police lines, listening to what was being said, 
and did not attempt to speak with any protesters.  After a few 
minutes, however, the deputy police unit chief demanded that 
Poloff (the only noticeable foreigner) leave the premises.  Poloff 
asked why he was being ordered off a public street and whether any 
laws were being broken.  The officer did not respond, repeatedly 
stating in English that Poloff must leave.  The officer then 
firmly grabbed Poloff by the arm and attempted to forcibly remove 
him.  Poloff was able to pull out his diplomatic ID, at which 
point he was immediately released. 
 
3.  (SBU) This police attempt to physically remove a foreigner 
from the premises drew the attention of several protesters, who 
surrounded Poloff and FSN, trying to explain their complaints. 
Additional police arrived, and three officers began videotaping. 
Another officer tried to intimidate the Pol FSN by shouting 
questions and demanding to see identification.  Vietnamese media 
had also arrived.  The protest was at no time directed against 
U.S. interests, nor were the two ConGen personnel in any danger 
from the protesters.  In fact, some of the women promised "to 
protect" them. 
 
4.  (SBU) While police continued to videotape everything and 
closely monitor the situation, three of the protesters said the 
reason for the protest was that approximately 96 households in 
Ward 15 of District 11 had had their land expropriated and 
shanties torn down to make way for a commercial building project. 
Some of those affected are illegal migrants and squatters, who 
were not compensated for their losses and who could not now 
receive legal documentation to work.  Others allegedly were not 
compensated according to what the Compensation Board had judged to 
be fair value.  The protesters clained there was corruption and 
conspiracy involving the developers, the People's Committee, and 
"Sai Gon Giai Phong newspaper" (HCMC's Communist Party daily). 
 
5.  (SBU) COMMENT: Although these protesters did not turn out to 
be from or related to the Central Highlands, in the past, 
activists have taken advantage of upcoming major events to attract 
attention to their causes.  As the Southeast Asia Games approach 
(December 5-13) and the GVN increases its pre-SEA Games "cleanup" 
activities (reftel), it is possible other protests may occur. 
Post notes, however, that this group was able to demonstrate with 
little difficulty for several hours, as have other smaller groups 
protesting land issues in HCMC.  In this instance, police 
overreaction to the presence of a foreigner backfired, attracting 
more attention than the protests themselves.  If this "foreigner" 
had in fact been a tourist, what impression would he have carried 
away with him about Vietnam? 
YAMAUCHI