Land Seizures in the Name of Development in Vietnam
More and more Vietnamese are being forcibly displaced to make way for development. Many are reluctant to speak out, because “between a victim and a criminal lies only a fragile line.”
In Vietnam, the government is seizing land to fund massive development projects, often at the expense of residents. One such project is the $520 million Pearl Theater in Hanoi, set to open by 2030. However, the construction has displaced a community, with one resident, Thanh, losing her 230-square-meter home near West Lake. Thanh received only a paltry 3 billion dong in compensation, barely enough for a modest rent, while the house was valued at over 300 billion dong.
Despite her efforts to find alternative housing and petition authorities, she remains uncertain about when she will be able to move to the designated resettlement areas. This is not an isolated case - the capital's 100-year master plan is expected to displace 860,000 people or more than 10 percent of the population. Critics argue that the government is moving too quickly, without proper consultation or adequate compensation.
The amended Land Law, set to be discussed in August, is expected to further legitimize these practices.
Written by urgent.news from The Diplomat's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
