On 14th December, 2012, at People’s Committee of Quynh Lap Commune, Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province, Research Center for Resources and Rural Development (RECERD) associate with People’s Committee of Quynh Lap Commune held a meeting to exchange and introduce a project “Community empowerment for grassroots democracy and good governance in land use in Quynh Lap commune, Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province” funded by American Embassy Vietnam.
This project is planed to last 12 months (from October, 2012 to September, 2013), with 4 expected output: (1) Local people will get a better awareness about their benefits and commitment for land use for development project in Quynh Lap, (2) Enhance the capacity of hamlet, commune, district officers that relate to land conflicts, (3) Improve the explicitness relate to land use for development project in Quynh Lap via the participation of local community in monitoring project of port industrial area related to land problems, (4) Good governance in land use for pushed development project between local people, local government, investors, and social organizations
Mr Le Ba Van, Vice President People’s Committee Quynh Lap Commune introduced project activities, Photo by RECERD
Project is concentrated on pushing direct exchange process between people who are in land surface extraction and refunded in Dong Hoi Port – Industrial area development project, and local government. These exchange activities must be clear and explain satisfactorily between relevant parties to guarantee long and legal benefits of parties, suit government laws and policies
Mr Tuong Phi Lai, Director of RECERD introduced specific activities and experiences of Center, Photo by RECERD
Local government estimated that project activities are necessary and suitable for local region to support development process of society, via convenient development of industrial area – Dong Hoi Port. A care from local government is expressed via the participation of many local people, different groups in Quynh Luu commune in project introduction at People’s Committee (Party of People, People's Committees , and representative of hamlet community volunteer groups )
In an introduction meeting, Mrs Luong Thị Truong, Director of CSDM, member of GOGE performed experiences in grassroots democracy in other regions, and made a vision how it can be apply in Quynh Lap, besides she shared and asked for ideas about project activities. Representative of local region and community had many ideas for process and specific project activities, and pointed up holding dialogue and direct explanation meetings at hamlets, local volunteer groups would take part to learn experiences via realistic activities, to keep running after project finish. These are positive ideas and Center accepted them to research and convert to get more effective for reality.
Mrs Luong Thi Truong, Director of CSDM, performed experiences in grassroots democracy in other regions, Photo by RECERD
In project introduction meeting, representative of commune introduced control distributed representatives of 7 community volunteer groups also. They were hamlet former soldiers, members of Women Union, Farmer Union, Youth Union…that very dedicated and responsible for community and unified together to make a bridge between local government and people and vice versa in propagating and performing grassroots democracy.
Mr Đinh Xuan Lap, Vice director of RECERD exchanged project plan with local community, Photo by RECERD
People in Quynh Lap commune got ideas for project specific activities, Photo by RECERD
In conclusion of this meeting, parties unified project process, and pointed up that developing Dong Hoi port – industrial are is necessary for social general development, but care for Quynh Lap people’s lives is priority. Therefore land surface extraction, getting land back, refund… for this activity needed to be done based on legal and unifiable attitudes.
