THEY WERE KILLED by their own army. On December 3, while members of the Taboli-manubo people on the Philippine island of Mindanao were farming and doing housework, the army began shelling their neighborhood and spraying them with gunfire from all directions. Eight people were killed.

The dead included Datu Victor Danyan, a leader of protests against the expansion of a coffee plantation by an agribusiness firm, and four of his family members. Danyan had long been involved in resisting the company, Silvicultural Industries Inc., whose operation had taken over ancestral land and threatened the community’s livelihood. More were injured in the attack, and 200 were forced to evacuate the area, abandoning the fields they had sought to preserve. While the Taboli-manubo people believe the cause of the attack was their resistance to Silvicultural Industries, the Philippine army disputes this.

This was one of many attacks on land and environmental defenders in 2017 recorded by Global Witness, which defines such defenders as those who take peaceful action when land, forests, or rivers are encroached upon by industry, whether as members of the local community, or as activists, journalists, or lawyers. Tiếp tục đọc “DEFENDING LAND AND ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS HAS BECOME AN INCREASINGLY DEADLY ENDEAVOR” →

The truth about the lie of the land

03.06.2018 ~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Last update 10:00 | 03/06/2018

vietnamnet

VietNamNet Bridge – It was Mark Twain who inimitably said: “Buy land, they are not making it anymore.”

An overview of the South Saigon urban area, HCM City. Illustration. — VNA/VNS Photo

Sound advice when land is turned into a commodity that is bought and sold in a “free market,” but this is a mythical entity for many people in Vietnam, because they can only dream of owning a piece of land or a home in the nation’s urban areas.

Theoretically, though, as per the nation’s charter, all of the country’s geographical features – land, water bodies, underground minerals as well as resources deep under the sea belong to “the people,” but the State represents the people in managing them – making the State the highest authority.

It is but natural then that the State’s management of this most precious resource comes under close, critical scrutiny.

The onus, then, is on the Vietnamese State to manage this resource effectively and equitably, and despite some major steps taken in the past towards equitable distribution, its record of late has left a lot to be desired. Tiếp tục đọc “The truth about the lie of the land” →

Một ngày với hành trình ‘đòi đất’ của người dân Thủ Thiêm ở Hà Nội

13.05.201813.05.2018 ~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

NN – 11/05/2018, 09:11 (GMT+7) Trong khi ở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, người dân Thủ Thiêm đang uất nghẹn, ngất xỉu với những cuộc tiếp xúc cử tri thì ở Hà Nội, nơi có một địa điểm vẫn được gọi là “làng Thủ Thiêm giữa Thủ đô”, hành trình đi đòi công lý vẫn đang miệt mài.

Bữa cơm của người dân Thủ Thiêm ở Hà Nội

Tiếp tục đọc “Một ngày với hành trình ‘đòi đất’ của người dân Thủ Thiêm ở Hà Nội” →

The Greater Mekong Subregion: Rural no more

27.03.201827.03.2018 ~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

By 2030, more than 40% of the population in the Greater Mekong Subregion will be living in cities. Photo: ADB.

greatermekong – The subregion is one of the least urbanized areas in the world, but its cities are growing and their economic impact is being felt.

Urbanization levels in the Greater Mekong Subregion are low, ranging from 19.5% in Cambodia to 44.2% in Thailand. However, in all GMS countries, urban areas account for a much larger percentage of the gross domestic product (GDP)—at least half in most countries and about 75% in Thailand—than the share of its national populations.

Urbanization growth rates in the subregion range from 4.9% annually in Yunnan Province, People’s Republic of China (PRC) —six times the provincial population growth rate—to a low of 2.6% annually in Myanmar—1.7 times the national population growth rate. Tiếp tục đọc “The Greater Mekong Subregion: Rural no more” →

What’s Up in Coal Country: Alternative-Energy Jobs

18.12.201714.12.2017 ~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Miners may have just the skills for scaling wind towers and putting solar
panels on roofs. And that’s no small thing in Wyoming and West Virginia.

By DIANE CARDWELLSEPT. 30, 2017

NYtimes_From the mountain hollows of Appalachia to the vast open plains of Wyoming, the coal industry long offered the promise of a six-figure income without a four-year college degree, transforming sleepy farm towns into thriving commercial centers.

But today, as King Coal is being dethroned — by cheap natural gas, declining demand for electricity, and even green energy — what’s a former miner to do?

Nowhere has that question had more urgency than in Wyoming and West Virginia, two very different states whose economies lean heavily on fuel extraction. With energy prices falling or stagnant, both have lost population and had middling economic growth in recent years. In national rankings of economic vitality, you can find them near the bottom of the pile. Tiếp tục đọc “What’s Up in Coal Country: Alternative-Energy Jobs” →

Vietnam seeks solutions for problems caused by rapid urbanization

18.12.2017 ~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Last update 16:02 | 17/12/2017

vietnamnet

Vietnam is facing numerous challenges caused by rapid urbanization, leaving burdens on its technical and social infrastructure and leading to many severe consequences. In this context, finding solutions for sustainable urban development is one of Vietnam’s current top priorities.

Vietnam is struggling with many challenges caused by its rapid urbanization, which is among the fastest in the region.

There are a total of 800 urban areas across Vietnam with a current urbanization percentage of around 37%. This figure is expected to increase by 50% by 2025. Tiếp tục đọc “Vietnam seeks solutions for problems caused by rapid urbanization” →

Germany’s Transition from Coal to Renewables Offers Lessons for the World

15.12.201714.12.2017 ~ Đào Thu Hằng ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

By Emma Bryce, Ensia on September 5, 2017

Scientificamerican.org

Germany's Transition from Coal to Renewables Offers Lessons for the World — Credit: Krisztian Bocsi *Getty Images*

From Ensia (find the original story here), from an article commissioned by Courier; reprinted with permission.

August 1, 2017—Seventy-seven-year-old Heinz Spahn—whose blue eyes are both twinkling and stern—vividly recalls his younger days. The Zollverein coal mine, where he worked in the area of Essen, Germany, was so clogged with coal dust, he remembers, that people would stir up a black cloud whenever they moved. “It was no pony farm,” he says—using the sardonic German phrase to describe the harsh conditions: The roar of machines was at a constant 110 decibels, and the men were nicknamed waschbar, or “raccoons,” for the black smudges that permanently adorned their faces. Tiếp tục đọc “Germany’s Transition from Coal to Renewables Offers Lessons for the World” →

Super satellite city planned in Hanoi

05.12.201705.12.2017 ~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Last update 17:20 | 05/12/2017

vietnamnet

Hanoi plans to construct a super satellite city by 2030, with a total area of over 17,270ha located in two districts of Thach That and Quoc Oai and Son Tay Town.

The super satellite city on paper.— Photo tienphong.vn

The Hoa Lac super satellite city will be some 30km from Hanoi’s centre.

The plan is part of the master plan of Hoa Lac Urban Area, compiled by the municipal People’s Committee and recently submitted to the municipal People’s Council for approval. Tiếp tục đọc “Super satellite city planned in Hanoi” →

Công an kêu gọi người dân tham gia vụ giữ 38 cảnh sát ở Đồng Tâm đầu thú

14.10.201718.01.2020 ~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ 2 bình luận

Đọc bài quan trọng “Phân tích pháp lý về đất đai trong vu Đồng Tâm“
Bộ Quốc Phòng và Công An có vi phạm Luật Hình Sự
trong vụ Đồng Tâm ngày 9/1/2020?
Chuỗi bài Đồng Tâm >>>

Thứ sáu, 13/10/2017 | 22:33 GMT+7

Gửi thư đến từng người, Công an Hà Nội cam kết không bắt nếu người tham gia vụ việc ở thôn Hoành, xã Đồng Tâm, Mỹ Đức ra đầu thú.

Công an Hà Nội khởi tố vụ bắt giữ 38 người ở Đồng Tâm

Công an Hà Nội ngày 13/10 có “Thư kêu gọi tự thú và đầu thú” đến các cá nhân có hành vi hủy hoại tài sản, bắt giữ người trái pháp luật (từ ngày 15 đến ngày 22/4) trên địa bàn thôn Hoành, xã Đồng Tâm, huyện Mỹ Đức, Hà Nội.

* 7 ngày biến cố tại Đồng Tâm

https://video.vnexpress.net/parser.html?id=136201&t=2&ft=video&si=1000000&ap=0&ishome=0&player_id=136201_0&articleId=3655543

7 ngày giữ người ở xã Đồng Tâm

Công an nhân dân đưa tin, nội dung thư ghi rằng: Trong cuộc sống, đôi khi vì sai lầm trong nhận thức, hành động có thể làm cho cá nhân có hành vi vi phạm pháp luật thậm chí phạm tội… Cha ông ta đã có lời chỉ dạy “đánh kẻ chạy đi, không đánh người chạy lại”… Cơ quan Cảnh sát điều tra Công an Hà Nội và VKSND Hà Nội viết thư này, đề nghị các cá nhân đã tham gia vào việc hủy hoại hoặc cố ý làm hư hỏng tài sản, bắt, giam hoặc giữ người trái pháp luật ở thôn Hoành, xã Đồng Tâm “không bỏ lỡ cơ hội để được hưởng lượng khoan hồng của pháp luật, hãy dũng cảm, đối mặt với sự thật”…

Tiếp tục đọc “Công an kêu gọi người dân tham gia vụ giữ 38 cảnh sát ở Đồng Tâm đầu thú” →

VN shifts away from agriculture

11.10.2017 ~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

vietnamnews

Update: October, 10/2017 – 09:00

Proportion of working age laborers in rural areas. – Source: GSO’s national census on rural areas, agriculture and fishery in 2016. – VNS Inforgraphic Khánh Dương

Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI – The economic structure in Việt Nam’s rural areas has been transformed in the past five years, with fewer people working in the agriculture, forestry and fishery sectors and more in construction, industry and services, according to the 2016 national census on rural areas, agriculture and fishery. The report was issued yesterday by the General Statistics Office (GSO). Tiếp tục đọc →

FDI flow into real estate: a cause for concern?

27.08.2017 ~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Last update 08:00 | 26/08/2017

vietnamnet

VietNamNet Bridge – Real estate ranked fourth among the most attractive business fields for foreign investors, with registered FDI capital of $1.15 billion in the first half of the year.
According to Savills Vietnam, the increase in FDI in the manufacturing sector has prompted investors to pour money into projects to develop industrial infrastructure.

Thai company Hemaraj Land & Development and Vietnamese firm Cienco 4 last May confirmed cooperation to set up a joint venture to develop an IZ on an area of 3,200 hectares in Nghe An province, capitalized at $1 billion.

Many deals were made in the first half of the year. Japanese firm Nishi Nippon and Hankyu joined forces with Vietnamese firm Nam Long to develop Mizuki Park residential quarter on an area of 26 hectares in Binh Chanh district, HCMC, capitalized at $351 million.

Meanwhile, Aeon Mall has teamed up with BIM Group to develop Aeon’s second shopping mall in Hanoi, covering an area of 16.7 hectares in a $200 million project. Son Kim Lan has successfully called for $100 million worth of investment capital from a Japanese investor.

The increase in FDI in the manufacturing sector has prompted investors to pour money into projects to develop industrial infrastructure.

Housing projects continue attracting attention from investors. Chinese firm Fortune Land Development has bought Lotus Dai Phuoc shares from VinaCapital, worth $65.3 million. This is a residential quarter project covering an area of 198.5 hectares in an area of Dong Nai province adjacent to HCMC.

A 65 percent stake in Times Square complex worth $41 million has been transferred by VinaCapital to Elite Capital Resources Limited.

Analysts have predicted that FDI flow into the real estate sector will continue in the time to come thanks to open policies and the great potential in tourism development. However, they warned that the amount of capital into the market needs to be measured by disbursed capital, not registered capital.

Many registered projects have not been implemented. Booyuong Mo Lao project in Ha Dong district, for example, has been left unimplemented for years.

Nguyen Tri Hieu, a respected banking expert, commented on Dau Tu Bat Dong San that more FDI capital is good news, but that is necessary to reconsider the situation if too much capital flows into the real estate sector. If the capital only goes to high-end real estate and resort projects, it will only heat up the market and lead to oversupply in the market segment, and not propel socio-economic development.

Phan Huu Thang, former head of the Foreign Investment Agency, now chair of the Vietnam Real Estate Association, affirmed that FDI real estate projects would still be welcomed. The problem is that Vietnam needs to supervise project implementation to ensure sustainability in investment and development.

Over $600 million of FDI poured into VN property in 5 months

Chi Mai

Super-small alleys in Hanoi Old Quarter

06.08.201706.08.2017 ~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

vietrnamnet

Last update 16:28 | 02/08/2017

VietNamNet Bridge – Super-narrow alleys that have room for only one person arecommon in Hanoi, especially in the Old Quarter. Let’s visit some of them.

A small alley at 48 – 50 Hang Thiec Street. Tiếp tục đọc “Super-small alleys in Hanoi Old Quarter” →

Vietnam builds energy efficiency expertise

18.07.201718.07.2017 ~ Phạm Thu Hương ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

Cu Nguyen Khanh leading a session during a recent HVAC training under the USAID Vietnam Clean Energy Program.
Cu Nguyen Khanh leads a recent HVAC training session under the USAID Vietnam Clean Energy Program. – USAID VCEP

USAID – Engineers and architects learn new ways to save energy

“I really would like to contribute to sector development by promoting energy efficiency principles and methods.”

September 2016—Energy efficiency in the building sector is becoming a key area of interest in Vietnam, where energy consumption is growing quickly as a result of increasing industrialization and urbanization. In 2012, the building sector accounted for 38 percent of the country’s power consumption, and energy demand is expected to increase as the urban population continues to grow. Tiếp tục đọc “Vietnam builds energy efficiency expertise” →

14 ex-officials prosecuted for Đồng Tâm land violations

06.07.201718.01.2020 ~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

vietnamnews

Update: July, 05/2017 – 16:00

Hà Nội People’s Committee chairman Nguyễn Đức Chung (centre, white shirt) meet Đồng Tâm Commune residents to resettle land dispute last April. — VNA/VNS Photo

Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Mỹ Đức District Police in Hà Nội on Tuesday announced they were prosecuting 14 former officials of the district and of Đồng Tâm Commune.

The officials were allegedly involved in land violations in the commune.

The accused will appear in court this month, facing charges of “abusing power while on duty” and “irresponsibility causing serious consequence.” Tiếp tục đọc “14 ex-officials prosecuted for Đồng Tâm land violations” →

Wukan: The end of a democratic uprising in China

12.06.201712.06.2017 ~ Trần Đình Hoành ~ Bình luận về bài viết này

10 June 2017 al jazeera

Two filmmakers flee a Chinese village which staged historic elections in 2011 after police crack down on new protests.

By

Lynn Lee

(Continue reading after video clips)

Wukan: China’s Democracy Experiment – Episode 1

Episode 2

Tiếp tục đọc “Wukan: The end of a democratic uprising in China” →

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