VNA NA adopts revised Land Law The ninth session of the 10th National Assembly adopted the draft law on the amendment and supplementation to some articles of the Land Law on May 31. The draft law still affirms that land is public property placed under the State's management. The revised law includes stipulations on land prices and land use planning-plan, authorised levels on land allocation, lease, changing land use purpose, compensation for land clearance, and procedures of transferring land use right, and authorised levels to grant certificates of land use right. Regarding overseas Vietnamese residents' land use right, the old law stipulated that these people while investing in Vietnam, were only allowed to rent land and not to own houses linked to the land use right. To encourage them to invest in the country, the revised law permits overseas Vietnamese residents to buy houses linked to the land use right, while making long-term investment and to live in Vietnam. Non-governmental organisations operating in Vietnam have the right to rent houses for use as their offices. The Land Law was issued in 1993 and revised in 1998. (VNA) **** June 1 this year targets disadvantaged children Widespread practical activities have been held in recent days to celebrate International Children's Day, June 1, particularly for the benefit of children with special difficulties and those in remote and rural areas. A ceremony to launch 'A Week for Hanoi's Family and Children' was held in Hanoi on May 31 in anticipation of Vietnam Family Day, June 28, with the participation of Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh. At the ceremony, Vice President Binh asked all sectors and branches to make more efforts to help disadvantaged children. Also at the ceremony, individuals and organisations of the city donated VND 268 million in cash and kind for underprivileged children. Free art performances were also held in Hanoi for more than 2,500 disadvantaged children on May 29-30. The shows won the applause of the audience for items performed by circus artists and especially by 50 child artists from the Gifted Artists' Club of the Friendship Cultural House and the Cultural House in Hoan Kiem district. A Week of Action for Children has been launched by deputy chairman of the Vietnam Committee for Child Protection and Care and the director of the Vietnam Children Support Fund. The fund received a cheque of VND 40 million (US $2,700) donated by Prudential Insurance Company. Ten free film shows will also be given to children at Pioneers' Red Ties Theatre, Hanoi Children's Palace. Ho Chi Minh City has launched 'A Day of Action for Children in Special Difficult Circumstances', involving more than 3,000 members of the municipal Youth Organisation from all 22 precincts and districts. The participants came to play with and tell stories for children in more than 300 children's homes and open centres for disadvantaged children. They brought gifts, including thousands of notebooks, numerous sets of clothes, and especially 60 bicycles for the children. They joined a charity meal with more than 500 disadvantaged children, and gave free medical examinations, free supply of essential medicines, and free dental care to the target population. The youth also fixed tattered homes for the poor, started a fund-raising week for the poor who need blood, and gave consultation on the rehabilitation of drug addicts. The largest city in the south has also held a camping festival called "Little Roses" for 2,100 children from 59 children's homes and schools for disabled children. In Nam Dinh province, the day has also been marked with practical deeds. The Committee for Child Protection and Care presented 24 disabled children with gifts and give free operations for 40 children of harelip and cleft palate. The province's Red Cross Society also presented gifts to 161 children affected by Agent Orange. **** VND 268 million raised for children The Hanoi Child Support Fund raised VND 268 million (US $18,482), yesterday morning, May 31, when launching the "Hanoi Family and Children" Week. The move was in response to the Vietnam Family Day which falls on June 28 every year. The event was described by Vice President Nguyen Thi Binh, as a reflection of the nation's great care for the young generation. She called on the entire society to take care of children every day around the year, not just on this special day. "What the disadvantaged children need most is the love of a family like that of other children," Mme Binh emphasised at the launching of the "Hanoi Family and Children" Week. The event took place one day prior to the International Children's Day, June 1st, which has long become a big festival for Vietnamese children. (VNA) **** No prisoners of conscience in Vietnam: FM spokesman A spokesman for Vietnam's Foreign Ministry on May 31, reaffirmed that there are no so-called "prisoners of conscience" in Vietnam. The spokesman made the remark while responding to queries by correspondents of AFP (France) and the Vietnamese language department of Radio BBC (Britain) on Vietnam's reaction to an annual report on the world human rights situation, issued by the Amnesty International on May 30. "The Amnesty International has once again taken wrong action by submitting a fabricated, groundless and untrue report about Vietnam," the spokesman said. He added: "In Vietnam, all fundamental rights of citizens are guaranteed by the Constitution. These rights include the freedom of opinion and speech, the freedom of the press, the right to assemble, the right to form associations and hold demonstrations, and the right to practise or not practise beliefs and religions. "All citizens are equal before the Constitution and the law in terms of rights and duties. All acts in violation of the law are dealt with according to the law," the spokesman stressed. (VNA) **** Diplomats make fact-finding tour of Vietnam Members of the diplomatic corps in Hanoi made a fact-finding tour of central Quang Nam and Da Nang provinces, central highland Gia Lai province, Ho Chi Minh City and southern Dong Nai province from May 26-30. The tour was arranged within the annual plan organised by the Foreign Ministry in co-ordination with localities. The diplomats called at economic establishments, cultural and tourist sites, and met people and authorities in those localities where they could see with their own eyes the socio-economic achievements as well as the spiritual and material lives of the population. Local officials expressed their hope that the tour would help the diplomats to learn more about the potential of each locality. They also asked for co-operation in economic and cultural matters. (VNA) **** Party congress�s documents published in foreign languages The Gioi (World) Publishers has translated and published all documents of the Ninth National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam into English, French, Spanish, Russian and Chinese. The documents include: Political Report of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee, Eight tenure, at the Ninth National Party Congress; Socio-economic Development Strategy 2001-2010; Orientation, tasks, five-year plan for socio-economic development 2001-2005; Ninth National Party Congress Resolution and Biography of Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh. The English edition will make its debut on June 2 while others will be ready by mid-June. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. 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