VNA
PM assures six poorest provinces of government's support Prime Minister Phan Van Khai has affirmed the government's support for the country's six poorest northern provinces at the closing session of a two-day conference on their socio-economic development in Hanoi on September 25. These provinces include Ha Giang, Lao Cai, Bac Can, Cao Bang, Lai Chau and Son La. He said that, together with increasing investment in the 2001-2005 period, the State will issue incentive policies to support farmers in agricultural production, help them build houses and safe water tanks, relocate population, eradicate opium poppies, improve health services and education, and train ethnic minority cadres. He asked the above-said provinces to effectively work out and deploy local programmes and projects, and combine those with the national socio-economic development programme (called Programme 135 in short). "These provinces should have schools, clinics, irrigation networks, safe water systems, electricity lines and markets in all communes, and strive to have no poor commune by 2005," Mr Khai stressed. He urged the poorest localities to raise their sense of responsibility and fully tap local potentials so as to narrow the development gap between the mountainous region and other localities nationwide. "The poorest provinces should zone off areas specialising in growing rice, fruits and industrial crops and in breeding animals. They should also help their inhabitants change backward habits in production and life, and create favourable conditions for the locals to enhance economic growth," the prime minister said. The six provinces form the poorest region of the country with per capita GDP reaching US $179 last year, equivalent to only one-fourth of that of the eastern Nam Bo or the south. More than 27% of the population was classified as poor while only 35% had access to clean water last year. The rate of poverty is as high as 46% in Lai Chau province. (VNA) **** NA chairman receives village dignitaries Village dignitaries, patriarchs and chiefs play a significant role in realising the policy of the Party and State at the localities, said National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An in Hanoi on September 25. The chairman was speaking at a reception extended to nearly 60 exemplary dignitaries, patriarchs and chiefs of villages in southern Binh Thuan province who are on a visit to Hanoi and some northern provinces. The chairman expressed elation at the socio-economic achievements recorded by Binh Thuan people, especially those made for the Cham ethnic minority group and other minority groups in the provincial mountainous areas. The chairman also noted the Party and State's great concern for mountainous areas and minority groups all over the country, including Binh Thuan. He asked the village dignitaries, patriarchs and chiefs to contribute actively, together with the local Party committees and authorities, to promote the great solidarity between ethnic groups and raise the life of the people materially and spiritually. At the meeting, many village dignitaries, patriarchs and chiefs gave their opinions, expressing their gratitude towards the Party and State for the attention to mountainous areas and minority ethnic groups. They promised to follow the Party body and soul, striving to bring their homeland out of poverty, building Binh Thuan into a prosperous, strong and beautiful province. **** More protests against Vietnam Human Rights Act Organisations and individuals have come out strongly against the so-called �Vietnam Human Rights Act� passed by the US House of Representatives earlier this month. * The India-Vietnam Friendship Association (IVFA) on September 24 issued a statement, denouncing the Act and demanding its annulment. The statement says: "The IVFA strongly condemns the decision of the US Congress, demands immediate withdrawal of this 'Vietnam Human Rights Act' and an end to linking the Bilateral Trade Agreement with any internal issues of Vietnam." It continues: "The conditions put forward by the US administration are aimed to destabilise the political, social, economical and religious life of Vietnam. "The US Congress findings in the texts of the 'Vietnam Human Rights Act' are full of lies and blatant fabrication and distortion of reality." The IVFA also expressed its total solidarity with the people and the government of Vietnam. * More than 500 trade unions cadres representing 300,000 workers in the northern port city of Haiphong on September 25, held a get-together to protest against the so-called Vietnam Human Rights Act of the US. They said the act distorts the actual situation in Vietnam, interferes in the internal affairs of a sovereign country, runs counter to the United Nations Charter, fundamental principles of international laws and the interests of the Vietnamese and American people as well as the trend of peace, stability, co-operation and development in the world. The Haiphong workers called on workers, trade unions and progressive social organisations all over the world to raise their voice against the erroneous act. * The same day, war veterans in central highlands Lam Dong province and the Fatherland Front chapter in southern Long An province held meetings to condemn the act. * Representatives of the Vietnam Confederation of Labour, the Youth Union, the Women's Union and religions of the province of Nam Dinh expressed their extreme disagreement with and strong protest to, and persistently rejected the US House of Representatives' passage of the Vietnam Human Rights Act. They said the act distorts the actual situation in Vietnam and brazenly violates the country's internal affairs. The passage of the act by the US House hurts the Vietnamese people's patriotism and sense of national dignity. By approving the wrongful act, the US House of Representatives revealed its ill-intentioned plan of creating a new legal tool to bring pressure to bear on Vietnam when it deems it necessary. * Thanh Hoa province�s War Veterans Association held a meeting to protest against the so-called �Vietnam Human Rights Act� and condemn the US House of Representatives� approval of the act. * Youngsters of Ben Tre province have recently issued a statement, strongly rejecting the act. The statement said the young generation of Ben Tre together with the country's youngsters are resolved to protect justice and not to allow anyone and any country in the world to disgrace the Vietnamese people. The statement went on by demanding the US Congress and Administration to abolish the act. * At a meeting held in Ninh Binh province to protest the act, participants adopted a statement, saying: "It is the US who dispatched troops to invade Vietnam, causing misery to and using bombs and weapons, including chemical weapons, to kill its people." The statement pointed out: "The US is the biggest human rights violator, who has been condemned by the world." Ninh Binh war veterans, who had fought and sacrificed part of their bodies for national independence, freedom and sovereignty and human rights of the Vietnamese people, affirmed their determination to build their homeland toward the goals of "a prosperous people, a strong country and an equitable, democratic and civilised society" and not to allow anyone to violate the sacred rights of the Vietnamese people. **** Nurseries set up to protect kids from floods Relief workers have set up as many as 510 nurseries in the Mekong Delta in a bid to stop the deaths of children in flash floods while their parents are away at work. Of the latest death toll of 155 in the delta, as many as 134 were children. The victims are mostly from poor families where the parents have to leave their children behind as they go out in search of work to eke out a living. The Southern Committee for Flood and Storm Control reports that 40 districts and townships in the provinces of Long An, Dong Thap, An Giang, Can Tho, Kien Giang and Tien Giang have been inundated. Some 1,680 houses have been destroyed or washed away, and 8,051 others have been damaged. More than 242,128 pupils are unable to attend school. Property losses are estimated at more than VND 485 billion (US $32 million). Agricultural production has been hit particularly hard with 3,426 hectares of rice fields completely destroyed, and 10,117 hectares as well as 5,130 fish and shrimp ponds damaged. Local authorities are continuing to work closely with rescue teams and volunteers to evacuate residents to higher ground and help stranded families. They have so far moved 20,441 families, and another 20,496 families await evacuation in the provinces of Dong Thap, Long An, An Giang, Kien Giang, and Tien Giang. The total number of families needing emergency relief including food is estimated at 141,678. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has asked the government to provide VND 40 billion to affected areas in the delta for rehabilitation efforts. (VNA) **** Red Cross calls for support for flooded areas Professor Nguyen Trong Nhan, president of the Vietnam Red Cross has sent a message calling for support to the provinces hit by floods. The association also extended deep sympathy to the losses of people in these areas and praised its members' efforts in evacuating victims and mobilising people to assist each other. The Central Committee of Vietnam Red Cross issued an appeal among its branches, staff and volunteers nationwide to raise money and relief goods from people in different localities to help people in flooded areas, thus contributing to cover their losses. **** Efforts to overcome flood consequences An Giang province has evacuated 3,300 households from submerged areas, provided relief aid to nearly 9,000 households affected by the flood and reinforced 44 kilometres of roads and important dykes such as Tha La and Ben Vua. The province has also set up 510 rescue teams with over 4,500 members to deploy rescue missions. As many as 500 mid-Autumn gifts have been presented to disabled in the flooded communes of Tan Tuyen, Phu Loc, Tan Loi and Vinh Hau. Dong Thap province has moved 10,800 households out of a total of over 14,000 to safe areas. The province also set up 300 nurseries to protect children from flash floods. Over VND 1.2 billion including 87 tonnes of rice and 150 canoes have been delivered to flood victims. The provincial medical sector has distributed 25 canoes, 290 units of medicines, 200 medical bags, 74,000 ORS packs and 1.5 million water purification tablets. Long An province has released VND 350 million worth of relief goods to help flood victims and reinforced dykes with nearly one million cubic metres of soil to protect 12,000 out of 14,000 hectares of sugarcane along Vam Co Dong river. **** Laos helps flood victims Lao Minister of Education and President of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association, Phimmasone Leuang Khamma, presented a cheque worth Kip 60 million (about VND 91.608 million) in Vientiane, Laos on September 20 to help Vietnamese flood victims. The aid was handed over to Minister of Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas and President of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association, Hoang Duc Nghi and will be delivered to Long An, Dong Thap and Can Tho. The US Embassy in Vietnam granted US $25,000 to help people in flooded areas on September 21. The money will be channelled to An Giang and Dong Thap province through US non-governmental organisations. _________________________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki Phone +358-40-7177941 Fax +358-9-7591081 http://www.kominf.pp.fi General class struggle news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe mails to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Geopolitical news: [EMAIL PROTECTED] subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] __________________________________________________
