Vuon's house was knocked down after the forced removal was carried out by Tien Lang authorities on January 5, 2012 

 The suspension for district leader Le Van Hien and Nguyen Van Khanh, were announced at the committee’s press conference chaired by city Party Committee secretary Nguyen Van Thanh this afternoon.

Hien and Khanh were the officials who directly ordered the forced removal decision on Vuon, Thanh said.

Standing deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee Dan Duc Hiep and Party Committee’s Commission for Propaganda and Education Nguyen Huu Doan were also present at the press conference, which has been the second from January 5, 2012, when Vuon acted violently against the district authorities’ decision to withdraw 40 hectares of land allocated to him in 1993.

After briefing about the developments of the case, Thanh said “Initial investigations showed that the Tien Lang authorities have failed to meet the regulations on compensation, support, and land revocation as stipulated in the Law on Land, leading to a situation in which the person subject to land withdrawal acted against law enforcement officers on duty”.

Five wrongdoings

The local Party leader announced five wrongdoings committed by the Tien Lang authorities in taking back the land from Doan Van Vuon.

First, the authorities had not prepared a plan for using the land to be withdrawn.

Second, they had not set up a compensation board before executing their land withdrawal decision.

Third, they failed to hold a dialogue between Vuon who would have his land withdrawn and the person who signed the land withdrawal decision.

Fourth, they failed to protect the withdrawn land area, thereby leading to the demolition of Vuon’s house after the forced removal decision on him was carried out.

And last, they conducted the forced removal at a time close to Tet (Lunar New Year), causing discontent among local residents and thereby undermining the relationship between the authorities and the public.

Besides suspending Hien and Khanh, the committee also said other actions might be taken against Le Van Mai, head of the district police, Pham Dang Hoan, district Party Committee secretary, and Le Thanh Liem, chairman of the Vinh Quang Commune People’s Committee, after their involvements in the case are clarified.