Nguyễn Văn Thanh, deputy head of the Government Inspectorate (GI), speaks at press conference held on Wednesday to clarify conclusion by inspectorate on the use and management of the Miếu Môn airfield’s land area within the administrative boundary of Đồng Tâm Commune, Mỹ Đức District. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI Nguyễn Văn Thanh, deputy head of the Government Inspectorate (GI) has said the land that sparked a hostage incident two years ago was military land.

He said based on judicial evidence and recorded development of nearly 40 years, the land in Đồng Tâm Commune was part of a total area of 236.7ha of land which has been used for defence purposes.

He was speaking at a press conference yesterday on the conclusions of the inspectorate on the use and management of the Miếu Môn airfield’s land area within Đồng Tâm, Mỹ Đức District.

He also cited a map reflecting the land management of Miếu Môn airfield which was displayed at the conference. The map was created in 1992, after the land was handed over to defence units, and was certified by the communal authority.

According to Hà Nội Inspectorate, since 1981, the whole area of Miếu Môn airfield in Đồng Tâm has been managed by defence units. However, defence units and the Đồng Tâm communal People’s Committee were lax in management for a long time.

The defence units signed contracts with the commune People’s Committee on using the land for cultivation, but then the units failed to move some households who settled down in the defence land before 1980, letting the households encroach more land, illegally build structures and transfer lands to others.

Đồng Tâm Commune made international headlines in late March and mid-April, 2017 when 38 civil servants and police personnel were held hostage by the commune’s residents over the land dispute.

Lê Đình Kinh, an 84-year-old war veteran and local resident who led the protests and was injured in them, was not among the 14 households using defence land so he didn’t have the right to petition against the land handover, Thanh said.

Thanh said the 14 households had agreed with the compensation offered by city authority and the Ministry of Defence would soon set up fences to protect the project.

In order to reach consensus with the people of Đồng Tâm, the Prime Minister directed relevant units to disseminate information on the conclusion of the inspectorate, Thanh said, adding that the GI planned to speak with local residents.

At the press conference, Nguyễn Đức Chung, chairman of Hà Nội People’s Committee, said some people had taken advantage of the petition to illegally encroach land and receive competition.

Kình, former chairman of Đồng Tâm Commune, mobilised capital from many local residents to prolong the petition, disturbing social security and order, he said.

“After the incident occurred, a lot of residents of Đồng Tâm Commune admitted their wrongful acts," he said, adding strict punishment would be imposed on violators.

Chung said city authorities would collaborate with the GI to help settle the lives of 14 households who will have to vacate the defence land. — VNS