Do New Projects Damage Mac Dynasty Citadel Landscape?

Recently, the People’s Committee of Lang Son Province licensed Hoang Anh Viet Join Stock Commercial and Advertising Company (CTHAV) to invest in the construction of tourist areas in Mac Dynasty Citadel, Tam Thanh ward, Lang Son City. According to some locals CTHAV’s works have seriously damaged the vestige landscape.

Mr. Hua Hanh, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee of Lang Son province talked to SGGP newspaper about this problem.

Reporter:  Some people in Tan Thanh are saying that CTHAV’s work has caused damages to the vestige landscape. This is not the first time that something like this has happened in Lang Son Province. What do you think about this problem?

Mr Hua Hanh :  We have just licensed CTHAV in the fourth quarter of 2005 with the total investment capital of VND 10, 9 billion. We want to mobilize the public’s capitals to invest in projects which are under way and not yet completed.

The vestige of Mac Dynasty Citadel was formerly a deserted area where social evils were common. Thanks the new investment projects, it became a tourist place where people have gathered to do exercise or take a walk since. I can affirm that CTHAV has not damaged the vestige area.

Reporter: The construction in the vestige areas must be approved by Ministry of Culture and Information. Do the provincial authorities know about that?

Mr Hua Hanh:  The construction of tourist areas in Mac Dynasty Citadel was approved in 1997.  In March, 2002, the People’s Committee of Lang Son Province signed a decision giving the project the go-ahead, some procedures could have been overlooked. When we awarded the license to CTHAV, we discovered that the project had not been approved by Ministry of Culture and Information.

With the construction of tourist areas in Mac Dynasty Citadel without approval of Ministry of Culture and Information, the People’s Committee of Lang Son Province has breached the heritage laws. Thus, we ordered Department of Culture and Information to contact with Heritage Department to ask for direction. But we have not received any reply from Ministry of Culture and Information, yet.

Reporter: CTHAV invested billions of VND in this project. Now the projects may be forced to stop, what do you think? 

Mr Hua Hanh: CTHAV is the first private enterprise investing in the vestige in Lang Son province. If these projects have to stop, the company will suffer heavy losses. On the other hand, the provincial authorities will have many difficulties calling for investment into the vestige areas.

Ministry of Culture and Information should draw detailed plans of vestige areas, which parts are to be preserve and which could be invested to develop for tourism. Mac Dynasty Citadel and other vestige occupies large areas of land. If there's no investment, there will be little socioeconomic developement for the areas.

Reporter: So, you think that CTHAV should be allowed to continue their construction?

Mr Hua Hanh : CTHAV will continue with projects which lie beyond the peripheral of the citadel, those within will be decided by Ministry of Culture and Information

Links:

Rampart of Mac dynasty: It lies in TamThanh ward – LangSon city, but the present remains are only two stone walls in the defile. This is the vestige of a military architectural works reflects Vietnamese feudal period. Nowadays, the rampart of Mac dynasty has been ranked as a national historical vestige. It is invested to restore for the aim of serving tourists.

Source: http://www.langson.gov.vn/details_e.asp?Object=161137289&news_ID=101274535

Mac dynasty (1527-1533) : In June 1527 the Mac dynasty (Mac Dang Dung) changed Hai Duong to Duong Kinh and put  Thai Binh lo, Kien Xuong lo, Long Hung lo, Khoai Chau lo under the control of Duong Kinh.

Source: http://www.hungyen.gov.vn/index.asp?newsID=608&language=english