The local government of Phan Thiet city, Binh Thuan province, southern Vietnám, has plans to build new school buildings on land that has been a center of dispute since 1975. According to the government plan, they would give one of the already existing school buildings to the church and demolish the other to build a new one. The wording of the official documents implies that the land never belonged to the church; however, parishioners say it is church property.

The beginning of the issue dates back almost half a century. Thanh Hai Parish was established in 1955 by Vietnamese Catholics coming from the north, after the division of Vietnam into the communist North and anti-communist South. Thanh Hai Church built schools on its premises and offered education to the children of parishioners.

In 1975, when the Communists took power in the South as well, the new government requisitioned the schools. Since then, on official platforms, the local government treats the land like it never belonged to the parish, despite having official documents signed by both parties in 1996 about the parish lending the school facilities to the local government.

In 2014, because of the increasing number of parishioners and the need for new facilities, the church requested the government give the schools back to them. Now, according to the official plans, one school would be given to the church. A member of the pastoral council says that the Phan Thiet Episcopal See and the Thanh Hai Parish priest agreed with the plan.

However, it is the parishioners who are disagreeing with the plan. Upon gaining information about the plan, parishioners gathered at the Episcopal See and protested. Parishioners feel strong about the dispute, saying their parents and grandparents put a lot of effort and work into that place. They want all the land to be returned to the parish that they lent to the government.

Source: Radio Free Asia

Photo: Giờ Thánh Lễ