(VOVworld) – The Vietnamese government has announced the cause of the unusual mass fish deaths which occurred in the 4 central coastal provinces in April.  A statement was delivered at a press conference on July 30 in Hanoi said the government is taking steps to find those responsible and get compensation for families who livelihoods were affected.

Government officials at a press conference to announce the cause of mass fish deaths

In early April, mass fish deaths were discovered along the coasts of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien-Hue province. Dozens of meetings were convened and measures to help fishermen were implemented.

Prompt, resolute involvement to protect people’s rights

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his deputies made immediate inspection tours of affected areas and worked directly with ministries, sectors and localities on ways to address the problem and punish those responsible. The Prime Minister ordered drastic actions to stabilize people’s lives, ensure public security and social order, and mobilize relevant authorities and scientists, both Vietnamese and foreign, to determine the cause and the culprits of the mass fish deaths. Everything was done as objectively as possible, respecting scientific evidence, the law and international practices. Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc voiced his determination to resolve the incident: “The government is resolute in protecting the people’s legitimate rights and interests. This is our responsibility and the aspiration of the people. The individual or organization responsible for the incident should be brought to light and not shielded”.

Minister of Information and Communications Truong Minh Tuan said: “The government’s publicizing the cause of the mass fish deaths shows its advocacy for transparency. Top leaders of the Party, State, and government were very keen on the issue and convened tens of meetings. We announced the cause and the culprits in order to settle the matter and punish any wrongdoing. I believe that the investigation’s result is objective and based on evidence and we can rule out any interference to hamper the investigation or distort the result”.

The government has kept its promise to timely revealing the cause of fish deaths and more importantly, to alleviate the damage. The Prime Minister urged quick and uniform compensation for the affected fishermen and including vocational training if appropriate. Localities were asked to concentrate on economic development, create favorable conditions for investors, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of people and businesses. Minister and Head of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung said: “Immediate efforts should be made to stabilize the lives of coastal residents and fishermen, including eliminating interest rate, providing jobs, buying fish the from fishermen and promptly identifying safe fishing grounds”.

Positive public feedback

The public, including fishermen, praised the government and the Prime Minister for fulfilling their responsibility in dealing with the incident. The cause of the fish deaths was announced to Vietnamese and foreign reporters, showing that the government cherishes transparency, a clean environment and people’s rights.

Fisherman Nguyen Van Vinh of Nhan Trach commune, Bo Trach district, Quang Binh province, says he and his neighbors are grateful to the government for revealing the truth and helping the fishermen. Nguyen Thanh Binh of Bao Ninh commune, Dong Hoi city, Quang Binh province, said: “The State and relevant agencies have provided great material and moral comfort to alleviate fishermen’s suffering”.

The public’s wish is that the government will continue to pay close attention to people’s livelihoods, respect the rule of law, and match their words and actions in the national interests.