Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Public Security held a ceremony on January 14 to callon the entire public security force to follow the example of bravery set by thethree officers who died while performing their duty during the disturbance incidentin Dong Tam commune, Hanoi’s My Duc district.

At the ceremony, DeputyMinister of Public Security Lieutenant General Luong Tam Quang gave detailed informationabout the incident.

He said the securitysituation in Dong Tam worsened after the Government Inspectorate announced thereview of inspections of the land dispute in the commune conducted by Hanoiinspection agency in July 2019.  A numberof people gathered in a so-called “consensus group” led by Le Dinh Kinh and hisaccomplices to protest the result of the inspections.

In early November2019, the People’s Committee of My Duc district paid out compensations to 14 householdswho had land to be cleared in Mieu Mon airport. All the 14 households agreed tomove out of the defence land area, but members of the so-called “consensusgroup” stopped the households from moving away, despite the fact that thosemembers did not have land inside the area to be cleared.  

When theGovernment Inspectorate held a meeting with local residents to announce theresult of the review on November 25, 2019, the group prevented the residentsfrom attending the event, caused disorder at the communal People’s Committee headquarters,and threatened those who spoke in support of the Government Inspectorate’sconclusion.

After the dialogue,the group of protesters made plans to kidnap officials and set fire andexplosion at the People’s Committee headquarters and the petrol station in DongTam commune in order to attract attention.

Discovering theirintention, the Hanoi police prepared schemes to ensure security and socialorder, which were approved by the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Ministry ofPublic Security.

On December 31,2019, the Defence Ministry started the construction of walls around the sectionof Mieu Mon airport in three communes of My Duc and Chuong My districts. Theconstruction met with opposition of extremists in Hoanh village, Dong Tamcommune.

In such asituation, Hanoi police coordinated with the Ministry of Public Security to setup positions to ensure safety for the communal People’s Committee headquartersand officials of the commune as well as other important areas.

According to DeputyMinister Quang, when the public security force was setting up positions at theentrance of Hoanh village, around 20 elements attacked the force usinggrenades, petrol bombs and other weapons. The public security force talked tothem via loudspeakers, telling them to stop. But the attackers continued withtheir acts and then withdrew into the houses of Le Dinh Chuc, Le Dinh Hoi andLe Dinh Kinh.

The securityforce chased the attackers to arrest them, and during the process, threeofficers – Colonel Nguyen Huy Thinh, Captain Pham Cong Huy and Sen. Lt. DuongDuc Hoang Quan - fell into a 4m-deep hole behind the houses of Le Dinh Hoi andLe Dinh Chuc. The attackers poured petrol and threw petrol bombs into the holeand set fire, killing the officers.

In such asituation, there was no other choice than to open fire, Deputy Minister Quangsaid, adding that after half an hour, the public security force arrested morethan 30 elements and seized weapons and explosives at the scene. During theprocess of the arrests, Le Dinh Kinh died and his son Le Dinh Chuc was injured,Quang said, adding that when the security force entered his house, Kinh was stillholding a grenade in his hand.

Based oncollected evidence, the Hanoi police issued a decision on January 13 to startlegal proceedings against 22 people involved in the very serious incident inDong Tam on the charges of murdering, resisting on-duty officials and illegallystoring weapons.

According to Quang,collected evidence showed some hostile organisations and elements guided theso-called “consensus group” in making petrol bombs and buying materials to makeweapons. Some people, who called themselves representatives for Dong Tampeople, raised money for them. Half of the raised money went to Kinh and his familymembers.  

Deputy Minister Quang affirmedthat the disturbance happened when the functional forces were buildingprotective walls around the airport.

Deputy Ministerof Public Security Le Quy Vuong said the death of the three officers during thedisturbance is a great loss to the public security force and their families.

The State President signed a decision to grant the Feat of Arms Order, first class, and the Prime Minister conferred the certificate of national merit to the three officers posthumously. The Minister of Public Security also granted promotion to the officers./.