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Tô Lâm remained silent amid the mounting pleas from residents along the Red River dike. Nevertheless, he reaffirmed that “the people must be regarded as the subject and the center of the country’s renewal and development process.”

Latest Developments: On the morning of May 12, Tô Lâm addressed delegates at the 11th National Congress of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front (2026–2031 term) at the National Convention Center in Hà Nội.

While outlining the organization's key missions, he emphasized the necessity of “deeply grasping the viewpoint that ‘the people are the root,’ that the people are the subject and center of renewal and development, and that this principle must remain the guiding principle throughout all Front activities.”

Furthermore, Tô Lâm argued that the Việt Nam Fatherland Front must effectively execute its role in “social supervision and criticism.” He described this function as a critical mechanism for citizens to “control power and prevent corruption.”

To ensure that this oversight is substantive and effective, he stated that supervisory efforts should concentrate on issues of public concern and areas that generate widespread social frustration.

The Background: On the morning of May 11, 2026, the Hà Nội People’s Council unanimously approved the investment policy for the Red River Scenic Boulevard Project. This decision quickly sparked concern among many Hà Nội residents regarding the project’s relocation plans, land recovery, and what they describe as low compensation prices.

In response, social media users across Facebook groups have circulated an emergency petition from residents of Hồng Hà Ward (Hà Nội). The petition calls for authorities to “clarify signs of irregularities in financial management, land use, and proposals to preserve the existing residential community of Hồng Hà Ward” within the project area.

Furthermore, residents urged the authorities to review several issues and made several demands: excluding stable residential communities from “complete clearance” plans, relocating residents only in genuinely necessary cases, conducting independent appraisals of the reciprocal land fund, clarifying land valuation methods for each plot, and ensuring transparency and public consultation.

Although social media accounts claim a large number of residents have signed the petition, the exact number and identities of the signatories, along with the expected submission date to relevant authorities, remain unknown. Amidst this growing backlash, Tô Lâm has made no public remarks addressing the residents’ petitions.

An anonymous post claimed that several locations across Hà Nội had collected more than 10,000 signatures in opposition to the project.

Thạch Hãn wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on May 13, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights of the English translation.

Amid Red River Evictions, Tô Lâm Says People Are “At the Center” of Development

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