A prominent information site that provides guidance on how residents can file complaints regarding urban planning is currently inaccessible from within Việt Nam.
The Latest: On June 10, the Facebook page of the Red River Communities project posted an article titled “Hà Nội Establishes Communications Task Force for Red River Project: Positive News or Cause for Caution?” which linked to the full text on the project’s website: congdongvensonghong.vercel.app.
Following the post, a user commented that the website could not be accessed. Multiple attempts to access the site from various locations within the country on June 11 were mostly unsuccessful. However, the website remained fully accessible from outside Việt Nam or through the use of a virtual private network, or VPN.
No Official Statement: The Red River Communities project has not issued an official statement regarding whether its website may be blocked in Việt Nam, and its Facebook page continues to operate normally.
- Because the project does not provide direct contact information, attempts to reach the organizers through their Facebook page have not yielded a response.
- In addition, it has not been verified whether the website has been intentionally blocked by internet service providers or state authorities.
- It remains unclear who created and operates the website or the broader organization.
About the Red River Communities Project: The platform analyzes important information related to the Red River Landscape Boulevard Project, providing petition templates, questions, tools, and lists of documents that residents should prepare when interacting with public authorities.
- Despite being publicly active for only about 20 days, the initiative has drawn significant attention and has been widely shared by affected residents.
- For example, an article published on June 1, titled “Red River Land: When Officials Come to Your Home, Don’t Rush to Sign — Ask These Three Golden Questions First,” received nearly 5,000 reactions and 1,600 shares.
The Background: The project published its first article on its website on May 20, during the height of public opposition to the Red River Landscape Boulevard Project. Since then, Red River Communities has emerged as a notable resource providing legal information, explaining the rights of residents, and offering guidance on how individuals in affected areas can exercise their civil rights.
Earlier, amid concerns over a lack of transparency in land clearance and compensation, the project shared a handbook detailing how to submit petitions about the Red River project to the Hà Nội People’s Committee and called on residents to file collective petitions.
According to information provided on the website, the platform was created to compile public information from official sources and explain it in accessible language, clarify the legal rights of residents, provide practical guidance, and preserve village memory.
- The website does not claim that urban planning experts or lawyers operate it.
Over the years, many websites seen as carrying critical voices have been blocked in Việt Nam, including Luật Khoa Magazine, BBC News Vietnamese, and Radio Free Asia Vietnamese.
- To access these websites, users must often bypass the firewall by using a VPN.
Why It Matters: Since information about the Red River Landscape Boulevard Project began emerging in early May 2026, residents living in the affected areas have strongly opposed the development through various means. Because these residents have yet to receive a satisfactory resolution, platforms like Red River Communities serve as important tools for grassroots organization and legal self-advocacy.
Hoàng Nam wrote this article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on June 11, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine has the copyrights to the English translation.
