Residents of Vĩnh Hưng Ward are accusing Hà Nội Television of censorship after the state broadcaster allegedly cut all footage of locals protesting a controversial $7.07 billion Sun Group commercial project.
The Latest: Hà Nội Television’s Oct. 13 evening news report on Sun Group’s commercial apartment project in Vĩnh Hưng Ward has sparked outrage among local residents.
- Following the broadcast, numerous individuals took to social media to express their anger, accusing the state broadcaster of interviewing residents who actively opposed the project but airing only the footage of those who appeared to agree.
- Citizens remain firm in their stance that they do not support Sun Group’s development in their neighborhood.
From Social Media: Numerous individuals took to social media to vent their anger and question how Hà Nội Television covered the story.
On Oct. 13, a Threads account under the handle quan9****, whose owner claims to live in Vĩnh Hưng Ward, stated that when Hà Nội Television interviewed residents, they said they wanted to keep their homes and land and would not accept having it seized to enrich a company.
- However, the user noted that “when it aired, the station cut out every part where people objected, whether by accident or on purpose.”
- The user added that “thousands of households are now furious that the station is covering up the investor’s wrongdoing against innocent people.”
In a subsequent post that same day, the account accused Hà Nội Television of having “cut and trimmed the wishes of Vĩnh Hưng’s people.”
- The user wrote, “Hà Nội Television, you came here to film and then cut out every objection? What does that say to the people??? People are protesting the investor taking land that people hold red books for to build commercial apartments to sell, and you won’t air it???” (Note: Red books are official land-use rights certificates.)
- The user was also furious that the vice chairman of the Vĩnh Hưng Ward People’s Committee had “twisted” residents’ views on air, even though he “meets residents who object all the time; he hears them every day, and he holds meetings every day.”
Demanding fair coverage, the account stated that Hà Nội Television “is the people’s station, so it should speak with the people’s voice and be fair, instead of cutting and splicing like this to benefit the investor. We demand the station report objectively and fully for the people.”
- Each of these users’ posts drew thousands of likes, shares, and supportive comments.
From the Residents’ Page: On Oct. 14, the Facebook page representing residents of Group 22, Lane 467 Lĩnh Nam Street, Vĩnh Hưng, echoed these sentiments:
“Hà Nội Television came to film and interview residents about the Vĩnh Hưng redevelopment project. People were glad to finally express their views. They hope to keep their homes and land, and they asked the government not to take people’s land to enrich a business (Sun Group). But when it aired, the show cut out almost every objection from residents, whether by accident or on purpose. Only a few clips remained of people agreeing to infrastructure such as power, roads, schools, and stations. Vĩnh Hưng residents are now deeply disappointed and angry.”
The Facebook page also posted a video highlighting the discrepancy between what the residents actually said and what Hà Nội Television aired.
- In the residents’ footage, a woman tells the station’s reporters:
“I do not agree when I hear that the state is taking the land where we live legally and have long lived to give to businesses to build commercial apartments and make them rich. That pushes us toward losing our homes, leaving us with no way to live and a life worse than death. We do not agree.”
- Her comments were omitted from the final broadcast.
From Luật Khoa: According to a survey conducted by Luật Khoa, Vĩnh Hưng residents strongly oppose the project, especially the plan to take residential land for commercial apartments.
- For days, residents have marched through the streets, gathered at the ward People’s Committee headquarters, and hung banners in protest.
Clarification: The residents featured in the aired report did not explicitly support the Sun Group project.
- They only stated that they would accept the state taking land to widen roads and build essential infrastructure.
- For instance, Nguyễn Đình Chiến of Residential Group 21 stated:
“If it’s for roads, schools, or bridges, and people have to tear down [their homes] for everyone to use, then the people will always agree and support it.”
Despite this context, Ngô Mạnh Cường, vice chairman of the Vĩnh Hưng Ward People’s Committee, asserted in the broadcast that local residents “mostly” “agree” and are “in consensus” with the project, as reported by Luật Khoa.
- Hà Nội Television also emphasized that “alongside the supportive views,” only “several households” were worried that their existing homes lie in the area planned for commercial housing.
The Sun Group Project: Sun Group’s renovation, upgrading, and urban redevelopment project in Vĩnh Hưng Ward covers 447 hectares, with a total investment of nearly 186 trillion đồng (about $7.07 billion).
- Ground was broken on Aug. 28, 2026. Many residents claim that they only learned about the project on that day.
- On Oct. 12, the Vĩnh Hưng Ward People’s Committee began collecting residents’ feedback on the 1:500 detailed plan for Sun Group’s project, with the comment period remaining open until Nov. 1, 2026.
Why It Matters: This controversy mirrors similar recent public unrest regarding transparency and community displacement in government-backed projects.
In the Red River Scenic Boulevard Project, residents also expressed anger and confusion when President Tô Lâm announced a 71.8% approval rate.
- According to Luật Khoa’s survey, every resident surveyed during the Red River project’s comment period opposed the project and expressed doubt regarding whether the consultation process was transparent.
- Nearly three weeks after the comment period for the Red River project closed on Sept. 26, 2026, the government still has not released detailed results.
Lê Sáng wrote this news article in Vietnamese and published it in Luật Khoa Magazine on October 15, 2026. The Vietnamese Magazine translated it into English.
