Selected Interviews – Thủ Thiêm

Home | About | Thủ Thiêm | Phú Mỹ Hưng

   1

Resident

Interview Excerpt                                                                                          

The interviewee detailed her family’s preparation to a new location after being evicted from District 2, as well as her family’s new life in Nhơn Trạch. With good preparation, early commitment to the new land policy and a relatively stable family condition, they were able to get used to the new life and somehow take advantage of the eviction. They also maintained a good relationship with new and old neighbors alike.

 

   2

Resident

Interview Excerpt                                                                                          

The interviewee compares life pre and post 1975. He discusses his life in Thủ Thiêm after “Đổi Mới” and before the relocation project. He also offers his insights on the effect of relocation such as how some people were being relocated twice as the value of land declined significantly.

 

   3

Resident

Interview Excerpt                                                                                          

The interviewees presented a strong case of social injustice as applied to the eviction process of Thủ Thiêm. They criticized the state and local Thủ Thiêm government in handling the process and offered examples across the country of unjust, unprepared and cruel evictions. They accepted the harsh reality of life and showed no sign of rebellion knowing that it would be to no avail.

 

   4

Relocated Resident

Interview Excerpt 1                                                                                      

Interview Excerpt 2                                                                                      

The interview highlights the difficulties and hardship relocated residents have gone through since moving to a new residence. The dispute they encountered ended not at the compensation and relocation procedures, but continued on after they moved into new places with no land permit or property rights. They expressed disappointment at the government’s handling of the issues and their dim prospect of life in the new relocated places.

 

   5

Relocated Resident

Interview Excerpt                                                                                         

The interview highlights some interesting issues regarding the eviction process in Thủ Thiêm including the compensation process, the coercion after initial rounds of compensation, and the process of transferring “hộ khẩu” (land permit) from former Thủ Thiêm residences to the new relocated area. The interviewee also offers a vivid description of life before and after eviction and asked for help to rebuild her life at this new place. She also demonstrates the willingness to share stories from her less lucky neighbors who found it very hard to make a living once they were out of Thủ Thiêm.

 

   6

Relocated Resident

Interview Excerpt

The interviewee and family have lived in Thủ Thiêm for three generations. She sighs often and is discontent about having to leave Thủ Thiêm. She is not happy with the government’s actions and policies regarding eviction and compensation.

 

   

  7

Resident

Interview Excerpt

The interviewer meets a woman who has lived in Thủ Thiêm for 13 years. She is a homemaker who mentions how compensation varies according to location of a house. Her house is located near the Thủ Thiêm Bridge and Saigon River. She says she only receives compensation for construction materials, which is not nearly enough to buy a new home. She mentions the insecurity people now feel at nighttime because there are fewer people around, such as those who come out and do drugs, and the fear of theft.

 

   8

Resident

Interview Excerpt

The interviewee moved to Thạnh Mỹ Lợi to live for two years. He is a cameraman/photographer for weddings. He is 60 years old and has four children who are grown and married. He seems to live a relaxing life, taking pictures more as a hobby than work. His wife runs a coffee shop in the city. He is used to living in the new apartment. His experience with the Thủ Thiêm construction project is positive; he approves of the compensation and relocation policies.

 

   9

Relocated Resident

Interview Excerpt

The interviewee lives in Phường An Lợi Đông in District 2, 10 minutes away from her old house. Her new and bigger house faces the street which helps her tailoring business. However, moving away has hurt the business since she has to find new customers. She is waiting to receive her new apartment furnished by the Thủ Thiêm project. Since she chose to receive housing instead of money, she was paid 2 million/sq meters instead of the usual 17+ million VND for those who choose to receive monetary compensation.

 

   10

Relocated Resident

Interview Excerpt

The interviewee is a third-year student in Business Administration. Her university is located in Binh Thạnh; she has to travel at least an hour by bus to get there. She and her parents used to live in An Lợi Đông Ward in District 2. They and their neighbors formed close bonds, and she had many friends there; now, she feels lonelier as everyone has dispersed. There are a few old neighbors who moved to live in the same apartment, but she feels that the relationship has changed. It has become more distance due to spatial/architectural reasons (they used to live in an alley before). She supports the Thủ Thiêm construction project and hopes that it can become successful like District 7.

 

   11

Relocated Resident

Interview Excerpt

The interview takes place at a temporary housing area in Bình Khánh. The interviewee discusses how her family of four lives day by day waiting for a better compensation from the government. She does not think that the people’s opinions/concerns are being heard even though they have meetings with the authorities. One positive comment she made about the construction of Thủ Thiêm new urban area is that at least the government has provided the people who cannot afford to find a new place to live with this temporary living space.

 

   12

Relocated Resident

Interview Excerpt

The interviewee used to live near the East-West highway. He now lives in An Khánh ward. His family has lived in Thủ Thiêm for seventy or eighty years. He says life is harder for them now. He emphasizes the need for the government to provide more financial support rather than moral support. The interviewee speaks vehemently about the equivocal compensation policy and implementation. He speaks of the corruption of the compensation process: those involved in compensating the residents profit from the interest that accrue from the money that is supposed to be given to the people.

 

   13

Relocated Resident

Interview Excerpt

The interviewee has moved from her old house in District 2. She is a grocer as she was when she lived at her old house. She has a harder time selling her items in her new location because she lives in an apartment complex where the people tend to buy things from supermarkets. She talks about the obstacles she faced during the time of eviction.

 

   14

Relocated Resident

Interview Excerpt

The interviewee used to live in Thủ Thiêm, rowing her boat, shrimping, and selling. Now, she lives in Thạnh Mỹ Lợi apartment (provided by government as compensation for eviction); she likes living here better than in Thủ Thiêm. She likes the policy for compensation as it has provided her with a stable home compared to her old one in Thủ Thiêm. Her biggest suggestion is for the local government to provide an avenue for businesses (e.g. small markets) near the apartment so that people like her can make a living and so that residents can have easier access to food and other products.