On June 11, 2009 Sisters from the Order of Cross Lovers in Thu Thiem - a suburb of Ho Chi Minh city, formerly known as Saigon- had been asked by the 2nd district government to come to a meeting in which they were informed about the governmental decision to "move" them out of the only home they've been living in for almost 170 years.
This has been a devastating news to the sisters as well as to the school children and poor locals they have been serving. This home, situated on just 3.5 acres of land is the remnant of what's left for them to live and carry on their charitable activities after the same government had confiscated 100 acres of land along with a middle and a high school from them without a fight right after Saigon's fell into Communism in 1975, even though it was the land the sisters had spent countless amount of time and labor to convert the wet, tropical, and wooded areas into livable homes, schools and farm to support themselves and the local indigents they were sent to serve since the early days in 1840.
So much tear had shed in silence when the sisters suffered from the first confiscation, but due to their peace loving nature, not to mention their fear for being retaliated if they spoke out, the sisters didn't file any complaint against the government's illegal action and accepted the harsh reality. They picked up the pieces which were within remaining 3.5 acres land lot plus their broken heart and moved on. But this time they have no choice, since being thrown out of the only home is the last straw that made them decide to break their silence and vowed not to be once again allow another injustice being done onto them. They vowed remain in their home and fight not only for their rights but also for the benefit of those at the receiving end of their charity, the underprivileged and the school children. In this modest lot of land, the sisters had built a church, a convent, academic and vocational schools, an animal farm, a nursing home, a clinic, and a kindergarten with 400 little students are attending. So many lives will therefore be affected should the sisters be moving out to another location as not everyone can also be relocated to where the sisters are going to be residing at.
It has become evidence that in the recent years, along with the national economic reform comes the booming business of land developing, especially in the areas alongside Bach Dang River or Saigon suburban. Land values in the area where the Thu Thiem Cross Lover sisters are residing is sky rocketing, thus the desire to remove the sisters' home of the public official-turn-businessmen is always brewing. Rumors are flying that unless they take advantage of the inconsistent land policy now to get rich, they will not be able to gain much should the government gives in to the people’s demand to reform such outdated policy in the near future.
The Sisters of the Cross Lover are not the only ones who fall prey to the government ill-received land policy.
On early of December last year, sisters of St Paul of Chartres in Vinh Long were filled with hope when they received a letter from the People's Committee of Vinh Long province politely inviting them to a meeting to discuss on the requisition of their home. For a long time, they had never seen such a polite letter from the local government. However, on arriving to the meeting on Dec. 12, they soon found out they were in fact being the victims of a cheap trick played by the government officials.
The meeting turned to be a news conference to announce the government’s seizure of their monastery. In addition, their presence at the conference was distorted by state media as their contents with the government’s decision.
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| Sisters were told their house to be seized |
So much tear had shed in silence when the sisters suffered from the first confiscation, but due to their peace loving nature, not to mention their fear for being retaliated if they spoke out, the sisters didn't file any complaint against the government's illegal action and accepted the harsh reality. They picked up the pieces which were within remaining 3.5 acres land lot plus their broken heart and moved on. But this time they have no choice, since being thrown out of the only home is the last straw that made them decide to break their silence and vowed not to be once again allow another injustice being done onto them. They vowed remain in their home and fight not only for their rights but also for the benefit of those at the receiving end of their charity, the underprivileged and the school children. In this modest lot of land, the sisters had built a church, a convent, academic and vocational schools, an animal farm, a nursing home, a clinic, and a kindergarten with 400 little students are attending. So many lives will therefore be affected should the sisters be moving out to another location as not everyone can also be relocated to where the sisters are going to be residing at.
It has become evidence that in the recent years, along with the national economic reform comes the booming business of land developing, especially in the areas alongside Bach Dang River or Saigon suburban. Land values in the area where the Thu Thiem Cross Lover sisters are residing is sky rocketing, thus the desire to remove the sisters' home of the public official-turn-businessmen is always brewing. Rumors are flying that unless they take advantage of the inconsistent land policy now to get rich, they will not be able to gain much should the government gives in to the people’s demand to reform such outdated policy in the near future.
The Sisters of the Cross Lover are not the only ones who fall prey to the government ill-received land policy.
On early of December last year, sisters of St Paul of Chartres in Vinh Long were filled with hope when they received a letter from the People's Committee of Vinh Long province politely inviting them to a meeting to discuss on the requisition of their home. For a long time, they had never seen such a polite letter from the local government. However, on arriving to the meeting on Dec. 12, they soon found out they were in fact being the victims of a cheap trick played by the government officials.
The meeting turned to be a news conference to announce the government’s seizure of their monastery. In addition, their presence at the conference was distorted by state media as their contents with the government’s decision.