On August 27, Ms. Thai Kim Lan (residing in Kim Long ward, Hue city) said that when she visited the mausoleum of a relative, she was shocked to discover many mausoleums in this area with wood stakes with consecutive numbers. The stakes were paid directly to the capital in a rough manner, causing offense.
"The tomb is a sacred place, according to the thousand-year-old tradition of ancestor worship of the Vietnamese people, requiring the demonstration of a respectful attitude towards the deceased. That attitude reflects the personality of the person living.
Respectfully worshiping the deceased is a spiritual and cultural act of humanity - especially of the Vietnamese people from thousands of years ago, and is even more profound to the Hue people.
Paying or placing stakes on the grave of a deceased person is a serious insult, regardless of the purpose," Ms. Lan was indignant.
According to Ms. Lan, she has not yet received any official documents from the authorities regarding the relocation of the mausoleum in the above area.
On the same day, Mr. Dong Sy Toan - Chairman of Kim Long Ward People's Committee confirmed that a series of tombs were deposited to mark the site clearance for the project "Conservation, restoration and embellishment of Hue Citadel system phase 2", the area of the Temple of Literature - Vo Mieu relic, invested by the Management Board of Investment and Construction Project Area 1 (Hue City).
To implement the project, on August 15, the People's Committee of the ward issued a notice of land reclamation with an area of over 29,230m2, of which nearly 7,990m2 is cemetery land. However, the counting of graves is still not complete, so the locality has not been able to specifically notify each household with graves subject to relocation.
Regarding the offensive fact that the wooden stakes are paid directly to the mausoleum, a representative of Kim Long Ward People's Committee said that this activity is carried out by the Management Board of Investment and Construction Projects of Area 1, the local government only participates in coordinating the counting work.
"We will review and adjust the deposit payment method to avoid being offensive and will soon have an official announcement to the people", Mr. Toan affirmed.
