Directive No. 660/TTg on addressing the situation of spontaneous migration to the Central Highlands and some other provinces

DIRECTIVE

Regarding the handling of spontaneous migration to the Central Highlands

and some other provinces

In recent years, spontaneous migration to the provinces in the Central Highlands and some other provinces has caused many difficulties for both the receiving and sending localities.

According to preliminary statistics, from 1989 to the end of 1994, approximately 113,000 households comprising 542,000 people migrated spontaneously to these areas. The main cause of this situation is the difficult living conditions faced by ethnic groups in the regions where people left, coupled with the loose management of population by the authorities in some localities.

The authorities at all levels in the provinces receiving migrants have made significant efforts to assist the ethnic groups in their livelihoods, integration into the community, and so on. The spontaneous migrants themselves have also contributed positively in their new places of residence, and currently about 30% of the spontaneous migrants have achieved a stable life. However, due to the uneven economic growth and development of infrastructure in the receiving provinces compared to the spontaneous increase in population, urgent issues have arisen that need to be addressed:

- The living conditions of spontaneous migrants remain challenging, with a significant portion often suffering from hunger, illness, lack of education, etc. Social evils such as theft, gambling, drug addiction, etc., have increased.

- In some areas, land disputes have occurred between local residents and spontaneous migrants, as well as among spontaneous migrants themselves.

- The destruction of forests and slash-and-burn farming has intensified.

As early as late 1987, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers issued a directive on this issue; subsequently, in 1992 and 1994, the Prime Minister also repeatedly directed the relevant localities and ministries to handle the situation. However, due to the lack of synchronized implementation measures and inadequate coordination, the results were limited, and spontaneous migration continued.

During the process of national development, it is inevitable to redistribute labor and population, but spontaneous migration is a negative phenomenon affecting the economic and social situation and hindering the management of population by the authorities at all levels. Therefore, the State must take proactive and synchronized measures to resolve the issue of spontaneous migration by the end of 1998 and adjust migration activities in accordance with the planning and development plans of the economy and society of each country, region, and locality.

To implement the above requirements, the Prime Minister instructs:

FOR PROVINCES WITH POPULATION LEAVING

By the end of 1996, the situation of people leaving their hometowns spontaneously must be fundamentally resolved.

1. First, the provinces must strengthen population management work, especially at the district and grassroots levels, regularly grasp demographic situations, balance labor supply, and simultaneously publicize and explain the state's policies to the people. If spontaneous migration to other provinces continues to occur, they must cooperate with the receiving provinces to promptly address the situation and not shirk responsibility.

2. For difficulties caused by spontaneous migration, the provinces must discuss with the receiving provinces to coordinate solutions, contribute to assisting ethnic groups in particularly difficult areas to stabilize their lives as soon as possible.

3. Based on the Prime Minister's opinions at the mountainous provinces conference in September 1995, the provinces must develop plans and measures to promote production and business, create more jobs, and improve the people's living standards, paying particular attention to:

- Implementing measures to expand cultivation areas in various locations, utilizing undeveloped land; if there is still land but contaminated with bombs and mines, proceed with clearance and reclamation for production. At the same time, modernize the economic structure, invest in technology and techniques to develop food crops, industrial crops, fruit trees, livestock breeding, forestry, and other industries.

- Review the land fund within the province, organize the relocation of people from difficult areas to underutilized lands for development.

- Vigorously implement the programs of fixed settlement, land allocation, forest allocation, promptly resolve land disputes so that everyone has means of livelihood and can build their homeland peacefully.

- If the aforementioned measures are implemented but still result in surplus labor and insufficient job opportunities, the provinces must report to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry to arrange for planned migration outside the province.

FOR PROVINCES RECEIVING POPULATION

1. Create favorable conditions for spontaneous migrants who wish to settle permanently in the province, without discrimination, and do not force them to return to their original homes, viewing them as an important resource for the locality.

- Organize spontaneous migrants into programs and projects 327, 773, fixed settlement, industrial crops, fruit trees, livestock breeding, poultry farming, new forest planting and protection, and other economic and social development programs and projects of the locality and central government.

- For mixed settlements where the living conditions of the people are relatively stable, the state may assist in building essential economic and social infrastructure such as water supply, schools, health clinics, rural roads, etc., according to the economic and social development plan of the locality.

- For extremely difficult settlements where spontaneous migrants cannot be integrated into the aforementioned programs and projects, new resettlement projects may be established, with state assistance provided according to the policy and system for developing new economic zones.

2. Combine closely the stabilization of spontaneous migrants with the resolution of land disputes, prevention of deforestation, eradication of social evils, and the strengthening of grassroots organizations.

Forestry and agricultural enterprises must effectively utilize the land allocated to them. After allocating land to households according to policy and the land fund situation of the locality, they must immediately return unused land to the local authorities for planning and allocation to the population. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry and the Ministry of Forestry will direct the completion of this task in 1996.

3. In the long term, provinces must base their land exploitation and other resource utilization on local socio-economic development plans to rearrange labor and population distribution, prioritizing job placement for local ethnic groups, especially those with small populations, while reserving land for projects welcoming people from other places and reserve projects to be able to proactively adjust and arrange residents when necessary.

ON POLICIES

1. Self-migrating individuals who have arrived at localities and comply with population resettlement by authorities shall be considered for registration of household registration; they shall enjoy citizen rights and fulfill civic duties according to the law; they shall benefit from economic and social incentives according to state policies.

2. Individuals must respect the law, comply with the management of local authorities; ensure unity within the community, help each other in business and living, contribute their efforts to build new hometowns; immediately cease wrongful acts such as deforestation, environmental destruction, encroachment on land, and illegal land trading...

From now on, individuals wishing to migrate to another province for personal reasons must report the purpose of migration, the destination, measures to ensure life in the new place... to the local authority where they reside and the authority of the locality they wish to move to. They can only enjoy benefits under the policy if their migration has been approved by local authorities; otherwise, if they migrate freely, they will be dealt with according to state management regulations. Local authorities have the responsibility to quickly consider the proposals of the people and guide implementation.

3. Those who deceive or entice ethnic groups to leave their homeland for profit, or use migration to engage in illegal activities must be strictly dealt with according to the law.

ON RESPONSIBILITIES OF SECTORS AND LEVELS

1. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry, in collaboration with central functional agencies, shall guide and inspect localities with outgoing and incoming populations to implement the above measures to address spontaneous migration.

At the same time, the Ministry must study and establish five-year and annual planning, develop policies for new settlement areas, and direct localities to implement these tasks.

2. The State Planning Commission and the Ministry of Finance shall allocate plans and budgets annually (outside programs) for provinces with outgoing populations and provinces with incoming populations to have capital to carry out population resettlement tasks and projects based on the proposals of provincial People's Committees with the agreement of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. In the short term, it is necessary to focus on resolving difficult points in population settlements.

3. Other related ministries such as Forestry, Transportation, Water Resources, Health, Education and Training, Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas... must, based on their functions, have specific plans to participate in addressing spontaneous migration. The Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Home Affairs shall direct military units and public security agencies to assist ethnic groups in stabilizing their lives, help local authorities manage the population, maintain political security, and social order.

4. To implement this directive, local authorities with outgoing populations and local authorities with incoming populations have the responsibility:

- Immediately work together to plan and implement specific measures to resolve the acute difficulties caused by spontaneous migration in 1996.

- Continue to closely cooperate to resolve existing issues and emerging problems, moving towards fundamentally solving the issue of spontaneous migration.

Depending on the situation, provinces may support each other through various forms of cooperation in using labor to develop the economy in the spirit of shared responsibility to create conditions to resolve the issue of spontaneous migration.

- Each sector and level within each province must include the task of stabilizing the population in their annual plans. Each province must designate an agency with sufficient capacity to act as a focal point to assist the People's Committee in organizing the implementation of this task.

5. Central and local information and press agencies have the responsibility to publicize and explain so that the people understand the Party and State's policies on migration and new economic zone construction, citizens' right to residence, and the responsibility of all levels of government to manage the population according to the law.

Resolving difficulties caused by spontaneous migration, guiding migration and labor redistribution according to planning and plans is an urgent issue. The Prime Minister requires relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to urgently organize the implementation of this directive.