Hanoi residents mount silent protest over home demolitions

Residents in Vietnam's capital are mounting a rare public display of opposition against a sweeping redevelopment plan that threatens to displace hundreds of thousands. Authorities in Hanoi are demolishing thousands of homes to clear land for new bridges and infrastructure projects, part of a century-long master plan approved in May. An 11,000-hectare area along the Red River is slated for transformation into high-end residential complexes and parks, necessitating the relocation of approximately 250,000 people.

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We have been living in fear, we don’t know when we will be kicked out of our houses. We want our voice to be heard.

Large-scale protests are uncommon in Vietnam, where dissent is tightly controlled. However, private grumbling has escalated into tentative public opposition as individuals fight to preserve their homes. "We have been living in fear, we don’t know when we will be kicked out of our houses. We want our voice to be heard," said Hoa, whose life savings are invested in her two-story home. She recently participated in a vigil at a Buddhist temple, a subtle plea for her home to be spared. Hundreds of other residents from the Red River area have joined similar vigils, organized anonymously and promoted via social media.

The affected region is home to numerous established communities, some with centuries-old traditions, featuring bustling markets, gardens, and ancestral burial grounds. French-style villas, traditional Hanoi "tube" houses, and densely packed low-rise buildings are all marked for demolition. "May the Buddhas of the ten directions hear our earnest plea," read a comment on a Facebook group dedicated to the redevelopment. "Please help us avoid losing our homes, our land, our ancestral graves."

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May the Buddhas of the ten directions hear our earnest plea. Please help us avoid losing our homes, our land, our ancestral graves.

On a nearby street, resident Duc and his neighbors displayed a banner from his balcony that read: "We urge local authorities to consider people’s aspiration in maintaining the present communities." He explained the wording was deliberately cautious, avoiding terms like "protest" or "against," yet authorities still asked him to remove it. Dozens of similar banners have appeared, with many disappearing within days. Tuong Vu, a Vietnam expert at the University of Oregon, noted that Hanoi residents have "expressed their disagreement and resentment at losing their lands and houses."

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We urge local authorities to consider people’s aspiration in maintaining the present communities.