Vietnam uses water cannon to disperse protest at global fashion brands supplier

Pacific Textiles Holdings

25/09/2017 12:03

* Authorities remove protesters' tent after 5-month standoff 
    * Villager says two injured, vows to keep fighting 
    * Staff able to enter plant, firm says not sure if issue 
resolved 
 
    By Mai Nguyen 
    HANOI, Sept 25 (Reuters) - Vietnamese authorities on Monday 
used water cannon and electric rods to end a five-month long 
protest by villagers blockading a textile plant that serves 
global fashion brands, an official and a villager said. 
    The blockade represents another challenge to the communist 
nation's government over industrial pollution woes, at a time 
when Vietnam seeks more foreign investors to keep up one of the 
highest rates of growth in Southeast Asia.  
    Hundreds of people from the northern province of Hai Duong 
have maintained watch in shifts day and night since April to 
stop work at the Pacific Crystal Textiles mill, operated by Hong 
Kong-based Pacific Textiles  1382.HK .  
    Japanese clothing giant UNIQLO is among those affected by 
the stoppage, which has led Pacific Textiles to report a 
"significant financial impact" from the disruption.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N1K33BW 
    On Monday, about 500 policemen used water cannons and 
electric rods to disperse around 200 villagers, said villager 
Bui Van Nguyet, who was one of the protesters.  
    Two people were injured as the policemen beat protesters and 
set on fire a field tent pitched in front of the plant, he 
added.  
    "It's unimaginably evil," Nguyet, who vowed to keep 
fighting, told Reuters. 
    Talks with protesters had proved unsuccessful, said a local 
official, adding that Pacific Textiles had promised to ensure 
better environmental standards. 
    "The villagers have set up the tent for several months 
already," said Truong Van Hon, head of the people's committee 
office of Hai Duong province. 
    "The investor (Pacific Textiles) has invested a lot and the 
environment ministry had done examinations and allowed the 
company to overcome the incident and invest more to ensure all 
environmental standards," he added. 
    The local authority would shut down Pacific Textiles' 
factory completely if it fell short of environmental standards 
again, Hon told Reuters. 
    In a statement, Pacific Textiles said its staff were able to 
enter the factory on Monday, but it was not certain whether the 
issue had been completely resolved.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nFWN1M60BL 
    The factory opened in 2015 as a venture between Pacific 
Textiles and garment maker Crystal Group, with a reported 
initial investment of at least $180 million. 
    Villagers have accused Pacific Textiles of multiple 
discharges of waste water since last year. The company has said 
it only discharged waste water once, on Dec. 24, 2016, and has 
been taking steps to halt further discharges. 
    A local authority fined the company 672 million dong 
($29,557.95) for the December spill, which breached limits for 
acidity and alkalinity balance and colour, among other 
violations. 
    A toxic spill from a Taiwanese-run steel mill in central 
Vietnam last year sparked unprecedented protests.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL5N1HE5TH 
($1=22,735 dong) 
 
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Pacific Crystal Textiles location    http://reut.rs/2ugG6an 
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 (Reporting by Mai Nguyen; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and 
Clarence Fernandez) 
 ((mai.nguyen@thomsonreuters.com; +8424 3825 9623; Reuters 
Messaging: mai.nguyen.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: VIETNAM POLLUTION/