Trial of Vietnam fish farmer turned folk hero begins

The trial of a Vietnamese fish farmer who became a folk hero after using homemade shotguns to resist eviction began on Tuesday, with scores of people defying a heavy police presence to show their support.

Hundreds of police shut down the roads by the Hai Phong People’s Court to hold back supporters of Doan Van Vuon, who rose to prominence by leading his family’s resistance against the authorities in a nation where land rights are a flashpoint issue.

Six policeman were injured in January last year when the Vuon family armed themselves with homemade shotguns as local officials tried to forcibly evict them from their fish farm in Tien Lang district, around 90 kilometres east of Hanoi.

Vuon and three other male relatives, who have been in detention since the incident, went on trial early on Tuesday for attempted murder.

Vuon’s wife and sister-in-law are being tried on a charge of resisting duty officers, in a hearing expected to last until Friday.

The Vuon family’s rare act of defiance triggered a nationwide outpouring of support with even Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung saying the eviction was “illegal” and promising to prosecute corrupt local officials.

Five former local officials in the area will be tried next Monday over the destruction of Vuon’s house.