Legislation to save nation’s heritage

(13-04-2009) Viet Nam News Service

HCM CITY — The nation’s cultural heritage needs strong legal backing to ensure their preservation and protection, a senior Government official said.

Hoang Anh Tuan, minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said new laws were necessary to prevent damage to relics and monuments.

He also stressed the importance of relevant agencies in supervising application of the law.

Le Thanh Vinh, head of the Institute for Conservation of Monuments, said the new laws should clarify every step taken so that relics, monuments and heritage sites are not defaced because of wrong measures are applied.

The Government also asked authorities to invest funds from local budgets for restoration and protection work.

At the 12th international UNESCO-University and Heritage Forum in Ha Noi, local and foreign delegates emphasised the role of the youth in protecting the nation’s cultural heritage.

Students and teachers need to improve their knowledge of cultural heritage protection and encourage participation in such activities, they said.

Local universities and research institutes should co-operate with foreign organisations in finding ways to preserve and protect the cultural heritage.

Monumental problems

Thousands of historical and cultural vestiges of the nation have been badly damaged by human actions and inaction that have compounded the ravages of time, experts say.

The Viet Nam’s Cultural Heritage Preservation Department reports there are at least 7,300 historical and cultural heritage sites that have suffered significant damage to date.

Discovered in 1925 by Russian French archaeologist Glubev, the ancient images carved on rocks in the Muong Hoa Valley have drawn both local and foreign tourists visiting Sa Pa District in the mountainous province of Lao Cai.

However, the rocks have been vandalised by both local residents and tourists even as experts mull solutions to preserving the rock field.

A similar plight faces a group of 46 rock tombs built during the Late-Le dynasty period in the northern province of Bac Giang.

Ngo Van Tuyen, the tombs’ supervisor, says despite being recognised as national heritage since 1964, the site is yet to receive any support for restoration from the Government.

The spiral-shaped Co Loa Citadel, built by King An Duong Vuong in the third century BC and recognised as one of the world’s prominent citadels, now languishes in Ha Noi’s Dong Anh District surrounded by modern shops and houses.

The Son Tay Citadel in Ha Tay District was built mainly with a special material – laterite – by King Minh Mang in 1822. However, the citadel has been rebuilt instead of being restored, and its original designs changed.

The Cultural Heritage Department says the reason of such defacement of cultural heritage is low public awareness of laws on preserving cultural monuments.

This means the national budget for preserving and restoring the nation’s cultural heritage is used for the wrong purposes.

The Hue Monuments Preservation Centre says 40 per cent of the city’s cultural heritage are damaged although 40 - 70 per cent of the damaged relics have been restored between 1990 and 2008 thanks to funds of VND25-50 billion (US$1.43-2.86 million) from local and foreign donors.

Soon after its discovery in April 2001, the Champa Civilisation’s My Khanh Temple was officially recognised as a national heritage. Over the years, most of the glass house built to protect the temple has been broken by people throwing stones.

In Quang Nam Province’s famous Hoi An Town, 61 ancient houses need serious restoration work.

However, deploying the fund for restoring and repairing ancient houses continues to be a difficult task for both local authorities and house owners.

Each ancient house needs at least VND700 million ($400,000) for restoration with two-thirds of the amount provided by the government and remaining from the owners. However, VND200-300 million ($11,430 – 17,140) is a large amount of money for most owners to raise.

Meanwhile, all the temples at the world cultural heritage site of My Son built between 4th and 13th century in Duy Xuyen District have crumbled despite being restored by Polish specialists for ten years (1982-1993).

The Champa Kingdom’s last capital - Hoang De (Emperor) Citadel – built between the 11th and 15th century in Binh Dinh Province are now just blocks of laterite and foundations surrounded by grass.

In HCM City, more than 50 per cent of its 107 cultural heritage sites have been severely damaged by rapid urbanisation.

The An Phu Temple in District 2, built towards the end of 19th century, was a shelter for soldiers in wars. Now it stands a metre under the water during the rainy season. Cracks have appeared in its pillars.

Due to a landslide prevention project, Phung Son Temple in District 11 has not been restored.

The city has developed a five-year (2006-2010) plan to preserve and restore its cultural heritage, but without increased public awareness and commitment to this goal, heritage sites will continue to suffer neglect and abuse.