In the news bulletin on October 21, reporter Lien Lien of VTV1 – Vietnam Television broadcasted that the volunteer groups of the people had affected the local government’s relief. Even the relief work is not only ineffective but also causes additional troubles for flood-affected people. This false statement of VTV makes public opinions, especially those in flooded areas, frustrated.
Public opinion in Vietnam said that VTV insulted fishermen and asked the station to correct and apologize.
Specifically, reporter Lien Lien said: “Thus, the relief work of the volunteer groups is not only ineffective but also affects the relief work of the local authorities here. The self-travel by boats of self-committing volunteer groups also affect the people, for example traveling by boats like this (pointing behind the row of fishing boats) without knowing how to adjustment speed, it will be possible that the waves hit the houses, while the current houses they have been deeply flooded for many days, possibly leading to the collapse of houses. And here are the information related to the relief work in Quang Binh province and the recommendations of Quang Binh province at this time.”
The reporter’s statement received the objections of colleagues in the field.
Journalist Truong Quang Nam had his own article titled “The weirdness of Lien Lien and VTV crew when doing flood news” to deny this content.
Journalist Nam wrote: “As a resident of the floodplain, as a person rolling around in the floodplain without a single breath and from the reactions of many people, I have to speak up about serious mistakes that cannot be made What language can express the frustration of people in flood areas, of those who joined hands in the work of saving people in flood areas when most in need.
I agree on the topic that she was aiming for, that there are still inappropriate spaces in liberal relief work; but her evidence, dissection, argument is too crazy. Because, it is the power of the people and in any situation, any time, this power is boundless. Did this girl and her channel not understand? Each person sharing one hand, everything will be done. Resources of individuals and organizations coming to the aid are worth more than thousands of gold in recent days.
Tens of thousands of houses everywhere were submerged in the water, people prayed for help everywhere, who could save them, Miss Lien and EKEP VTV? A person who gets 1 piece of food at that time is worth more than a regular tray. I asked her and the broadcaster, if everything is poured into the local government, will the government bring everything to the people immediately, or mobilize the people or leave it there. How do you think to say “it was not only effective? … The first 2 – 3 days during the flood (and certainly more long days), the people don’t have a grain of rice.”
In particular, journalist Nam has given clear analysis to refute reporter Lien Lien’s evidence that traveling by large boats without knowing how to adjust the speed can lead to collapse of the house.
Mr. Nam wrote:
“Weirder, during the few days when the peak floods, she was not there and suddenly jumped out and stood in front of the row of fishing boats of the Ngu Thuy people lying down in the dark to lead and criticize the great ships This, as quoted above. I bow to her a few bows, how you can say that fishermen living don’t know how to adjust the speed?
In fact, the boats used in relief efforts are the smallest, and the fishermen run in floods with almost no waves. Do you know why? because people know running fast would create wave hit, they know that before she was born (because there are many fishermen who are older than you, but many fishermen started working when they were around 5 years old). Because they run slowly to listen in the houses if there is any sound (most people are stuck and reside on the roof). They run slowly to drop goods, save people. They run slowly because they are wriggling in the residential areas because the trees and ropes are not tangled in and over the floodwater. As you didn’t go, so you didn’t know that people didn’t hit the gas when they entered the residential area, just let the engine have enough gas to explode, but they rowed with the pole to let the boat go …
This year’s flood is historical and also historic when the first fishing boat of fishermen Hai Ninh (Quang Ninh district) and Ngu Thuy (Le Thuy district) shouted at each other. Get up from the bed, bring the boats in the middle of the night, push the boats into the floodplain to save the people. Because they cried out for help, because of human love, the love of fellow people, countrymen. I was the person who almost got on this boat first to go with them to save people and to work. In addition to having more boats, which will save many people, these fishermen are senior and experienced in the floods.
By noon on October 19, many fishermen on the boat had not eaten anything, and they stayed up from last night until then. Then their wives and children also ran around the coastal village to cook rice and buy food to feed people in flooded areas. You did not know, while the villagers on the beach were extremely poor. It is a historic rescue!”
Journalist Duong Phong was also dissatisfied with the working style of reporter Lien Lien as well as Vietnam Television and asked VTV to apologize to the “fisherman warriors“.
He wrote:
“I do not know that whether this girl has entered the flood epicenter or not but she dared to deny the merits of fishermen in the coastal areas of Hai Ninh (Quang Ninh), Ngu Thuy and the people in the catastrophe in Quang Binh.
For more than 4 consecutive days, fishermen have pulled in and launched nearly 100 ships to save people and provide supplies to help people, share works with the rescue force, and rescue thousands of people from the historic flood disaster.
They saved the people in the highest flooding night in the middle of the rainy night. People called for help everywhere, the fishermen gave clear and strong support.
VTV broadcast this newsletter is to divide the meaning of the people, the friendship between the fishing people and the delta people. Department of Information and Communications needs to make corrections. The work of fishermen in the great flood is huge.
When they hire a car to transport boats to save the people, their wives and children at the sea contribute rice and buy salt-based fish sauce to cook rice, cakes, dry food, clothes to flood in high water for distribution.
Someone who is saved wants to pay some costs but they don’t take a penny, definitely not. They know when the water is flowing enough for their boat to run, when the water is not enough for their boat to run, they limit and keep a few crews in the floodplain.”
On social networks, many voices asked VTV to correct and apologize to the people of Quang Binh province.
Facebooker Son Bui commented: “The statements of reporter Lien Lien are not only unfounded but also insult and deny the great efforts of the community during the past few days. It is known that thanks to dozens of fishing boats of fishermen dragging into the flood zone around the clock, thousands of people have escaped death, thanks to thousands of relief shipments from the community and philanthropists that tens of thousands of people have received timely food and necessities. Not to mention hundreds of volunteer groups continued to go on the road to help people rebuild their lives after the floods.”
Mr. Son also repeated a reporting error by Lien Lien. He said: “This reporter in another news program also called the villagers of Hoanh village a terrorist group, causing a rebellion, but in fact, they have not been prosecuted for these crimes.”
According to Mr. Son, after the October 21 news, the VTV page has hidden all comments from viewers. Nick lien lien vtv also cannot be found in the search box.
This incident reminded the public of the VTV reporter Anh Quang in a TV report calling the street vendors a “parasite” that made the public angry. The strong reaction of the online community made this reporter write an apology on his personal Facebook page.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
