Protests in Vietnam Over Formosa Oil Spill Continue

Demonstrators gathered around a steel factory owned by Taiwanese company Formosa on Sunday, in continuing protest of Formosa’s oil spill into the South China Sea in June. Outrage has been exacerbated by allegations that the Vietnamese government is protecting Formosa by hiding the full extent of the damage.

Several interesting themes arise from this article, including the disruption of tradition as a form of modernity. Fish is a staple food for the Vietnamese, and the oil spill--a foreign cause caused by increasing globalization--has severely hurt the seafood industry. In a way, I see it symbolic of how foreign influences can alter tradition, especially because fishing is many Vietnamese’s livelihood. The months-long outrage only speaks to the extent of disruption the oil spill incident has.

I’m particularly struck by Le Quang Binh’s quote in the article: “‘In Vietnam, traditionally people avoid politics because it’s sensitive’... ‘But now, more people understand that they cannot avoid politics because politics and policy can affect their lives.’” It speaks to the changing culture of Vietnam, suggesting people’s lives are becoming increasingly politicized. I would assume this change arises from Vietnam increasingly integrating people into the political system and increasing bureaucracy, though it would be interesting to explore this change in political climate.

Other observations about this article include how Vietnamese protesters focused on the foreign identity of many companies, suggesting foreign businesses are unwelcome; I wonder if this is a form of nationalism or if it something else. The article also notes online reports of the protests were quickly removed by the state, but Facebook remains an effective platform for demonstrators. How else do protestors circumvent state-controlled media, and what exactly is the role of Facebook and social media in cultivating this modern identity of political awareness?

Read more here: http://nyti.ms/2d8CGM3