世界遺産「ハロン湾」隣に巨大複合施設を建設、批判続出　ベトナム

【ハノイＡＦＰ＝時事】ベトナムで６日、国連教育科学文化機関（ユネスコ）の世界遺産に登録されているハロン湾と接する湾に、集合住宅が入る巨大複合施設の建設が行われていることに批判の声が相次いだ。（写真はベトナム・ハロン湾付近の住宅とホテルの複合施設の建設予定地）
　熱帯雨林で覆われた石灰岩の島々が点在するハロン湾は、ベトナム有数の観光地で、昨年は７００万人以上の旅行者が訪れた。
　しかし、国営ティエンフォン紙に５日、ハロン湾と壮大なカルスト地形に接するバイトゥロン湾の水上に巨大な建設現場が広がっている写真が掲載された。
　同紙によると、プロジェクトを手掛けるドゥ・ジア・キャピタルは、３１万８０００平方メートル以上の場所に住宅とホテルの複合施設を建設している。建設現場は、世界遺産を保護する「緩衝地帯」となっているという。
　文化省遺産局の元副局長、チュオン・クオック・ビン氏は、「ハロン湾の境界が著しく侵害されている」と指摘。
　著名歴史研究者のグエン・スアン・ジエン氏も、世界遺産への「直接的な脅威」だとし、「石灰岩のカルスト地形が成り金のおもちゃになってしまっている」と非難した。
　こうした批判を受け、近隣のカムファ市当局は工事の中断を要請するとともに、１０日までに検査を行うと発表した。
　ハロン市は急速に発展し、高級ホテルや多数の住宅、遊園地などが開発されており、湾の生態系に深刻な影響を与えている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/11/08-15:50）

A huge residential complex being built on the borders of Vietnam's Ha Long Bay prompted a public outcry in the Southeast Asian country Monday, as concerns mount over human impacts that have degraded the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The bay, famed for its brilliant turquoise waters dotted with towering rainforest-topped limestone islands, is one of Vietnam's most popular tourist destinations, attracting more than seven million visitors last year.
The shore and the surrounding town are already heavily developed. But on Sunday pictures were published in state media of an enormous construction site running through the waters -- and next to the spectacular karsts -- of Bai Tu Long Bay, which borders Ha Long.
The project owner, Do Gia Capital Limited Company, is preparing the ground for a residential and hotel complex on an area of more than 318,000 square meters, Tien Phong newspaper said.
The paper reported that the construction site is in Ha Long Bay's 'buffer zone', which UNESCO says provides an additional layer of protection to a World Heritage property.
Once finished, the complex will consist of 451 villas and houses, multiple seven-storey hotels, and service and trade areas, Tien Phong added.
Truong Quoc Binh, former deputy head of the culture ministry's heritage department, said the boundaries of Ha Long Bay had been seriously violated, according to the paper.
In Facebook posts that received thousands of likes and shares, Nguyen Xuan Dien, a well-known historical researcher, called the plans a direct threat to the world heritage site.
The limestone karsts have been turned into toys of the newly rich, Dien wrote.
Trang Nguyen, a prominent conservationist, wrote on Facebook: Killing birds, killing animals, killing everything.
The mountains are turned into cheap amusement parks, painted with green and red. The sea and its sand is exploited. Beautiful places are auctioned off.
In response to the criticism, authorities in Cam Pha City -- close to where the construction site is situated -- said they had asked the investor to suspend building works and an inspection of the area would be completed before November 10.
The plans received official approval in 2021.
The rapid growth of Ha Long City -- which is now home to a cable car, amusement park, luxury hotels and thousands of new homes -- has severely damaged the bay's ecosystem.
Conservationists estimate there were originally around 234 types of coral in the bay -- now the number is around half. There is also a huge problem with both human and plastic waste.
UNESCO's Vietnam office and the Ha Long Bay management board did not immediately respond to requests for comment from AFP.
State media have recently reported on several other construction projects threatening protected areas across Vietnam.