Dau Tieng one-member Rubber Company just started construction of a exhibition area for a historic village under French colony at Lot 50, Tran Van Luu plantation, Dinh Hiep commune, Dau Tieng district.

 The village is remarkable for struggling period against French colony at the beginning of the 20th century. The place is a birth place to movements of workers’ uprising to fight back harsh and brutal regime.

 

Drawing of aerial view of a typical village under French colony.

 Rolling back the history in 1917, French Michelin Company formed a rubber plantation in Dau Tieng with initial area of 7,000 ha which was 9,240 ha by 1975. And it became history in an immense forest area having witnessed poor people from both side of Thi Tinh River, Saigon River, and plains of North and Central land coming to Michelin office and agreeing to tie their life to no less slavery.

 From 1917 to 1951, the number of so-called ‘slaves’ has increased to over 45,500 turns. The labor exploitation has caused workers to revolt as parts of movements in Dau Tieng by then.

 And, during the protracted resistance war against French colony, rubber workers in Dau Tieng have not once abandoned hope and trust in revolutionary movements. A picture of a rubber tree land guarding between Duong Minh Chau and D war bases was drawn with colorful movements of guerillas, militias, and armed force.

 After 1975, a new page was turned into happier life. In 1998, Dau Tieng Rubber Company honorly received title of Labor Hero. Recently, Binh Duong People’s Committee decided to recognize the place as historical and cultural site. The company has been prompted to re-construct the village by this recognition.

 Mr. Vo Minh Man, Vice General Director of Dau Tieng one-member Rubber Company said that the construction is to restructure images and scenery view of houses and living places of workers under French colony. The construction is meaningful in upholding peace and gratitude to those who sacrificed their life in hardship to retrieve happy life.

 The construction is also projected as celebration of the 11th National Party Congress, a millenium of Thang Long-Hanoi and 30th year of company corporation.

 Reported by Dinh Hau – Translated by Vi Bao