Ha Giang is a scenic mountainous province in northern Vietnam and since 2010 it has become a tourist destination for about two million visitors every year. Located at the border between Vietnam and China, the region is crossed by the Nho Que river that flows at the foot of Ma Pi Leng Pass and marks the borderline between the two countries. Eight kilometers away from the 4C National Highway is the villages of Ta Lang that draws its livelihood from the Nho Que river. Ta Lang is far from the main urban centers and it is home to thirty-nine households from different ethnic groups. In 2007, the Ministry of Industry of the Ha Giang province made an agreement with the Bitexco groupto build a dam that would block the water of the Nho Que river to make a reservoir. The project was carried out without consulting the indigenous people who…

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