The People's Committee of Con Dao District has issued Plan No. 170/KH-UBND to implement the policy of limiting and eventually stopping the offering and burning of votive objects at historical points, and sites within the Con Dao district. The plan outlines a specific implementation roadmap with 3 phases, focusing particularly on propaganda work.

After a period of implementation, according to the assessment of Con Dao District, this important policy has received the consensus of the people and tourists. The number of votive offerings has been reduced gradually at historical sites, contributing to the successful implementation of environmental protection and fire prevention and fighting.

The propaganda banner for the policy "Say no to the burning of votive offerings" at Hang Duong Cemetery, Con Dao.

The majority of establishments and tourists have agreed and implemented the propaganda, mobilizing individuals and organizations to "Say no to the burning of votive offerings at historical points sites within the district, contributing to the construction of a civilized, green, clean and beautiful Con Dao." Some online newspapers have positively reported on, such as baovanhoa.vn, vacne.org.vn, condao.com.vn, moitruongdulich.vn, dulichseatravel.com, plo.vn, Tiktok.com, brt.vn...

According to statistics, there are currently 41 establishments in Con Dao District that have been granted business registration certificates for ritual items (flowers, fruits, votive offerings, etc.), and many other establishments engage in self-employed trading of ritual items, mainly concentrated in the central area of the district and near historical-cultural sites. The trading of ritual items has provided employment and income for some households and residents in the district. However, recently, the number of people and tourists who offer and burn votive offerings at Hang Duong Cemetery and other historical sites within the district has increased significantly, leading to various issues such as abuse and distortion towards superstitious and deviant practices.

On average, there are about 1,400 - 1,600 sets of votive offerings burned daily at historical sites within the district; the places where votive offerings are burned have experienced overcrowding, causing harmful smoke pollution and posing risks of fire and explosion. At the same time, issues related to security and public order have emerged, causing inconvenience and affecting the health of the people as well as wasting social resources. In addition, the freedom of propaganda and advertising by some individuals and businesses trading ritual items on online platforms such as Zalo, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, etc., has led to superstitious and deviant practices, distorting history, providing misleading information about the value of historical sites, and affecting the image of Con Dao tourism.

This is not a new issue but has been happening for many years, resulting in significant waste of social resources and particularly affecting the health of the people and polluting the green, clean, and beautiful environment on the island. In response to this situation, in February 2024, the People's Committee of Con Dao District issued a document to implement propaganda and mobilize individuals and organizations with slogans such as "Say no to the burning of votive offerings at historical points and sites within the district, contributing to the construction of a civilized, green, clean and beautiful Con Dao" and "Exemplary officials, party members, and people agree to not burn votive offerings at points, historical sites within the district."

Continue to implement Plan No. 43/KH-UBND dated January 26, 2024 by the People's Committee of the district, the dual-role Management Board of Historic Sites in Con Dao district is implementing a notice regarding the implementation period of "say no to the burning of votive offerings" at the historic sites under the management of the People's Committee of Con Dao district. Accordingly, starting from July 1, 2024, the district's People's Committee will implement "say no to the burning of votive offerings" at the following specific sites:

1. Cau Temple: Residential Area No. 1, Con Dao district.

2. Tomb of 75 Soldiers: Residential Area No. 1, Con Dao district.

3. Earth God Temple: Residential Area No. 2, Con Dao district.

4. An Son Temple: Residential Area No. 3, Con Dao district.

5. Nui Mot Pagoda: Residential Area No. 3, Con Dao district.

6. Ngu Hanh Temple: Residential Area No. 10, Con Dao district.

Translated by: Xuan Da