Peace in the border region

(Baonghean)When people mention the police officers and soldiers in the Ky Son border region, they often remember their achievements in cracking down on drug crimes, human trafficking, or illegal border crossings… But few understand the peaceful moments behind all that, moments that can only be truly appreciated after spending a long time here…

The police in Ky Son district are conducting a campaign to raise awareness about drug prevention.

Overcoming challenges

Ky Son is considered a key area for national security and defense, and a hotspot for criminal activity. Therefore, young soldiers from the lowlands, when first assigned to work in Ky Son, face numerous difficulties and shortages, both material and spiritual. To overcome these challenges and successfully complete their duties, each individual must have a deep commitment to their chosen profession.

Captain Le Dang Cuong, the head of the anti-drug team, originally from Quynh Luu, has spent over 10 years working in this area. The challenging and complex environment of Ky Son presented its first real test for this recent graduate of the People's Police Academy. Here, Cuong and his teammates successfully investigated and dismantled numerous drug trafficking cases, such as the arrest of Lo Van Phu with a large quantity of drugs and a hand grenade; the arrest of Denh Chong Nhia, Denh Cha Tong, and Va Ba Xenh on December 26, 2006, seizing four blocks of heroin; and most recently, Case 613C, where Moong Van Hoanh was apprehended with a hand grenade already pulled out… Over these years, familiarity with the area, coupled with the unique professional skills of an anti-drug police officer, has made him love his seemingly arduous and dangerous work even more. Facing the arduous challenges in Na Ngoi, Keng Du, and Nam Can, Le Dang Cuong always considered them invaluable lessons for himself and his teammates. When asked, "Your parents are in the lowlands; have you ever considered transferring jobs?", Cuong smiled gently: "I've gotten used to being here; I miss Ky Son when I'm away. This is my second home…"

Not only the officers of the anti-drug unit, but the entire team of police officers and soldiers of Ky Son district always recognize that: as an area with many complex factors and facing many difficulties, they must overcome challenges, sometimes even surpass themselves because of the temptations of life and desires that, though seemingly ordinary, are very human. Fortunately, they always work and learn in a team with a spirit of overcoming difficulties. They are united and care for each other like members of a family.

To perform their assigned duties well, the first thing is that each officer and soldier here must strictly adhere to the regulations and discipline of the People's Police. Lieutenant Pham Dinh Thai, who has only been working in Ky Son for over 6 months, recounted: "In the early days here, I was also apprehensive about the difficulties ahead. To get to the villages to gather information, there were days when I and my colleagues walked 30 km, climbing through forests and wading through streams, leaving our feet sore. But then, seeing my colleagues all enthusiastic about their work, Thai strived to complete his nhiệm vụ well. During the days spent in the Mong villages, eating, living, and working alongside the people, each day felt like a new discovery in my life." Lieutenant Colonel To Van Hau, Deputy Head of the District Police, emphasized: "Political and ideological work is a very important factor for the police force here. Therefore, to ensure that each officer and soldier can work with peace of mind, we must ensure that their thoughts are always firm and relaxed…"

For all the officers and soldiers of the Ky Son Public Security unit, the unit is a common home where each person can cultivate discipline, live responsibly, and bond with one another. Here, in winter as well as summer, the sound of the alarm bell and the unit's exercise session at 5:30 AM has become a habit for everyone. The exercises and martial arts training make everyone feel healthier upon waking up. Breakfast at the unit's mess hall to start a new workday is the contribution of each member, not left to the cook alone... Far from family and loved ones, on cold evenings in this border region, those with girlfriends call to chat and confide in each other. Those without girlfriends sit together in the same room watching TV and reading newspapers. The closest moments are when Anh Hau, Uncle De, or other leaders of the unit chat and share personal stories with the soldiers, because they are also soldiers from the lowlands who came to work and grow up here.

Growing up through hardship

Having worked for over 13 years in this "dangerous land," Colonel Nguyen Van De confided: "Being a police officer in the upper reaches of the Ca River is difficult, but we are not afraid of hardship. 'Eating together, living together, working together' and 'staying close to the people, the area, the targets, and the work targets' are the unwavering duties of officers and soldiers in this place, which is considered the 'gateway to heaven' of Nghe An province. 'Regular rotation of duties, maintaining peace in the villages' to proactively gather information and prevent unexpected, complicated situations from arising."

According to Colonel Nguyen Van De, in Ky Son District Police, there is an unwritten but well-followed principle: officers and soldiers from the lowlands must love and help the people in the mountainous areas, and conversely, officers from the mountainous areas must help their counterparts from the lowlands understand the language, customs, and traditions to communicate with the people. Once the officers stationed in the villages learn and communicate well in the ethnic languages, the "three together" and "four clinging" principles become truly effective. Therefore, they have received the support and protection of the people. From this, Ky Son District Police have implemented many professional measures, closely monitored the situation, and thwarted the "peaceful evolution" plot of hostile forces in luring, enticing, and exploiting the Mong people in the area. To date, the situation of illegal migration and border crossings into Laos has completely ended, and people no longer listen to or follow the incitement of malicious individuals to cause unrest and disrupt public order as before.

Besides the task of maintaining peace and security on the national border, the officers and soldiers of the Ky Son District Police also undertake the task of sharing and helping the people in mountainous areas. During the historic flood of 2011, Ky Son was a key area affected by heavy rains and floods, suffering extremely heavy damage. In those critical moments, the Ky Son District Police stood side-by-side with the people and the border guard forces, becoming a pillar of support and trust for the people. Two-thirds of the unit's personnel were deployed to assist the people during the flood, working day and night to help the villagers stabilize their lives. Every Tet (Lunar New Year), the officers and soldiers of the unit contribute their salaries and labor to build charity houses; they also organize visits and provide assistance to families in difficult circumstances in the area. Because of this, the people of Ky Son always place absolute trust in the police force and consider the officers and soldiers as family members.

Day after day, being "forged" in a harsh environment, they gained invaluable practical experience. They no longer feared difficulties or hardships, having overcome months of trekking through forests, wading through streams, and sleeping in the woods with leeches and snails. This place truly is a "cradle" for forging people. Thanks to this training, many key and outstanding officers of the Nghe An Public Security force have grown and matured here…

Another spring has arrived. For the police officers and soldiers of Ky Son, it's common to go two or three years without returning home to celebrate Tet with their families. Because of their duty, as soldiers, they are ready to sacrifice their private lives, temporarily forgetting the warm moments of reunion with loved ones to remain stationed in the border region of the Fatherland, protecting the peaceful lives of the people. And the encouragement of their wives and mothers back home is a great source of motivation for them to remain steadfast in protecting the border region and welcome warm, peaceful springs…

Huong Giang

PX15 - Nghe An Provincial Police