'Great wall' to prevent Covid-19 at the border

Danger at the border

On the afternoon of August 11, at Truong Son village, Nam Can commune, Ky Son district, the Nam Can International Border Guard Station coordinated with the functional forces to arrest Dau Xuan Chung (born in 1980, permanent residence in Nghi Yen commune, Nghi Loc district) for illegally entering Vietnam from Laos. Through investigation, Dau Xuan Chung confessed that Lau Ba Chu (born in 1989, residing in Truong Son village, Nam Can commune) organized to bring people illegally into the country from the other side of the border, with a payment of 3.5 million VND... Immediately after that, the functional agency urgently arrested and prosecuted Lau Ba Chu according to the provisions of the law.

Lau Ba Chu (born in 1989, residing in Truong Son village, Nam Can commune) organized people to illegally enter the country from across the border. Photo courtesy of Hai Thuong

Since the beginning of the year, when the Covid-19 epidemic broke out, a large number of Vietnamese people working and living in Laos returned home to avoid the epidemic. The vast majority of people strictly followed the regulations of the law on entry and exit as well as disease prevention and control. However, besides those who complied well, there were still many people who, because they did not want to be quarantined to prevent the Covid-19 epidemic, tried to enter the country illegally through trails and openings... With the arrest of Lau Ba Chu, for the first time in Nghe An, there appeared a type of organized crime that brought people into the country illegally to avoid disease prevention regulations.

Lieutenant Colonel Trinh Van Que - Political Commissar of the Nam Can International Border Guard Station said: "To prevent and combat Covid-19, the station has strictly maintained inspection and control activities at the border gate area, measuring body temperature to promptly separate and quarantine citizens entering Vietnam from the other side of the border. In addition, the station has established 6 control posts, from Milestone 403 to Milestone 406, to strictly control the border, not allowing people to illegally cross the border at trails and openings; at the same time, coordinate with local Party committees and authorities to propagate to the people so that they can recognize how to prevent and fight the epidemic. Along with that, the station also regularly exchanges information with the functional forces of Laos, thereby firmly grasping the situation and developments of the Covid-19 epidemic to have timely response plans."

Officers and soldiers of the Nam Can International Border Gate Border Guard Station patrol the trails and openings. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Since the beginning of the year, the station's 6 checkpoints have prevented 26 cases of illegal entry and border crossing, handled 47 subjects, fined 154 million VND, prosecuted 1 subject according to the law... Currently, the Covid-19 epidemic situation is still complicated, the number of Vietnamese people returning to the country, Lao citizens studying and working in Vietnam is still increasing. "In addition to those who enter the country legally, there are still many subjects who are still looking for ways to enter the country illegally to avoid quarantine and it is not excluded that there are subjects who still want to organize illegal entry for profit, regardless of the risk of the epidemic", Lieutenant Colonel Trinh Van Que said.

On the 468 km long Vietnam - Laos border in Nghe An, there is a risk of Covid-19 entering everywhere. Besides Vietnamese people trying to return home through trails and openings, there are still Lao people coming to Vietnam to visit relatives. Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Van Huy, Political Commissar of Thong Thu Border Guard Station, shared: To prevent the risk of Covid-19 entering the country through illegal immigrants, the station has deployed 100% of its troops; established 5 checkpoints; patrolled and controlled the border line in charge, preventing illegal border crossings. Thereby, the station has detected and administratively punished 20 cases with 47 subjects, fined 153.3 million VND; and brought these subjects to quarantine to prevent the epidemic according to regulations.

Officers and soldiers of Thong Thu Border Guard Station patrol the river, preventing people from illegally entering and exiting the country, and preventing the Covid-19 epidemic. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Van Huy warned of the risk: “The number of Vietnamese citizens living, working and studying in Laos in general and Hua Phan province in particular is in great need of returning home. According to regulations, these citizens who want to return home need to register their wishes to return home at the Embassy and Consulates General of Vietnam in Laos; strictly implement relevant regulations of Laos and Vietnam on Covid-19 prevention and control; when returning home, they must go through international border gates... From this reality, there has been a phenomenon of people who do not want to waste time registering their wishes, spend a lot of money traveling to international border gates, so they "risk their lives" and "win or lose" illegally entering the country. If they successfully enter the country, they will avoid quarantine; if they are arrested, they are willing to pay administrative fines."

Strive to do well the "dual task"

At the border this season, the weather is extremely harsh: foggy in the morning, hot at noon, and heavy rain in the afternoon due to the influence of Laos' climate... At the checkpoints, the living conditions of officers and soldiers are still lacking in many things, from clean water to food, phone signals and makeshift tents, even though the border posts have proactively "provided food and strong soldiers".

Border guards "go to every alley, knock on every door" to instruct people on measures to prevent and fight the Covid-19 epidemic. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The difficulties at the border checkpoints are like that, but in the areas under the direct control of the stations, the work is not easy. In the border communes, people's lives still face many difficulties, low education, and many social evils. To maintain their lives, people in the communes, especially young workers, often leave their hometowns and go to work far away. In the context of the epidemic, these people return and are very likely to carry the disease. Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Quoc Huy added: "To prevent and fight the Covid-19 epidemic, the station has actively coordinated with departments, branches, and localities to grasp and propagate to those who return from working far away to make health declarations, check their health, and guide them to quarantine at home and at medical facilities. Specifically, officers and soldiers of the station have had to go to every alley, knock on every door, and propagate to each subject. Since the beginning of the year, the station has carried out propaganda, health checks, and health declarations for over 1,600 people."

Despite their efforts to prevent and fight the Covid-19 pandemic, the border guards have not neglected for a moment other important tasks such as protecting border markers, preventing social evils and drug crimes, helping people on both sides of the border fight the pandemic and develop the economy. As for Thong Thu Border Guard Station, since the beginning of the year, the unit has mobilized individuals and organizations to support, visit and encourage officers, soldiers and people in the area with a total amount of nearly 90 million VND; donated 2 tons of rice and some necessities to prevent and fight the Covid-19 pandemic to the two twinned villages of Nam Tay and Pa Puc (Laos) worth 35 million VND.

Officers of Hanh Dich Border Guard Station distribute masks and propagate about the acute pneumonia epidemic. Photo: Archive

At Hanh Dich Border Guard Station, since the beginning of the Covid-19 epidemic, in addition to doing a good job of communicating to raise awareness of Covid-19 prevention and control for people and inspecting and controlling the area, officers and soldiers have focused on helping households eliminate hunger and reduce poverty in the area. The station has assigned 30 officers to help 139 households. The officers and soldiers have met, contacted, and grasped their thoughts and aspirations to have appropriate forms of assistance such as financial support, plant and animal seeds. In addition, the officers and soldiers also directly held hands, worked on the land, planted vegetables, and instructed on animal care techniques.

Lieutenant Colonel Phan Nhat Thanh - Political Commissar of Hanh Dich Border Guard Station said: “Recently, through contributions and appeals, the station has supported poor households with 35 million VND in funding to buy plants and seedlings; provided material support, blankets, mosquito nets, pants, clothes... worth 15 million VND; provided 50 piglets to 12 households raising livestock, bringing high efficiency. Thanks to the help of the station, many families in the area have escaped hunger and reduced poverty; gradually changed their thinking in production, applied science and technology to production... During this epidemic season, the consumption of agricultural products for local people is difficult. Through relationships, the station calls on businesses and people to buy agricultural products to support local people".

Carrying out dual duties on the border and in the military area, many border guards have not returned home since the beginning of the year. Despite hardships and many disadvantages, all officers and soldiers are determined to "keep their guns firmly in hand" to protect the border, and are the last force to withdraw from the battle against Covid-19. Hopefully, every citizen will see the hardship and sacrifice to better comply with epidemic prevention regulations in particular and legal regulations in general...

While performing the task of protecting the border and preventing the Covid-19 epidemic, officers and soldiers of Hanh Dich Border Guard Station also focused on supporting people in developing economic models. Photo: Thanh Cuong

In mid-August 2020, good news for officers and soldiers at the Covid-19 checkpoint, the Provincial Border Guard is mobilizing technical forces, speeding up construction progress, transporting to the border to install semi-permanent houses - Covid-19 prevention and control posts to help officers and soldiers "Overcome the sun, overcome the rain", improve living conditions to stay long-term. Hopefully, there will be more and more support and assistance to officers and soldiers at the border lines.