Law

May the spring bring peace and joy to the borderlands...

Khanh Ly-Quynh An • January 29, 2025 08:50

As the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Snake 2025 approaches, along the border of Nghe An province, mountains and forests are dotted with blooming reeds and delicate peach blossoms. In the villages, ethnic minority communities are busily preparing to celebrate the traditional New Year. While enjoying the New Year, the Party committees, authorities, and people remain vigilant in protecting security and order, and maintaining peace along the border.

The "veteran" of the village

In the gentle spring rain, we visited the VACR farm model in production area C5 of Mr. Hoa Pho Nganh (Khmu ethnic group) - a respected figure in Xop Lau village, Muong Ai border commune, Ky Son district.

Excitedly showing us his granary overflowing with thick ears of corn, sacks of golden rice, and stacks of plump gourds and pumpkins, Mr. Hoa Pho Nganh said: "This year's harvest is bountiful, and my family and neighbors are celebrating Tet with more joy and happiness!"

Having served as a commune official in Muong Ai for 27 years, including many years holding positions such as Head of the Commune Police, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, and Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, this 65-year-old veteran of the Xop Lau Party still deeply cares about the well-being of his people and the peace of his homeland.

After retiring, Mr. Hoa Pho Nganh boldly pioneered and invested in a VACR (Vegetable, Animal, and Fish) farm in the border area of ​​C5. Through 10 years of diligent work and a long-term strategy, he transformed the barren land into a farm spanning over 3 hectares.

The land includes 1.2 hectares of rice paddies, 2 ponds for raising grass carp, tilapia, and silver carp; elephant grass and high-yield cassava are grown, along with 100 banana trees; vegetables (gourds, pumpkins), and fruit trees (plums, oranges, pomelos, guavas, lemons, etc.); and local pigs, chickens, and 14 buffaloes and cows. He also pioneered the investment in purchasing 2 mini-plows, a rice threshing machine, and a lawn mower to support production.

Following the example of village elder Hoa Pho Nganh, many people in the village and commune have done the same. From just two households, Mr. Hoa Pho Nganh and Mr. Ven Pho Suong, who started farms, the entire commune now has 25 households, including 20 households in Xop Lau village developing the economy in the border area of ​​C5, and more than a dozen households have learned to buy tractors for production.

"Muong Ai commune has a 27km long border with neighboring Laos, with 6 villages, mainly inhabited by the Khmu, Mong, and Thai ethnic groups; life is still difficult, with 66.6% of households living in poverty... To ensure peace and prosperity for the people, we must encourage them to strive to develop the economy and achieve sustainable poverty reduction," Mr. Hoa Pho Nganh thought. When some households proactively sought his advice on farming and livestock raising, he wholeheartedly guided them, from digging ponds for fish farming to cultivating wet rice...

To achieve this, village elder Hoa Pho Nganh has always actively campaigned and propagated the people's compliance with the policies, guidelines, and laws of the Party and State, as well as local regulations. From limiting slash-and-burn farming and strictly adhering to border regulations to coordinating with the Party committee, government, and functional forces to "go from house to house, to field to field" to propagate and encourage people to voluntarily surrender homemade weapons, especially hunting rifles and explosives...

Comrade Moong Van Binh, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Muong Ai commune, commented: Currently, there are 6 reputable people in Muong Ai commune - all of them are These "veteran" figures of the village are the spiritual pillars of the people. Among them, Mr. Hoa Pho Nganh in Xop Lau village stands out.

Not only is Mr. Hoa Pho Nganh's family a pioneer in economic development, sustainable poverty reduction, and always working closely with local Party committees, authorities, and functional forces in mass mobilization work, but it is also a model cultural family with 5 out of 7 children and grandchildren being Party members. Many of them are successful and hold prominent positions in the community.

Mr. Hoa Pho Nganh himself is an exemplary party member in the Xop Lau village Party branch. Using his prestige and experience, he has helped and supported the branch in improving the quality of its activities and effectively carrying out party membership development. In 2024, the Xop Lau village Party branch admitted 3 new party members from the Youth Union.

With many positive activities contributing to building a prosperous and peaceful village, village elder Hoa Pho Nganh has been honored with numerous Certificates of Commendation from the Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghe An province for outstanding achievements in fulfilling his role as a respected figure among ethnic minorities, and a Certificate of Commendation from the Minister and Chairman of the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs for outstanding achievements in ethnic affairs and the Party and State's ethnic policies.

This "veteran" in the border commune of Muong Ai is also one of the exemplary figures from Nghe An province attending the 2023 national conference to commend and honor outstanding influential figures among ethnic minorities.

In the border commune of Tam Hop (Tuong Duong district), Mr. Vu Tong Long, born in 1960, residing in Huoi Son village, is also mentioned as a prominent figure who has made significant contributions to the implementation of Prime Minister's Directive No. 01/CT-TTG on "the nationwide movement to protect national territorial sovereignty and border security in the new situation" and other local movements.

As a village elder, Mr. Vu Tong Long regularly collaborates with local authorities and law enforcement agencies to disseminate information and encourage people in the area to strictly abide by the Party's guidelines and policies, and the State's laws; to avoid unauthorized migration and encroachment; to refrain from violating the law and assisting criminals; to actively report crimes; and to strengthen national unity.

Elder Vu Tong Long also effectively played the role of a respected figure and skilled in "people mobilization" in implementing local programs and projects such as relocating and securing land for the construction of the new Tam Hop Border Guard Post headquarters in Huoi Son village and land for regional defense exercises... At the same time, he proactively monitored the situation and promptly informed functional forces to handle incidents occurring in the area. From 2019 to the present, Mr. Vu Tong Long has provided functional forces with over 50 pieces of information, including 5 valuable pieces of information related to violations of border regulations and illegal timber transportation.

Mr. Vu Tong Long also set a good example and actively coordinated with the Party Committee, the government, and the Youth Volunteer Brigade 9 to effectively carry out propaganda work, change perceptions, and inspire people's will to overcome poverty through the cultivation of sorghum, red turmeric, ginger, pineapple, cassava, elephant grass, rice, and various vegetables to develop the economy. While in the early days, Huoi Son village only had 30 households, it now has 75 households with over 300 people, 90% of whom have means of transportation and audiovisual equipment. Notably, since 2011, the village has consistently maintained its status as a cultural village.

The persistent efforts of the Party committees and authorities, along with the contributions of 926 influential figures in the province such as Mr. Hoa Pho Nganh and Mr. Vu Tong Long, have been and continue to bring joy to border villages every spring.

The people are the "eyes and ears," and the villages are the "protective fence."

The land border area of ​​Nghe An province comprises 27 communes in 6 districts, with a border length of 468.281 km bordering 3 provinces of Laos: Hua Phan, Xieng Khouang, and Bolikhamsai.

During our trip to border areas in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Snake, we met many people with passionate hearts and a high sense of responsibility in maintaining peace on the border and protecting the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland. These ordinary people deeply understand that only with a stable border can their villages be peaceful, and the people can enjoy a prosperous, free, and happy life. These include Mr. Quang Van Thu, 62 years old – a respected figure in Muong Phu village, Thong Thu commune (Que Phong district), and young man Lo Van Ha – a militia member of Muong Ai commune (Ky Son district), who regularly patrols the border, border markers, and maintains security and order alongside border guards and commune police forces so that the people can enjoy the New Year celebrations.
Visiting the Mong Huoi Poc village in Nam Can commune (Ky Son district), from afar we could see Party Secretary Lau Chong Nhia (born in 1964) and Village Head Lau Ba Gi (born in 1987) coming down a small slope, with bright yellow wildflowers blooming on both sides.

“I just returned from a planning meeting for Tet at the community cultural center. This year, the village has organized many activities to celebrate the Spring Festival for the people, but at the same time, we also need to remind the villagers to raise their vigilance against all kinds of crime, ensuring security and order in the village and the border area,” said the Party Secretary of Lau Chong Nhia, happily leading the visitors on a tour of the village.

The village of Huoi Poc has 175 households and 889 people belonging to 7 clans, but they are very united. Life is still difficult, but things have changed a lot. Previously, production and farming relied solely on slash-and-burn agriculture, but now the people have shifted their mindset and practices, actively digging ponds for fish farming, planting sorghum, cultivating wet rice, growing vegetables and fruits, and developing livestock farming… Importantly, the people do not migrate freely and do not listen to bad influences to commit illegal acts.

Village head Lầu Bá Gì added: Besides the local security team, Huồi Pốc village also has a self-governing border marker team that regularly coordinates with functional forces to patrol and control the border area, especially before, during, and after Tet (Lunar New Year) to ensure border peace. The villagers also play the role of "eyes and ears" when participating in agricultural production in the border fields; if they detect any unusual signs, they report them to the functional forces and local authorities for timely handling.

Nam Can commune has 23.099 km of border with Noong Het district (Laos), a rugged mountainous terrain, National Highway 7A running through it, and the Nam Can International Border Gate leading to Laos, making it a strategically important area for national defense and security.

According to Mr. Le Hong Lap, Secretary of the Party Committee of Nam Can Commune: Deeply aware that the commune is a border gateway and recognizing that ensuring security and order is not only the task of the functional forces but also the responsibility of the entire population, the Party Committee and the government of Nam Can Commune always focus on coordinating and supporting the functional forces in patrolling and protecting the border, border markers, and preventing and combating crime during the peak period before, during, and after the Lunar New Year.

Furthermore, during the New Year period, the number of people crossing the Nam Can International Border Gate and the Nam Can border market, where goods are exchanged and people from both sides of the Vietnam-Laos border meet and interact, increases significantly. The local authorities proactively coordinate with relevant forces to implement security measures, contributing to a safe and healthy Spring Festival and New Year celebration for the people.

At the same time, Nam Can commune established a solid communication mechanism with the people and villages through various forms, both direct and using Zalo and Facebook groups, to promptly grasp the situation in the 6 villages - where 984 households and 5,061 people belonging to 4 ethnic groups - Mong, Thai, Kho Mu, and Kinh - live together in the area. Through this, they can detect early and from afar potential risks and complex instability, providing timely warnings, responses, and solutions to prevent the formation of hotspots.

Aiming for the goal of "peace for the people, peace for the locality, and peace for the border," the Party Committee and government of Nam Can commune have directed the entire political system to effectively implement programs and projects supporting production development, replicating economic development models such as raising local cattle, mountain goats, growing peaches for fruit and branches, taro, local purple corn; the red peanut model, promoting traditional brocade weaving villages… helping people reduce poverty sustainably.

In addition, the commune effectively directs the implementation of foreign relations with localities in neighboring Laos, such as organizing the signing of a sister-village agreement between two villages of Nam Can commune and two villages of the Noong Het Tay cluster, Noong Het district (Laos); and the signing of a sister-village agreement between the Women's Association of Nam Can commune and the Women's Association of the Noong Het Tay cluster. Regularly, the sister-village units hold meetings to exchange information and coordinate efforts to effectively prevent illegal border crossings, violations of territorial sovereignty, resource exploitation, and environmental damage on both sides of the border; and organize exchange activities, visits, and gift-giving during the traditional New Year of both countries to strengthen solidarity and friendship.