The story of recovering weapons and explosives in a border district of Nghe An

Unpredictable danger

It is a mountainous district located in the southwest of the province with many ethnic groups living there. Due to limited legal awareness of the people, living in mountainous areas with hunting habits, people oftenhomemade many kinds of weaponsCarrying it with you every time you go to the fields… causes potential risks of violating the law and disrupting security and order.

In particular, through social networks, people (especially young people) can easily find and buy materials such as plastic pipes, alcohol, and iron balls to make homemade fireworks and alcohol guns. Without the participation of all levels, sectors, local authorities, schools, and families, the risk of widespread homemade weapons will be very worrying.

Typically, on May 11 and 20, 2023, in Tam Quang and Yen Hoa communes, Tuong Duong District Police arrested two subjects: Le Dinh Ngo (born in 1954), residing in Hong Son commune, Do Luong district and Lo Van Cuong (born in 1966), residing in Yen Hoa commune, Tuong Duong district for illegal possession of explosives; confiscated more than 32kg of explosives. These are materials that can be used to make explosive bullets for homemade guns.

Up to now, people in Tuong Duong district still often mention the heartbreaking incident on August 21, 2022, when Luong Van Toi (born in 1962), residing in Lo village, Xa Luong commune, due to family conflicts, used a homemade gun in the house to shoot his wife, Mrs. Kha Thi H (born in 1962). Although she was taken to the emergency room by her family, Mrs. H died later. The incident once again sounded the alarm about the dangers when people arbitrarily produce and store homemade weapons in their homes. When people's awareness is still limited, just a small conflict that is not resolved, with homemade weapons in hand, can easily lead to tragic consequences.

Strengthening propaganda combined with strict handling

Faced with the potential risks of insecurity and disorder caused by weapons, explosives and supporting tools, recently, the local government and functional forces in Tuong Duong district have implemented many synchronous solutions, contributing to raising awareness and law-abiding consciousness of all classes of people in handing over, not storing, using weapons, explosives and supporting tools.

Lieutenant Colonel Pham Ngoc Canh - Head of Tuong Duong District Police, said: In recent times, the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee has directed the Public Security sector and authorities at all levels to organize and synchronise many plans to ensure security and order, especially the management of weapons, explosives and supporting tools in the area. At the same time, strengthen extensive propaganda among cadres, party members and people to raise awareness and sense of compliance with the law on the management of weapons, explosives and supporting tools; mobilize people to voluntarily hand over, provide information and denounce to the police agencies cases of illegal production, transportation, purchase, sale, storage and use of weapons and explosives to ensure security and order.

The district police have established a working group to mobilize the recovery of weapons, explosives, and supporting tools, and assigned the Administrative Police Team for Social Order to preside over and coordinate with professional teams to actively monitor the area, grasp the situation, survey, and investigate the quantity of weapons, explosives, and supporting tools among the people, from which to have a plan to mobilize, propagate, and encourage them to voluntarily hand them over.

To effectively recover weapons, explosives, and supporting tools, the police force has persistently coordinated with local Party committees and authorities to go to people's homes and fields to propagate the provisions of the law or through prestigious people in the village, analyze and explain to people that this is the correct policy of the Party and the State, cases of voluntary handover are not only not handled but also praised and rewarded. Thanks to that, many people have voluntarily handed over weapons and explosives that are still hidden to the authorities.

In Nga My commune, in recent times, the commune police force has coordinated with local departments and branches to organize propaganda and mobilize people to hand over weapons, explosives, and support tools with quite positive results. In 2023, this locality has recovered more than 30 types of homemade guns and gun barrels, mainly alcohol guns and hunting guns. Notably, in Na Kho village - an area with a large population of O Du ethnic people, Nga My commune police have coordinated with local authorities to mobilize people to hand over homemade weapons. Through socialized resources, each household that surrenders homemade weapons will receive 5kg of rice. Thanks to that, on the morning of October 19, 2023 alone, 24 types of homemade guns and gun barrels were recovered.

In Luu Kien commune, in June 2023, the Provincial Police Department's PV05 Department coordinated with Luu Kien Commune Police to organize propaganda on drug prevention and control, and to collect weapons, explosives, and dangerous toys in Con Muong and Khe Kien villages. Immediately after the propaganda activities, Luu Kien Commune Police mobilized people to voluntarily hand over 30 homemade guns and a number of other supporting tools. People in the villages and hamlets also signed a commitment not to use, store, or trade in drugs, weapons, and explosives.

In the border commune of Tam Hop, the commune police force has actively coordinated with the Tam Hop Border Guard Station to recover many weapons and explosives from the people. In 2023 alone, 38 homemade guns were recovered in Phong and Xop Nam villages. Thereby, contributing to ensuring security and order, minimizing accidents and injuries caused by weapons and explosives.

According to the statistics, in 2022, Tuong Duong District Police confiscated 264 homemade guns, 13 electric shockers, and 3 swords. By the end of October 2023, in the communes and towns, the police force had also confiscated 297 homemade guns and 5 electric shockers.

Through the discussion, Mr. Lo Thanh Nhat - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, added: Determining the importance of the work of collecting weapons, explosives, and supporting tools, every year, the People's Committee of the district has issued many plans, directed branches and localities, the core of which is the police force, to actively propagate, mobilize, collect, and change people's habits.

In the coming time, especially before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2024, the District People's Committee will continue to strengthen the direction of the police force and local authorities to deploy synchronous solutions, mobilizing the strength of the entire political system to participate in preventing, attacking and suppressing all types of crimes, including crimes related to weapons, explosives and supporting tools. Combining centralized and individual mobilization, diversifying propaganda forms to each household, contributing to ensuring security and order in the area, bringing a peaceful and happy life to the people.