"With you, the villagers are happier"

(Baonghean) - Nghe An has 305 villages in 27 communes, belonging to 6 districts located along 419 km of border with Laos. The economic and social life of the Kinh, Thai, Mong, Kho Mu, Dan Lai and Tay Poong ethnic groups in the border area is gradually improving, the security and defense situation is increasingly strong. These achievements are due to the great contribution of the border guards, including the policy of assigning additional staff to the grassroots level.

One day in the beginning of the year, when the colors and atmosphere of Spring were filling the mountains and forests, we visited the border commune of Tam Hop (Tuong Duong), where the Thai, Mong and Tay Poong people reside. Unlike 6 years ago, when we first set foot in this land, Tam Hop villages now have many solid houses, more fertile fields and rice fields in the harvest season. Meeting Xong Ba No - Party Secretary of Pha Lom village, he quickly boasted: "Our village is now much different from before, there is no longer a state of constant hunger and lack of warm blankets, having to light a fire to keep warm like the last time I came here." And in the conversation with Xong Ba No, this Mong village secretary often mentioned the name of Vu Van Hau, an officer of Tam Hop Border Guard Station who was being reinforced to work as Deputy Secretary of the Commune Party Committee. Meeting Vu Van Hau, we learned that he was reinforced to the grassroots level since March 2010. "When I took on the role of Deputy Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, the first thing I thought of was to find a way to stabilize security and order, thereby creating a foundation for socio-economic development," Major Vu Van Hau shared.

Soldiers of Ngoc Lam Border Post (Thanh Chuong) instruct people on acacia planting techniques. Photo: PV

After careful research and survey, Deputy Secretary Vu Van Hau advised on coordination between the commune and Tam Hop Border Guard Station, relevant agencies (military, police) to grasp the situation, especially the ideological situation of the people and social order and safety. On that basis, promptly discovered urgent issues that needed to be resolved such as drug prevention, checking household registration, strengthening border patrols, collecting weapons and explosives, educating on national defense and security knowledge... And the most important thing is that the ethnic people in Tam Hop have begun to stabilize their ideology and feel secure in doing business and production. In addition, Mr. Vu Van Hau did a good job of advising the Party Committee and the government to coordinate with the border guard station to resolve the illegal Protestant preaching situation in Pha Lom village. Around the end of 2010 - the beginning of 2011, Lau Y Xia went to Laos to take care of her father-in-law who was being treated at the hospital and was infected by bad guys. When he returned to his hometown, he colluded with bad guys to organize proselytizing for 14 sisters in Pha Lom and Huoi Son villages. Understanding the situation, Vu Van Hau advised on the establishment of a working group of the commune, coordinated with the inter-sectoral working group of the district to propagate and mobilize the Mong people in Pha Lom and Huoi Son not to listen to the bad guys. In the end, the 14 sisters who were lured completely gave up following Protestantism, while Lau Y Xia wrote a commitment not to continue organizing illegal proselytizing, only reading scriptures at home. Vu Van Hau's advice, suggestions, directions and "bridge" role contributed significantly to helping the Tam Hop Commune Party Committee be recognized with the title "Clean and Strong" in 2012, something that had almost never happened before.

Leaving Tam Hop, we continued up to Ta Ca commune (Ky Son) to meet Captain Ho Sy Can, an officer of the Nam Can International Border Gate Border Guard Station. Like most border communes in Ky Son, the economic and social life in Ta Ca still faces many difficulties, the poverty rate is still high, and the people's educational level is low. The socio-political organizations and some departments and unions still operate in a formal manner, so they have not really brought about effectiveness. In early 2010, Ho Sy Can was promoted to Deputy Secretary of the Commune Party Committee. When he had a firm grasp of the situation and population characteristics, he advised the Party Committee to issue important policies and guidelines, which have now begun to be effective. The activities of the Party cells have become more organized and have better quality. In 2012, 13/15 Party cells achieved the title of Clean and Strong. The work of propagandizing and disseminating the law needs to be promoted, and people have been aware of handing over weapons and explosives to ensure security, order and social safety. Up to now, 9/11 villages have built art troupes and volleyball teams to participate in exchanges on holidays and Tet. In particular, thanks to the advice of Mr. Ho Sy Can, Ta Ca commune has mobilized resources to restore temples and organize the Duc Khanh Temple Festival to promote the work of preserving and promoting national cultural identity, meeting the spiritual needs of Thai, Kho Mu, Kinh and Mong people residing in the area. According to Captain Ho Sy Can, first of all, to complete the task, the reinforced cadre himself must be truly dedicated, a shining example in all aspects of life. At the same time, he must regularly stay close to the base, grasp information from many channels, sincerely listen and accept the opinions of others to have accurate, correct and effective advice.

Implementing the Prime Minister's Directive, the Standing Committee of the Central Military Party Committee and the Decision of the Border Guard Command, the Provincial Border Guard Party Committee has advised the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee to implement a plan to strengthen border guards for border communes. Currently, the whole province has 24/27 border communes arranged to strengthen border guards, 62 village party cells have border guard party members temporarily living. The implementation process has created changes in many aspects, the economy - society has developed, people's lives have been improved, the political system has been gradually consolidated, the quality of activities of party organizations, government and mass organizations has been significantly improved, and has been highly appreciated by local levels and sectors.

Lieutenant Colonel Le Nhu Cuong - Deputy Head of Political Department of the Provincial Border Guard said: "The policy of transferring border guards to directly participate in local Party committees, taking on the position of deputy secretary of the border commune Party committee has made an important contribution to training and improving the management and operation capacity of local officials, completely eliminating the "5 no's" working style (no leadership resolution; no work plan; no regulations, work program; no duty schedule; no regular activities)". At the same time, to continue to contribute to reducing the number of villages with "empty" Party cells and improving the quality of activities of weak village Party cells, the Provincial Border Guard Party Committee also advised and implemented the policy of transferring Border Guard officers to temporarily participate in activities in border villages. This solution has brought about practical results, helping many villages and hamlets establish Party cells, eliminating the situation of mixed Party members and villages with no Party members, consolidating the working order, and increasingly improving the quality and feasibility of resolutions.

PUBLIC SERVICE