National Assembly delegates of Nghe An province give comments on the draft Law on Militia and Self-Defense Forces (amended)

Lieutenant General Nguyen Doan Anh - Commander of Military Region IV, National Assembly delegate of Nghe An province spoke at the National Assembly discussion session on June 13. Photo: Contributor

The name of the law has historical and inherited character.

Speaking at the discussion session, Major General Nguyen Doan Anh - Commander of Military Region IV, National Assembly delegate of Nghe An province affirmed that the name of the Law on Militia and Self-Defense Forces is completely appropriate, true to the nature of the activities of the militia and self-defense forces, both historical and inherited.

The delegate explained that the present-day militia was originally a self-defense force established under the Resolution on Self-Defense Forces and approved on March 28, 1935, at the First Party Congress held in Macao, China. Through the revolutionary periods, the militia force was built, fought and developed continuously with the names of Red Self-Defense, Guerrilla Militia and now Self-Defense Militia.

It can be said that, from the first day of its establishment as well as at present, in terms of nature, position, function and tasks of this force organized in communes, wards or agencies, organizations and enterprises have always been consistently determined. The militia and self-defense force is a mass armed organization, not separated from production and work, is a component of the people's armed forces, is a force to protect the Party, protect the government, protect the lives and property of the people, property of the State, and act as the core with the whole people to fight the enemy in the locality and at the grassroots when there is a war.

In addition, the name of the draft Law on Militia and Self-Defense Forces inherits the name of this force that has been used consistently in many Party documents and legal documents of the State, most recently Directive No. 16 of the Central Party Secretariat on strengthening the Party's leadership over the militia and self-defense forces and reserve forces in the new situation and the provisions in Article 66 of the 2013 Constitution as well as the 2009 Law on Militia and Self-Defense Forces, the 2018 Law on National Defense and documents guiding their implementation.

Militia and self-defense forces of An Hoa commune, Quynh Luu district participate in building new rural areas. Photo: Trong Kien

Wide range of age, militia term is appropriate

Delegate Nguyen Thanh Hien - Deputy Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation said that the regulations on age and term of duty to participate in the militia and self-defense force, in Article 8 of the draft law, basically inherit the regulations of the 2009 Law on Militia and Self-Defense Force.

In reality, if the young people of military service age and militia and self-defense age are not attracted to urban areas, industrial parks, export processing zones, or to work abroad under labor contracts, and the supply-demand relationship in labor is resolved, then lowering the age of military service and the term of military service is necessary to ensure a young, healthy workforce for the militia and self-defense age and reduce the burden of service on citizens.

However, currently in our country, due to the increasing number of young people moving to places with job opportunities, the number of state-owned enterprises is decreasing, and foreign-invested enterprises are growing. The number of workers going abroad is also increasing, leading to many rural and mountainous areas where the number of young people staying is very small, making it difficult to supplement resources as well as ensure the stability of the militia and self-defense forces.

In that context, to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the organization and operation of the militia and self-defense force, the wide range of age and term of militia and self-defense obligation provisions as in the draft, on the basis of inheriting the provisions that have been tested in practice of the current Law on Militia and Self-Defense Force, is appropriate.

Regarding the registration of militia and self-defense management in Article 9, delegate Nguyen Thanh Hien said that the draft law has added a number of provisions to be positive and create convenience for citizens. That is the provision that the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level, the head of the agency or organization, based on the results of military service registration, will make a list of citizens aged 18 and over to perform militia and self-defense service instead of requiring citizens to register as before.

However, Clause 2 stipulates the change of residence, Clause 6 stipulates the period of temporary absence of 3 months or more, delegates suggested that it is necessary to continue research to regulate in a direction that creates more convenience for citizens when the State prepares to operate the national database system on population. Accordingly, when citizens come to register for temporary or permanent residence with local authorities, it is necessary to simultaneously resolve issues regarding military service and militia participation.