Nearly 800 Nghe An people who migrated freely and got married without a license are allowed to stay in Bolikhamxay province, Laos.

Overview of the conference. Photo: KL

Attending the conference on behalf of Nghe An province were comrade Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Lieutenant Colonel Ho Quyet Thang - Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff of the Provincial Border Guard Command; representatives of the Provincial Police; Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Ethnic Minorities Committee, Office of the Provincial People's Committee; Tam Hop and Nam Can Border Guard Stations; leaders of Ky Son and Tuong Duong districts.

On the side of Bolikhamxay province, there were comrade Bun Ma Bu Cha Lon - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Governor, Head of the Steering Committee of the joint expert team of the Bolikhamxay Provincial Government Committee, and members of the joint expert team.

Many issues were agreed upon and resolved.

Implementing the agreement between the governments of Vietnam and Laos on solving the problem of spontaneous migration and unregistered marriage in the border areas of the two countries, the People's Committee of Nghe An province and the People's Committee of Bolikhamxay province have directed the joint expert teams of the two provinces to closely coordinate to implement the agreement. In 2019, the joint expert teams of the two provinces coordinated to conduct 02 rounds of investigation, classification and listing of spontaneous migrants and unregistered marriages in the border areas of Bolikhamxay province with a total of 119 households/798 people.

Lieutenant Colonel Ho Quyet Thang - Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff of the Provincial Border Guard Command reported on the implementation of the Agreement on resolving spontaneous migration and unregistered marriages in the border area between Nghe An province and Bolikhamxay.

On June 28, 2019, in Khammouane District (Laos), the delegations of Nghe An Province and Bolikhamxay Province discussed and agreed to recognize the number of free migrants and unregistered marriages (newly emerged) who are eligible to stay in Laos according to the provisions of the agreement, including 773 people (373 women, 400 men), of which free migrants include 114 households/713 people and 60 people are unregistered. The two sides also agreed to recognize the number of free migrants and unregistered marriages who are not eligible to stay in the host country (Laos), including 05 households/25 people in Vieng Thoong District, Bolikhamxay Province.

Regarding other cases, the two parties agree as follows:

- For 11 households/56 people in Kham Cot district, Bolikhamxay province, it is requested that the joint expert team of the two countries consider and resolve the issue.

- For 02 households/18 people in Nong Pong village, Kham Cot district, Bolikhamxay province who migrated to another locality (unknown residence) will be considered as illegal immigrants and returned to Vietnam.

- For 01 household, 04 people in Nam Phao village, Kham Cot district, there is a possibility that they have returned to Vietnam (unknown residence) and are currently being verified.

Strengthening measures to manage citizens in border areas

Although certain results have been achieved, the two provinces of Nghe An and Bolikhamxay have not yet completed the proposed plan because they have not yet agreed on how to resolve the case of 11 households/56 people living in Kham Cot district (Bolikhamxay province). Specifically, Bolikhamxay province has not agreed to receive these 11 households because it believes that the above households do not comply with the laws of Laos, do not cooperate with the Government Committee, cut down forests, migrate freely, illegally buy and sell drugs, and illegally exploit natural resources.

Nghe An province requested the neighboring province to facilitate the reception of these households because Bolikhamxay had no basis to prove that the households violated Lao law (criminal).

Comrade Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee expressed his hope that in the spirit of solidarity and friendship, the two provinces will continue to strengthen solutions to complete the agreed contents on schedule. Photo: KL

At the conference, the two sides agreed to request the joint expert delegation and the Foreign Ministries of the two countries to consider and resolve the case of 11 households/56 people living in Kham Cot district (Bolykhamxay province). The two sides also agreed to strengthen measures to manage citizens in the border area, step up propaganda work on the border regulations and agreements of the two countries to the people to gradually end the situation of free migration and unregistered marriage in the Vietnam - Laos border area.

Comrade Bun Ma Bu Cha Lon - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Governor, Head of the Steering Committee of the Joint Expert Team of the Bolikhamxay Provincial Government Committee (Laos) spoke at the conference. Photo: KL

Speaking at the conference, Comrade Bun Ma Bu Cha Lon - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Governor, Head of the Steering Committee of the Joint Expert Group of the Bolikhamxay Provincial Government Committee said that although the number of Nghe An people who migrated freely and got married without a certificate of marriage residing in the area is very large, Bolikhamxay province has created favorable conditions for Nghe An citizens to live stably. Bolikhamxay province also hopes that the two sides will continue to coordinate to completely resolve the situation of spontaneous migration and unregistered marriage, especially for cases that are subject to repatriation to their former countries.

Leaders of Nghe An and Bolikhamxay provinces signed a memorandum of understanding to resolve the issue of illegal migration and unregistered marriages in border areas. Photo: KL

On the side of Nghe An province, comrade Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee acknowledged and highly appreciated the coordination of the joint expert team of the two sides, and expressed his hope that in the spirit of solidarity and friendship, the two provinces will continue to strengthen solutions to complete the agreed contents according to the schedule stipulated in the agreement.

Lao women married out of wedlock residing in Keng Du and Dooc May communes are excited to go through the procedures for naturalization and marriage registration. Photo: KL

Currently, Nghe An province is urgently completing the naturalization records for Lao citizens who are married without a legal marriage and have been found eligible to stay in Nghe An, currently living in the districts of Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Que Phong... It is expected that from September 25-27, 2019, the delegation of Nghe An province will visit Bolikhamxay province to work at the invitation of the provincial leaders.