Red seeds of the village

(Baonghean) -Vietnam stretches from the North Pole - Lung Cu (Ha Giang) to the South Pole - Ca Mau Cape (Ca Mau) and is home to 54 ethnic groups. The bond of unity born from the hundred eggs of Mother Au Co has fostered the spirit of solidarity, joining hands to build and protect the Fatherland throughout the long history. Today, in the Ho Chi Minh era, that tradition is further promoted from the solid foundations of village elders and prestigious people in each community.

On the morning of October 19, a white curtain of rain poured down on the Red City. At the end of the week, the normally noisy and bustling city space gave way to a peaceful, slow atmosphere. Early in the morning, at the hall of the People's Committee of Nghe An province - one of 52 connecting points nationwide participating in the online conference summarizing 5 years of implementing Directive 06/2008 of the Prime Minister "on promoting the role of prestigious people among ethnic minorities in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland" - 6 delegates representing outstanding prestigious people gathered in full. Despite the long distance, the faces of the village elders were still radiant and joyful. At other online television connecting points nationwide, prestigious ethnic minority delegates representing the Mong, Khmer... ethnic groups were also present in full.

At Nghe An bridge, comrade Le Xuan Dai - Member of the Provincial Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee - who has a lot of ties with the districts and ethnic minorities in Western Nghe An was present very early. The simple and friendly demeanor of the provincial leaders quickly made the atmosphere warm and friendly. Comrade Le Xuan Dai kindly met with each prestigious village elder attending the conference. At exactly 8:00 a.m., at the Hanoi bridge, comrade Nguyen Xuan Phuc - Politburo member, Deputy Prime Minister declared the conference open. Immediately after the opening speech, the summary report summarizing 5 years of implementing Directive 06/2008 by comrade Giang Seo Phu - Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister, Chairman of the Ethnic Minorities Committee summarized the encouraging results. Accordingly, a network of nearly 30,000 prestigious people (NCUT) among ethnic minorities has been built nationwide. With their age, experience and prestige, the 30,000 NCUTs have become a solid support in their ethnic communities, and at the same time, actively participated in the movement to mobilize the entire population to protect national security and order, maintain sovereignty and security in mountainous ethnic minority areas and border areas. In the fields of economic development, hunger eradication, poverty reduction, and new rural construction, the NCUTs themselves and their families have made many remarkable contributions such as donating land, working days, and developing household economy...

A typical example is village elder Va Phai Tenh, a Mong ethnic in Muong Long commune, Ky Son district. Elder Tenh, born in 1949, held many positions in Muong Long commune until his retirement in 2005. While working as the commune's Party Secretary, Elder Tenh did not hesitate to donate 1 hectare of land to build Primary School 1 in Muong Long commune. After retirement, he still diligently planted 2 hectares and protected 15 hectares of forest, always being a model leader in the policies of the Party and the State. Not only Elder Tenh, many other village elders and NCUTs in the whole province are also enthusiastic every day, every hour for the common work of the community. Such as Elder Vi Xuan Quyet (70 years old) in Huoi Dua village (Thong Thu commune, Que Phong district). Elder Quyet's family was the first family in the village to voluntarily relocate to the resettlement area of ​​Hua Na Hydropower Plant. He also actively encouraged people to follow the Party and State's policies to work and produce with peace of mind and quickly stabilize their lives in the new place.

Along with the contributions of the NCUTs in the life of the Vietnamese ethnic communities is the thorough support and participation of the province. Implementing Directive 06/2008 of the Prime Minister, under the leadership of the Provincial Party Committee, the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, all levels, sectors and mountainous localities have proactively developed coordination programs through many forms, aiming to encourage and promote the role of village elders, village chiefs, and prestigious people in propagating, mobilizing, and educating ethnic minorities to comply with the Party's guidelines and policies; and the State's policies and laws. NCUTs have promoted their core role in the common cause. Reviewing the achievements of the province and listening to the presentations shared by village elders in Lao Cai, Soc Trang, Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee... to once again affirm the position and role of NCUTs in the community and the common cause of the country. Attending the conference also gave the village elders an opportunity to learn from the experiences of their elders across the country. “In many localities, the village elders have valuable experience in mobilizing the masses. I learned a lot,” said Elder Tenh.

The conclusion of Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc showed the Party and State's concern for the "big trees" in the midst of the great forest in the country's development process: "Party committees and authorities at all levels need to strengthen leadership and direction, raise awareness of the position and role of prestigious people to promote the role of prestigious people among ethnic minorities; replicate typical examples; promptly reward prestigious people; continue to effectively carry out advocacy work and implement policies for prestigious people among ethnic minorities".

Looking back over the past 5 years, we can see that in the process of national development, village elders have played a very important role in the process of building great national unity. They are the solid foundations, the “red seeds” of the border villages. With their abilities and experience, they have harmoniously handled village affairs, national affairs, customary laws and regulations, clan and ethnic affairs; they have made the people listen, made the people believe, obey and follow.

Article and photos: Thanh Duy