Warm Spring on the Border

(Baonghean) - The peach blossoms have decorated the vast forest eagerly welcoming the Spring when we went up the forest with the officers, soldiers of the armed forces and the people of the villages and hamlets in the border areas. In this remote and isolated place, the rhythm of time seems to be one step ahead...

In preparation for this year's Lunar New Year, the Provincial People's Committee assigned leaders to visit and present gifts to some permanent units, policy families, and poor households in the districts. We were assigned to follow the delegation of Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Director of the Provincial Police Department to visit and present gifts in Tuong Duong and Ky Son districts.

National Highway 7A connecting the lowlands with the southwestern districts of the province is unusually crowded and bustling at this time. Trucks carrying goods from upstream to downstream are bustling, with rolls of dong leaves, giang trees and peach branches loaded onto the trucks going downstream.

A moment of stopping by the stream on a spring patrol. Photo: Duy Ngoan.

Arriving at Tam Thai intersection (Tuong Duong), the delegation turned towards Tam Hop to join the border guards and local people. A thick layer of fog covered the mountains and forests, and the rain fell down, making the dirt road slippery and muddy. There were sections where the wheels spun like pinwheels, and other sections where they scraped sideways, slid lengthwise, and then jumped up. There were many hardships and difficulties, but everyone thought about the moment they would reach the place everyone was waiting for.

The journey was over 20km but took nearly 2 hours, passing many steep passes, we finally arrived at Tam Hop. The clear Cha Lap stream played a rustling melody; plum and peach gardens competed to show off their colors to welcome visitors from the lowlands. The whole valley was immersed in a misty fog, the winds from the distant forest carried a warm breeze. The Thai, Mong and Tay Poong people were busy preparing for the approaching Tet holiday.

Tam Hop Border Post is located halfway up the mountain range at the beginning of Pha Lom village, and has just been completed and moved in for 4 months. The barracks are spacious and clean, peach blossoms are decorated everywhere, the pot of banh chung is cooked, it feels like Tet has come from this moment. The post commander - Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Trung Thanh is a young and enthusiastic officer, especially when it comes to talking, every story of his is fascinating.

He said that Tam Hop Border Guard Station is responsible for managing 9 km of border line and 2 landmarks and 5 markers. The lives of the people here are still difficult, the poverty rate is 55.1%, and the educational level of the people is limited. Therefore, bad guys often find ways to infiltrate to preach and organize illegal migration, enticing people to participate in the illegal transportation and trading of drugs and forest products...

Officers and soldiers of Tuong Duong District Police talk with people of Tam Hop Commune. Photo: PV

The fight and prevention work is given top priority, forcing all officers and soldiers to be vigilant, ready to fight, and smash all plots of bad guys. In addition, the work of consolidating the political system at the grassroots level, helping people eliminate hunger and reduce poverty. The work of the Station recognized by the locality is to coordinate the implementation of the breeding cow program to help the poor in the border areas; mobilize the Mong people of Huoi Son village to reclaim, restore, and expand the rice area; sponsor 3 disadvantaged students and provide primary health care for the people.

Welcoming the Dinh Dau New Year, the officers and soldiers received special attention from superiors, authorities and people at all levels, each person received a gift of 3 million VND to prepare for Tet. The Command Board of the Station also always paid attention to performing well the military rear work, so the soldiers were always ready to receive assigned tasks. During the Tet holiday, the unit proactively developed plans, organized a standing force ready for combat, coordinated with functional forces to protect sovereignty and border security, guarded the border for the homeland and country to enjoy Tet and welcome Spring.

Saying goodbye to the officers and soldiers of Tam Hop Border Post, the working group continued to Muong Xen (Ky Son) - where the peach market is the most bustling. Mong people from Muong Long, Huoi Tu, Nam Can and Tay Son crowded to carry peach branches to sell, then the peaches were loaded onto cars to go downstream... From Muong Xen, following the Nam Mo River, through Ta Ca commune, we entered Muong Tip. Compared to the road to Tam Hop, entering Muong Tip is about ten kilometers further but the road is more convenient. The villages along the route such as Canh, Nhan Cu, Nhan Ly, the Thai and Kho Mu people are also busy preparing for Tet. The forests are full of trees budding and blooming...

Along the Nam Tip River, the Border Guard Station is located among green bushes surrounded by a lush vegetable garden, creating a very peaceful landscape. Meeting the members of the working delegation, Lieutenant Colonel Pham Xuan Dai (Station Chief) and the officers and soldiers were all happy and somewhat moved, because at the end of the year, despite being busy with many tasks, the provincial leaders still planned to visit their comrades on duty in the remote border areas.

In the situation report, Station Chief Pham Xuan Dai emphasized the management area. Currently, the Station is assigned to manage and protect 54km of border, including land (27km) and river (27km) in the area of ​​2 communes Muong Tip and Muong Ai with a total of 19 villages. The political security situation, social order and safety are basically stable, but some criminal activities and violations of border regulations still arise. These are the buying, selling and using of drugs and homemade weapons; the illegal migration to Laos, some bad guys coming to find ways to illegally proselytize, the phenomenon of human trafficking still occurs...

My Ly Border Guard Station helps people clear a road to the village. Photo: Hai Thuong

In 2016, Muong Tip Border Guard Station coordinated with other functional forces to successfully deploy a human trafficking project, arresting 1 subject and rescuing 2 victims. At the same time, 3 cases/4 drug criminals were arrested and many law violations were detected and handled, preventing the intentions of bad guys. Currently, the unit is deploying for officers and soldiers to enjoy Spring and celebrate Tet and build and implement plans and solutions to ensure security and order during Tet. The main goal is to coordinate with local forces to do a good job of prevention, promptly handle situations so that the border region can welcome a peaceful Tet.

On this occasion, the provincial delegation also visited and presented gifts to the Police and Military Command of Tuong Duong and Ky Son districts. Armed forces soldiers in the border area have planned and deployed measures to protect security and order, fight against all kinds of crimes and those who take advantage of the situation to cause damage during the Tet holiday.

…Remembering the moment of parting, Colonel Nguyen Huu Cau could not hide his emotions: “The leaders and people of the whole province always remember the contributions of comrades. While everyone is happy and reunited with their families, you comrades are here doing your duty. You can be called the people who bring warmth to the Spring”.

Cong Kien