Nghe An has more than 3,500 people who migrated freely and got married without a certificate in Bolikhamxay (Laos).

Comrades Le Ngoc Hoa - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of Nghe An Provincial People's Committee and Bun Ma Bu Cha Lon - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Governor of Bolikhamxay Province (Laos) co-chaired the conference.

Attending from Nghe An province were representatives of leaders of relevant departments and branches, joint expert team of Nghe An province, leaders of People's Committees of land border districts including Que Phong, Tuong Duong, Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Con Cuong, Anh Son, Thanh Chuong.

On the Lao side, there were representatives of the leadership of the Bolikhamxay Provincial Government Committee and the Bolikhamxay Provincial Joint Expert Team.

Overview of the conference. Photo: Khanh Ly

Implementing the “Agreement between the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic on resolving the issue of spontaneous migration and unregistered marriages in the border areas of the two countries, the People's Committee of Nghe An province and the Bolikhamxay Government Committee have directed two joint expert teams to closely coordinate with each other to conduct bilateral investigations, classifications and lists of spontaneous migration and unregistered marriages between Nghe An province (Vietnam) and Bolikhamxay (Laos).

Comrade Le Ngoc Hoa - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee hopes: In the conditions of the relatively long border between the two provinces and the two countries, the terrain is complex, and travel is difficult, in the spirit of cooperation and friendship, the two sides will have many solutions to strengthen coordination to effectively solve the problem of spontaneous migration and unregistered marriages in the border area. Photo: Khanh Ly

During 2 years (2017-2018), two joint expert teams conducted 6 bilateral rounds of investigation, classification and listing of spontaneous migrants and unregistered marriages in the Vietnam-Laos border area. Of which, bilateral investigations were conducted in 8 villages of Kham Cot district, 16 villages of Vien Thoong district, Bolikhamxay province (Laos) and 1 round in Con Cuong and Ky Son districts (Nghe An).

The two sides have investigated, classified and made a list of 609 households/3,577 people from Nghe An province who migrated freely and got married without a certificate in 27 villages in 2 districts of Kham Cot and Vieng Thoong (in the border area of ​​Bolikhamxay province (Laos). Of which, 557/3,216 people are eligible to continue living in Bolikhamxay according to the provisions of the Agreement between the two provinces and the two countries. To date, the Government of the Lao PDR has issued a decision to recognize Lao nationality for 149 households/894 people from Nghe An who migrated to Laos; 3 households/17 people from Nghe An province who migrated to Bolikhamxay province are not eligible to continue living in the host country according to the provisions of the Agreement because they did not strictly comply with Lao law.

For 02 people from Bolikhamxay province who got married without a legal marriage in the border area of ​​Con Cuong district and Ky Son district (Nghe An), they were determined to be eligible to continue living in the host country according to the provisions of the Agreement.

At the conference, in the spirit of special friendship, comprehensive cooperation and mutual trust, the two sides discussed and exchanged on solving the problem of illegal migration and unregistered marriages in the Laos - Vietnam border area. A number of orientations for the coming time were agreed upon, such as:

Recognize the number of spontaneous migrants and unregistered marriages from Nghe An who are eligible to continue living in Bolikhamxay province, Laos, including: 408 households/2,322 people; the number of spontaneous migrants and unregistered marriages who are not eligible to continue living in Laos, including: 3 households/17 people currently living in Kham Cot district, Bolikhamxay province, Laos.

Nghe An province requests Bolikhamxay province to soon have the results of the investigation and verification of the number of people who have illegally migrated and married without a certificate of marriage that the joint expert team of the two provinces has not yet agreed on, including: 49 households/345 people in Kham Cot and Vieng Thoong districts. If the investigation does not have enough evidence to prove that these households have violated the laws of the host country, they will still be allowed to stay and live in Laos. If there is evidence of violating the laws of the Lao PDR, the above households will be returned to their country by the Lao Government according to the agreement of the two Governments.

Comrade Bun Ma Bu Cha Lon - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Governor of Bolikhamxay Province (Laos) suggested that both sides strengthen the dissemination of laws, strengthen bilateral patrols and controls to prevent illegal migration and unregistered marriages on both sides of the border between the two countries. Photo: Khanh Ly

The two sides agreed to continue investigating, classifying and listing spontaneous migrants and unregistered marriages in the Vietnam-Laos border area in Bolikhamxay province (Laos); the number of newly-arrived people (not yet surveyed) in Kham Cot and Vieng Thoong districts in January 2019 and to complete the investigation, classification and listing of spontaneous migrants and unregistered marriages in the border area in Bolikhamxay province (Laos) in March 2019.

Nghe An province will complete the dossier to recognize 02 citizens of Bolikhamxay province who entered into an unregistered marriage in the border area in Con Cuong district and Ky Son district of Nghe An province according to the minutes signed by the two joint expert teams.

Representatives of the leaders of Nghe An and Bolikhamxay provinces (Laos) signed a memorandum of understanding on resolving the issue of illegal migration and unregistered marriages in border areas. Photo: Khanh Ly

At the conference, the two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen management and strict control measures to end the situation of spontaneous migration and unregistered marriages in the Vietnam-Laos border area in Nghe An and Bolikhamxay provinces. At the same time, they agreed to organize a conference to review and unify the list of spontaneous migrants and unregistered marriages in the Vietnam-Laos border area in Nghe An and Bolikhamxay provinces and sign a bilateral memorandum in April 2019 in Bolikhamxay province.