The roads that lead to the people.

(Baonghean) - Uncle Ho once used the image of a clock to illustrate the role and responsibilities of each individual within a collective. According to him, in a clock, every part has its own function, and if everyone competes for space, it ceases to be a clock. If each person performs their position and responsibilities well, then the collective will be strong. This story has given us more confidence in our task of acting as a bridge between the people and the provincial Party newspaper.

The roads that lead to the people.

At the Public Reception Room of Nghe An Newspaper, you'll find people with diverse backgrounds and personalities. Some speak before you even see them, and start speaking rapidly before you even sit down; others come to the editorial office every week to add new information, just to ask about the progress of their case... Sometimes, overwhelmed with frustration and indignation, people are too distraught to express their issues clearly, and some don't even know where to begin. At such times, we need to listen attentively, skillfully guide the conversation, and even offer encouragement and comfort to understand the issues they want to raise. After each public reception, we realize that listening is important, but it's also crucial to guide people towards the core issues to fully understand their concerns and find solutions.

The stories in the Citizen Reception Room are diverse and varied. Some begin with a car running over a duck and lead to a major crime, or the loss of a pig with two swirls on its back resulting in a human life being lost, or even simple matters that drag on for years just by explaining them to the people. We also encounter many cases of prolonged and escalated complaints. At that time, without discussing right or wrong, we explained to the people whether the Law on Complaints and Denunciations had been implemented correctly and in good faith; along with the guidance of the Editorial Board and investigative reporters writing articles, the agitation and excessive behavior of the people ceased.

There are situations where we analyze them to help people understand, to reflect on whether they have acted with a collective spirit, and whether they have been selfish or individualistic in the situation. For example, in cases of complaints about compensation for land expropriation for road construction, we temporarily set aside the complaints and tell them about examples of people donating land for roads, analyzing the situation to help them understand, so that they can "examine" themselves, considering whether they should haggle over every penny of compensation, when road construction is for themselves, their children, and for the community, making the road cleaner, more beautiful, and more convenient? Reporters have also written very objective articles that delve deep into the issues to analyze and resolve them definitively, even when the people are not entirely in the right.

For example, consider the story of a citizen in Hung Nguyen Town, who is disabled and was lent a plot of land by the commune to set up a stall for many years. When the commune reclaimed the land, he filed a lawsuit. Another case in Thanh Chuong, which we call "gathering firewood for three years only to burn it in an hour," involved a man who performed a noble act, earning the respect of the people in the commune and district, by exchanging his family's land for the commune to build a cultural center. Before the agreement was even finalized, he sued the village and the commune for not allocating land to his family according to the agreement. For many years, he continuously made demanding requests regarding land surveying. This situation reflects the incompetence of land surveying officials and the leniency of the local government.

The issue was only resolved when Nghe An Newspaper published an article with a humane perspective and persuasive analysis to help people understand. In the last days of 2013, we received quite a few letters (equal to one-third of the total for the year) from readers who identified themselves as followers of the Hoang Thien Long cult. Not only did they send letters, but they also gathered in groups from Hanoi, Son La, Nam Dinh, and Nghe An to the Nghe An Newspaper to complain about the article "The Journey to Find the Truth About the Hoang Thien Long Cult." They argued that the newspaper had hindered people's freedom of religion and spiritual healing. The Public Relations Department and representatives of the Editorial Board acknowledged the readers' feedback, while also recognizing their goodwill and maintaining the Nghe An Newspaper's stance and guiding the people to act in accordance with the regulations of the State and Vietnamese law…

A reporter from Nghe An Newspaper went on a field trip to learn about the lives of the people in the area around the Ban Ve Hydropower Reservoir. Photo: Huu Nghia.

This is the story of Mrs. Luong Thi Loi, a Thai ethnic woman from Tung Huong village, Tam Quang commune, Tuong Duong district, who has reached the age of 106 but is still waiting for her son in vain, a story that deeply troubles us. Upon receiving the petition and hearing the family convey the mother's last wish, the Editorial Board sent reporters to investigate and work with relevant departments, as well as sending official documents to verify the matter and publish an article in the newspaper. Following these efforts, all departments were very enthusiastic. The Provincial Military Command, the Tuong Duong District Military Command, and Tam Quang commune formed a team to verify the matter, went to the unit and address where the soldiers served, and met with witnesses. However, due to the long time elapsed and the fact that the matter involved addresses outside the province and even outside Military Region 4; the names, birth years, and place names did not match, and the original documents were no longer available...

Finally, Tam Quang commune, the Military Command of Tuong Duong district, and the Provincial Military Command have made efforts to reach a conclusion: Lo Thanh Vinh and Lo Van Ba ​​both served in the Vietnam People's Army. The Provincial Military Command confirmed that Ms. Luong Thi Loi has two sons, Lo Thanh Vinh and Lo Van Ba, and that the family has not received any information about them and has not received any benefits or policies from the Party and State. However, the Provincial Military Command still needs to wait for verification documents from Military Region 9 and specific guidance documents from the Ministry of National Defense regarding the implementation of Decree No. 31/2013 before proceeding.

Over the past year, based on the events and issues reported by Nghe An Newspaper and the official correspondence sent to various departments and agencies, 250 departments and localities have responded with official letters addressing the issues raised by the newspaper. This demonstrates the impact of the information provided by citizens and the issues reflected in Nghe An Newspaper. Since August 2013, in coordination with the Provincial People's Committee Office, Nghe An Newspaper has published at least one official letter from the Provincial People's Committee directing the handling and response to citizens' petitions each week. The publication of these official letters from the Provincial People's Committee aims to promote transparency and democracy, bringing information to the public under the scrutiny of citizens and the press, restoring fairness, and building trust among the people.

For example, the inadequacy of rural power grid infrastructure was raised and solutions were found at the provincial People's Council meeting at the end of the year; those who received incorrect payments in Thanh Chi and Thanh Chuong districts received appropriate disciplinary action; the Nha Din Market (Hung Dung ward, Vinh City) and land compensation in Nghi Phu commune (Vinh City) were reviewed and resolved promptly according to the legitimate wishes of the people... From these results, we feel that the gap has been narrowed, fulfilling the role of a bridge between the Party, the State, and the people. Specifically, the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, the Department of Justice, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Social Insurance agency, the Tax Department, etc., have become closer to the people, and even the authorities at all levels have become closer to the people.

After each day of receiving citizens, after each article, after meetings to share good news, or enthusiastic phone calls announcing that the matter has been satisfactorily resolved, we feel relieved and love our work even more. However, we cannot avoid worries, anxieties, and even pressure regarding the wishes and desires of the people, especially policy beneficiary families who have not yet been allocated land to build houses, and the anguish over letters like the one from Loi's mother mentioned above...

The "hotline" soothes public sentiment.

Over the past two years, since the launch of the "Hotline Information" section, the Nghe An Newspaper's editorial office has received nearly 800 calls from readers via the hotline numbers (0383 843124; 0913.843124). The information provided by readers, though brief, represents a great trust and expectation of the people towards the provincial Party newspaper, and serves as encouragement for those working at Nghe An Newspaper. Even more significantly, many of the people's suggestions, after being published, have been addressed by relevant agencies and authorities at all levels, resulting in positive responses.

Staff at the Reader Services Department are receiving citizens.

In 2013, with over 400 phone calls from readers to the editorial office, each piece of information reflected the concerns and thoughts of the people, providing a timely and up-to-date source of information on many fields that readers trusted to provide to the Party newspaper. It can be said that the issues of concern to readers, most notably those directly related to people's lives, such as land violations, difficulties in policies for war veterans, and environmental pollution... Although phone calls incur charges, it is truly commendable that many people called for tens of minutes, multiple times, to express their concerns and provide documents and evidence. Based on this information, many "hot spots" were investigated and clarified by the Editorial Board of Nghe An Newspaper, leading to the truth and restoring justice to society. From brief pieces of information, many major issues have been brought to light, contributing to pushing back against negativity, corruption, injustice, lack of democracy, and illegal activities that still occur in some places, which journalists have investigated.

For example: using the name of the "Vietnamese people prioritize using Vietnamese goods" campaign to sell substandard Van Xuan soy milk powder; aiding and abetting illegal timber trading in Dien My (Dien Chau), illegal gold mining in Tuong Duong and Que Phong, and the issue of handling pollution from pesticide storage facilities in Tan Long (Tan Ky)... Through these actions, the newspaper builds trust among the people. People consider it a reliable source of information and a source of moral support whenever they need it.When they encounter injustice, it's a place where they can express their concerns and frustrations about having to endure, witness, or see wrongdoing. They trust the party's journalists, and therefore, the hotline often serves as a source of faith and support in their lives.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Hoan, from Truong Phuc block, Hung Phuc ward, Vinh City, believes that this is truly an effective information channel, promptly reflecting the thoughts and aspirations of the people. For example, in July 2013, after we reported via the Nghe An Newspaper hotline that residents of Group 5, Truong Phuc block, disagreed with the construction of the water supply system in the residential area by Branch No. 4 of the Nghe An Water Supply Company, which did not adhere to the original design, the newspaper immediately published the news and sent reporters to investigate and write an article. After the article was published, the issue was quickly resolved, and the residents were very pleased because Branch No. 4 of the Nghe An Water Supply Company had completed the construction according to the original design, ensuring a reliable water supply for their daily needs.

And so, with each passing day, the Hotline Information section has enriched itself with valuable information entrusted by the people. The trust, positive feedback, and timely responses from the people are the reasons why the hotline remains "hot," operates effectively, and contributes to reassuring the public throughout the past 365 days.

Thao Nhi - Dang Cuong