Joy in a new homeland

(Baonghean)In the final days of 2012, construction work on the resettlement area in Pu Lan village, Binh Chuan commune, Con Cuong district, was being rushed to completion of several items so that 50 households of ethnic minorities who had been living a nomadic lifestyle could move to their new homes in time for the Lunar New Year of 2013.

Binh Chuan is a mountainous commune in Con Cuong district, primarily inhabited by the Thai ethnic minority. Previously, due to the customs and traditions of the people, many generations lived together under one roof, with large families having to build makeshift huts on the fields to live in. From nearby fields to distant ones, over time, dozens of households formed, living scattered and nomadic in the high mountains bordering Quy Hop district. The lives of the people were extremely difficult; electricity and roads were unavailable, children could not attend school, and the sick could not be taken to hospitals for examination and treatment. Outdated customs persisted, affecting family economies and, in some places, even causing insecurity and social problems. Mr. Kha Van Can, head of Na Co village, said: "Without the resettlement area, the security situation here would be very difficult to manage. Since the resettlement area was established, the people here are very happy because they have a new place to live, settle down, and stabilize their lives."

Farmers in Lang Khe commune, Con Cuong district, are building inter-hamlet roads.
Photo: Phung Van Mui

Since the issuance of Decision 33 by the Prime Minister on supporting migration and resettlement, the Provincial People's Committee has also issued Decision No. 525 approving the investment project to support the construction of a new resettlement village for ethnic minorities in Pu Lan hamlet, Binh Chuan commune. The project has a total planned area of ​​64.65 hectares, including 5.05 hectares for residential development, the construction of 50 houses for 50 households, the reclamation of 58.59 hectares of agricultural land, 21.59 hectares of upland rice paddies, and nearly 40 hectares of forest and industrial crop land… Along with that are many infrastructure items such as: electricity, roads, a gravity-fed water system, domestic water supply for residents, the construction of kindergartens, primary schools, teacher housing, and a water reservoir to ensure irrigation for 12 hectares of cultivated land, with a total investment of over 17 billion VND… Although the infrastructure for the settled households is not yet complete, it has initially brought 30 households to settle stably. Mr. Kha Van Ha, a resident of Na Co village, happily shared: "Having a new place to live like this, I am very grateful to the Party and the Government for bringing joy and prosperity to every family."

With the support of the State, the People's Committee of Con Cuong district is actively directing and ensuring the completion of essential infrastructure projects in the resettlement area, such as: building houses in the traditional stilt house style of the ethnic minorities, accelerating the construction of roads, electricity, and gravity-fed water systems… to meet the conditions for receiving the remaining households.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thanh, Head of the Resettlement and Land Allocation Committee of Con Cuong District, said: “This is a major policy of the Party and the State aimed at helping poor people and ethnic minority communities stabilize their living conditions. In addition to the projects already built, we are continuing to implement the construction of several other projects in the near future.”

It is believed that this spring, all the households in Binh Chuan commune who are currently living a nomadic lifestyle will be able to settle permanently in their new village, celebrating a joyful, warm, and meaningful Tet holiday in their new homes.

Bao Ngoc (Con Cuong Radio Station)