Promoting the role of influential individuals in the ethnic affairs strategy.
PhD.Hoang Xuan Luong -Deputy Minister, Vice Chairman of the Government Committee for Ethnic Minorities, member of the Northwest Steering Committee
The ethnic minority and mountainous regions of Vietnam occupy three-quarters of the country's land area and hold a particularly important strategic position in terms of politics, economics, national defense, security, and the sustainable protection of the country's ecological environment. These are the living areas of ethnic minorities, who live in close-knit communities and strong ethnic and clan ties. Therefore, the role of village elders, community leaders, and clan leaders is of immense significance. The Party and State of Vietnam have always considered promoting the role of influential figures among ethnic minorities as a crucial task in their ethnic policy.
In recent years, in ethnic minority and mountainous regions, influential figures among ethnic minorities have played a pivotal role in campaigns against illegal migration; drug prevention; preventing illegal proselytization; mobilizing people to donate land for public works; mediating conflicts arising within the community; and resolving many cases where court rulings were not enforced but had to be resolved through community mediation. Particularly in the face of hostile forces' attempts to sow discord among ethnic groups and religions, these influential figures have persistently persuaded the masses to recognize their malicious schemes and tactics, strengthening their trust in the Party and the State, and making a significant contribution to maintaining political stability, security, and social order. These influential figures are pioneers and shining examples in economic development, poverty alleviation, and active role models in motivating their descendants and mobilizing their villages to participate in infrastructure development, following the principle of "the State and the people working together."
Comrade Hoang Xuan Luong visits the people of Tay Son commune, Ky Son district.
Photo: Thu Huong
Reputable individuals among ethnic minorities are a crucial core force and an important bridge between Party committees, the government, and the people; they boldly offer suggestions and criticisms to officials and Party members in implementing grassroots democracy regulations and coordinate with Party committees, the government, the Fatherland Front, and other organizations to effectively carry out propaganda and mobilization work among the local population to implement village regulations and customs, and to monitor the policies of the Party and the State.
Furthermore, reputable individuals also effectively facilitate two-way communication between Party committees, government agencies, the Fatherland Front, and other organizations to understand the situation among the people in residential areas. They effectively implement the principle of "the people know, the people discuss, the people do, the people inspect," with high spirit, responsibility, and enthusiasm in disseminating information and mobilizing the people to effectively implement the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws; participating in economic, cultural, and social development, and maintaining national defense and security in the locality, achieving many practical results in the mountainous areas of the province.
In implementing Decision 18/2011/QD-TTg dated March 18, 2011, of the Prime Minister "On policies for influential individuals among ethnic minorities," over the past two years, the steering committees of the Northwest, Central Highlands, and Southwest regions, ministries, branches, the Fatherland Front, mass organizations, Party committees, local governments, and people nationwide have responded enthusiastically, carrying out many activities to honor, commend, and reward influential individuals, creating widespread social activities with a nationwide impact.
From the beginning of 2013 to the present, the Northwest Steering Committee has organized three conferences to commend influential figures in the Northwest region. The first was held in Dien Bien City, followed by Cao Bang, and this time in Vinh City (Nghe An). Implementing the Prime Minister's Directive, the entire Northwest region has so far selected 22,695 influential figures. The conference to commend exemplary influential figures among ethnic minorities in five provinces: Yen Bai, Phu Tho, Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa, and Nghe An, included 500 delegates. Its purpose was to honor and commend influential figures over the past period, and to serve as a forum for exchanging experiences in the movement to build strong and comprehensive villages, hamlets, communes, and wards, as well as to promote and replicate advanced models in various fields across the five provinces.
This is an opportunity for influential individuals to continue upholding their pivotal role, mobilizing their families, relatives, and the people in their villages and hamlets to comply with the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws; setting a leading example in poverty alleviation and rural development; participating in economic development, applying science and technology to production, and replicating highly effective production models, contributing to improving the quality of life. At the same time, they should play a role in the movement to protect national security, build the government, the Fatherland Front, and other organizations; and actively promote and preserve their national culture.
Over the years, the ethnic minority communities in the provinces of Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Yen Bai, Phu Tho, and Hoa Binh have always been united, placing absolute trust in the leadership of the Party, striving to improve themselves, applying science and technology to production, and contributing to the flourishing of their homeland. Actively leading local movements and guiding their fellow villagers to follow suit, many influential individuals have become shining examples.
In Thanh Hoa province, Mr. Lau Thanh Mai Dan, a Mong ethnic minority from Pu Toong village, Pu Nhi commune, Muong Lat district, actively mobilized the people, especially the Mong people, to stabilize their lives and production; Mr. Pham Ba Son, a Thai ethnic minority from Kham village, Hoi Xuan commune, Quan Hoa district, actively mobilized the people to participate in contributing to the successful implementation of the new rural development policy in the locality; Mr. Nguyen Van Dinh, a Muong ethnic minority from Dong Phu village, Thanh Tan commune, Thach Thanh district, received 20 hectares of barren land, hills, and regenerated forest to build a farm, develop livestock farming, plant forestry trees and fruit trees, dam streams to create fish ponds, earning tens of millions of dong or more each year...
The provinces of Phu Tho and Hoa Binh have many exemplary individuals who excel in economic activities, donating land for roads and power lines; helping each other develop the economy, eradicate hunger and reduce poverty;... creating widespread positive impact. The shining example of Mr. Tran Van Du, a Cao Lan ethnic minority member from Tay Coc commune, Doan Hung district, Phu Tho province, who voluntarily donated land and mobilized people to donate over 4,000 square meters of land for the construction of transportation infrastructure, has created a strong movement that many localities in the province have responded to. Nghe An province has 1,241 influential figures among ethnic minority communities.
Over the years, influential figures among ethnic minorities in Nghe An have effectively played their role and, using their prestige, have regularly and effectively propagated and mobilized the implementation of building a cultural life in residential areas; contributing to fostering unity among the people, combating all negative social manifestations, and actively participating in the movement for economic development, poverty alleviation, and the protection of security and order at the grassroots level.
The Ethnic Affairs Strategy until 2020 identified the following: "Effectively implement policies to encourage and motivate village elders, community leaders, and influential individuals to participate in the inspection and supervision of the implementation of policies, programs, and projects in ethnic minority areas according to the motto: the people know, the people discuss, the people do, the people inspect; mobilize the people in ethnic minority areas to comply with the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws, and prevent hostile forces from plotting to divide national unity."
To encourage and promote the role of influential figures among ethnic minorities, on March 18, 2011, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 18/2011/QD-TTg, implementing policies for influential figures, ranging from training, visits, experience exchange, provision of newspapers and other media, to material and spiritual support during holidays and festivals, visits during illness, vacations, assistance in times of difficulty, and entitlement to benefits similar to those of war invalids and martyrs when participating in social activities and contributing to maintaining security and social order.
Currently, the Prime Minister is assigning the Committee for Ethnic Minorities Affairs to chair and coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to prepare for the conference summarizing the 5-year implementation of Directive No. 06/2008/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on promoting the role of influential individuals; and to amend and supplement Decision No. 18 to suit the development of the movement, in order to further enhance the role of influential individuals in the cause of national construction and defense.
HXL
