Worried - in Hoi Moi
The once bustling village was spread out along the Huoi Moi stream with 32 Mong households, but after only 2 years of migration, Huoi Moi 2 village only has 8 sparse households left. The old houses still stand, creating a desolate, cold feeling...
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Soldiers of Border Post 519 exchange experiences in reclaiming rice fields with the Party Secretary of Huoi Moi 2 village. |
The village chief began to tell about the "long march" leading the villagers to find land to reclaim the rice fields, bringing water from the high hills and then planting the rice seedlings. The good land, the shiny rice flowers full of grain had captivated the villagers, life was stable, no longer thinking about migration. At this point, the village chief "slowed down" completely: The households of our village that went to Minh Chau now have to return to their old land because of the lack of water for production. I am also very worried that if the population of the village increases and the land for rice fields cannot be expanded anymore, it will be difficult to keep the people from migrating, and the whole village might migrate like Huoi Moi 2...!
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| Huoi Moi 2 village has only 8 sparse households left by the stream. |
From Huoi Moi 1 we crossed a hill to reach Huoi Moi 2 village. Indeed, on a wide strip of land along the stream, there were only 8 scattered apartments left. The old foundations left by the households who migrated a few years ago were left with only rotten wooden planks, making the situation even more miserable. According to the villagers, Huoi Moi 2 had 32 households a few years ago, and their lives were as warm and happy as in Huoi Moi 1, but then due to difficulties in living conditions, especially not having enough rice fields and water, the villagers had to leave the village and go to the other side of the border in Laos. The village is deserted, there is no party cell, party members have to join the Huoi Moi 1 party cell. Since May 2005, Border Guard Station 5 1 9 sent party member, Captain Tran Van Son, Head of the Huoi Moi Border Guard Station, to temporarily join the Huoi Moi 2 party cell. The cell was established, the political base was consolidated, a resolution was issued to direct the people in the village to reclaim rice fields, develop livestock, build the Party and take care of the lives of poor households. The secretary of the Huoi Moi 2 village party cell, Va Pa De, said: Luckily, Mr. Son came to join the cell and the border guards helped, so we were able to reclaim more than 2 hectares of rice fields in Ca Tun. Having rice fields and stable rice production has kept the people here. Since the beginning of the year, no household has gone to Laos.
The Huoi Moi 2 Party Cell has also recruited 3 more party members and eliminated 2 temporary houses for Xong Xo Cho and Va Giong Ly. When I asked if there were any more households in Huoi Moi 2 migrating to Laos, the Party Cell Secretary Va Pa De hesitated: If we cannot ensure food for the people, we cannot keep them here...
The confession of the head of Huoi Moi 1 village, Ly Tong Rua, and the explanation of the Party Secretary of Huoi Moi 2 and Pa De villages, kept making us wonder. In order to have a stable life, the Mong people here struggled and tried their best to reclaim wet rice fields. With wet rice fields gradually replacing their fields, the people were able to stabilize their lives and no longer think about free migration. But then, with the difficulty of transportation, rugged terrain, the reclaimed wet rice fields could not be expanded, and the State's investment and attention were still limited... then who could be sure that they could keep the Mong people with their nomadic habits?
Article and photos: Huu Nghia