How to stop the Hmong people in Ky Son from migrating freely.

(Baonghean) - For many years, some Mong people in the border district of Ky Son have sold their houses, buffaloes, cows, and other possessions to illegally migrate to Laos, affecting social order and economic development. In response to this situation, the government and relevant agencies have implemented various solutions, including propaganda and support for production and livestock farming, to limit migration and gradually stabilize the lives of the people.

Find the cause.

Traveling 30 km from Muong Xen town to the center of Huoi Tu commune, a commune considered a "hot spot" for illegal migration to Laos, we met Mr. Denh Ba Long, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune. He told us: Thanks to the attention and support of the Party and the State, the people of Huoi Tu have benefited from many preferential policies, especially those on economic development and poverty reduction. However, the commune is still classified as poor. With a population of 857 households and 4,262 people, the lives of the people are mainly based on agriculture, but the harsh climate and terrain; limited arable land and poor harvest yields make life extremely difficult for the people. The average per capita income is below 400,000 VND/month; the poverty rate is 53.19%. Starting this year, only 2 out of 13 villages in Huoi Tu have electricity installed. Approximately 70% of the population still lacks access to clean drinking water…

Taking advantage of the lack of understanding and underdeveloped living conditions, some unscrupulous individuals have incited, instigated, and lured villagers to sell all their houses and livestock to illegally migrate to Laos. Through unofficial routes, or by exploiting border markets held on the 15th and 30th of each month in Laos, near the Vietnam-Laos border crossing, people from both countries can freely cross the border for trade, easily sneaking into Laos. According to statistics from the Huồi Tụ Commune Police, from 2010 to the present, 42 households with 245 people from the commune have migrated to Laos, concentrated in three villages: Na Ni, Huồi Ức, and Huồi Mú.

Authorities are raising awareness about the illegal migration of Hmong people to Laos.

However, life in Laos is not actually what the people "dreamed" of. According to Mr. Dềnh Dua Chò, from Huồi Khả village, Huồi Tụ commune, a former migrant to Laos who returned, he said: Before 2000, influenced by the persuasion of some people who said that it was easier to make a living in Laos, with more land and higher production, I discussed with my wife selling all our assets and taking our children across the border to Laos.

But upon arriving, my family had no home, no job, and no land to cultivate; constant illnesses plagued us, leaving everyone in the family frail. After many years of wandering, in 2003, my family decided to return to our homeland. Fortunately and touchingly, thanks to the care and support of the local government and the protection and care of our fellow villagers, my family now enjoys a peaceful and comfortable life.

One of the reasons for the migration of the Hmong people is the lax household registration management in Laos, creating loopholes that allow people from other regions to freely cross the border to work and live. In addition, some individuals violate the law or misuse bank loans, leading to an inability to repay debts, causing them to flee to Laos with their entire families. Through investigation and field surveys, it has been found that the majority of those who illegally migrate to Laos are living and working in difficult and deprived conditions, without adequate support from the Laotian government. Meanwhile, the Laotian ethnic communities are also reluctant to allow Hmong people from Vietnam to illegally migrate to Laos.

Integrated solutions

Ky Son is one of the most disadvantaged districts in the country, with 20 out of 21 communes benefiting from the Government's Program 135 Phase 3 and Resolution 30a. The poverty rate is 52.79%. Nearly 97% of the district's population consists of ethnic minorities such as the Mong, Thai, and Khmu. In recent years, the illegal migration of Mong people from Ky Son to districts in Xieng Khouang and Bolikhamsai provinces of the Lao People's Democratic Republic has become a complex issue. Specifically, according to statistics from the District People's Committee, from 2007 to the end of the second quarter of 2015, 513 households with 2,406 Mong people migrated freely throughout the district.

To curb the illegal migration of the Hmong people to Laos, Ky Son district is making efforts to mobilize the entire political system; at the same time, it is promoting the role of village elders, community leaders, and influential people in disseminating information and persuading people not to migrate illegally. Every six months, Ky Son district coordinates with Noong Het, Muong Kham, Muong Quan, and Muong Moc districts of Laos to hold meetings and report on the economic, political, defense, and security development of the locality; including informing about the situation of illegal migration of Hmong people from Ky Son district to Laos; and coordinating with relevant agencies of Laos to conduct thorough inspections and repatriate Hmong citizens living illegally in Laos back to Vietnam.

In particular, the government's ethnic policies and preferential programs for ethnic minorities in especially difficult areas continue to be implemented effectively. Thousands of houses under Decision 167 have been built, gradually eliminating dilapidated thatched houses for the people. From 2009 to the present, the district has supported the purchase of nearly 4,000 breeding cows and delivered them directly to households. The entire district also has 282 economic development models. Policies supporting forest care and protection, land allocation, and forest allocation for production forest planting have been well-directed and implemented, resulting in an increase in forest cover from 45% to 50%. The labor export policy under Decision 71 has been implemented with 114 workers going to work in Malaysia…

In Huoi Tu commune, the government and mass organizations, in coordination with village elders and heads of hamlets, have intensified widespread propaganda and mobilization efforts in every hamlet and household to raise awareness among the people that illegal migration is a violation of the law and carries many high risks. At the same time, commune officials regularly participate in village meetings; directly exchanging ideas, talking to, and understanding the thoughts, aspirations, difficulties, and obstacles that the people are facing. Furthermore, through inspections and reports from the people, if any family is found to be intending to sell their buffaloes, cows, or houses to migrate to Laos, the commune authorities will immediately contact them, inform the entire community not to purchase the houses, buffaloes, or cows from that family; and continuously organize numerous meetings to educate and persuade the people to abandon their intention of embarking on a difficult and impoverished life of migration.

Gradually eliminate the idea of ​​migration.

One advantage of Huoi Tu commune is its suitable land and weather, which are ideal for growing Tuyet Shan tea. Therefore, the 8th Youth Volunteer Brigade chose this location for planting and processing tea locally. In addition, the brigade facilitates economic development for the local people by providing seedlings, technical guidance, and purchasing tea for processing. Currently, the entire commune has approximately 200 households cultivating over 370 hectares, each earning about 30 million VND per year.

Furthermore, credit loans from the Social Policy Bank for the poor have helped people develop their economy and alleviate poverty. These preferential loans have enabled 3,813 poor households to borrow capital for livestock farming and production. These households have invested in purchasing over 40,000 buffaloes and cows, creating jobs for over 40,000 local workers; enabling 900 students to study with peace of mind; allowing poor households to build 2,423 houses; and supporting farmers in repairing over 2,000 clean water and sanitation facilities…

For example, the family of Mr. Dềnh Dua Chò, in Huồi Khả village (Huồi Tụ commune), after spending time in Laos, returned to their old village in 2003. With the support of the government, Mr. Chò borrowed an additional 2.5 million VND from the District Social Bank to buy a breeding cow. Thanks to good care and proper techniques, his herd of cows has increased each year, bringing the total to 10 cows. In addition, his family also cultivates and cares for more than 2 hectares of tea to supply the Youth Volunteer Brigade 8. Each year, they earn 70-80 million VND.

Through raising awareness of the importance of hard work and striving for a better life, the family of Mr. Dềnh Dua Chò and many other households have gradually escaped poverty sustainably. Based on this reality, all levels of government and relevant agencies always hope that the people will strive to improve themselves, work diligently, stabilize their lives, and utilize the advantages of the locality; the preferential policies of the State and the support of various organizations to apply effectively in their work and lives. Only when the people completely abandon the idea of ​​migrating to another land will they be able to build a stable, prosperous, and developing life for themselves and their children.

Van Anh