Tet reunion in the detention center.

A cozy meal

Every year, around the 24th or 25th of the twelfth lunar month, the Nghe An Provincial Police Detention Center organizes an early New Year's Eve dinner for inmates serving sentences there. The kitchen area of ​​the Nghe An Provincial Police Detention Center is busier than usual during these days.

The inmates were all excited to participate in cooking and cutting the cake to prepare for the New Year's Eve dinner. In the assembly hall, cherry blossom branches were decorated and twinkling lights were installed to create a warm and cozy atmosphere.

The inmates decorate peach blossom trees in preparation for Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year). Photo: Pham Bang

These are the efforts of the prison wardens, officers, and soldiers of the unit to provide for the inmates, in addition to the prescribed Tet holiday meals. This year, 122 inmates participated in a special meal with a food ration five times larger than usual.

The New Year's Eve meal in the detention center still had all the flavors of Tet, with banh chung (traditional rice cake), jellied meat, fish, green vegetables, pickled onions... All were prepared by the inmates themselves using various food ingredients available in the center, the result of their labor and rehabilitation during their time serving their sentences here.

With everything settled, 122 inmates, lined up neatly, entered the dining hall to the sound of spring songs. They happily ate their meal and chatted in a warm, friendly atmosphere, helping to alleviate their homesickness and longing for loved ones.

At this moment, perhaps, they are all thinking about their families, their wives and children, their elderly parents, about the mistakes, the sorrows, the gains and losses they have caused themselves, their families, and society. The early New Year's Eve dinner suddenly became tearful…

The inmates gathered around the New Year's Eve dinner table, like a family, chatting happily to ease their longing for loved ones as the traditional Tet holiday approached. Photo: Pham Bang

Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Trong Dung, the warden of the Nghe An Provincial Police Detention Center, said that these inmates are here to serve the sentences the law has given them for their crimes, but they are also human beings, with normal feelings, and they miss home and loved ones, especially during the Lunar New Year.

"The meal is a gesture of kindness from the prison officers, and also serves to encourage inmates to continue striving in their rehabilitation and labor so that they can receive sentence reductions and return to their families and society sooner," said Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Trong Dung.

Better motivation for improvement

Lieutenant Colonel Dinh Trong Dung - Superintendent of the Provincial Police Detention Center - went to each table, inquired about the health of each inmate, and wished them a warm and joyful meal. Photo: Pham Bang

From the 28th day of the Lunar New Year, the inmates were given time off from labor. The inmates divided the tasks among themselves: some swept and cleaned, others decorated peach blossom branches; some cared for and watered the budding flowers, and others wrapped banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes)...

While watering the plants, inmate Nguyen Van T. (from Quy Hop district), who is serving a sentence for "Gambling," said that this is the first time he has celebrated Tet (Lunar New Year) in the Nghe An Provincial Police Detention Center. The man, whose hair is already graying, shed tears as he ate his first New Year's Eve meal away from his family.

"While others are reuniting with their families during Tet (Lunar New Year), I have to serve my sentence. It's heartbreaking, but being able to have a New Year's Eve meal and receiving care and encouragement from the prison wardens and correctional officers helps to ease my homesickness," inmate T. confided.

To make the atmosphere in the prison camp more pleasant, the inmates planted many flowers. Photo: Pham Bang

While busy wrapping banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), inmate Le Tuan G. (born in 1969, from Yen Thanh district, Nghe An province) said this is the second year he has celebrated Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) in the detention center. Mr. G. is serving a 36-month prison sentence for "Violating regulations on controlling road traffic vehicles."

“During Tet, I miss my wife and children so much. This Tet, without a husband and father, I don't know if she'll be able to buy the children new clothes, or if the three of us will have enough to celebrate. Now, all I know is to try my best to reform and never re-offend so that I can return to my wife and children soon,” G. said.

According to prison guards, during the Lunar New Year holidays, everyone wants to be with their families. In these circumstances, inmates also need attention and encouragement because they also have very human feelings. Therefore, officers must provide more encouragement and care to help them feel more secure and at ease in their work and rehabilitation.

The detention center also organized activities for inmates to make banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) to reminisce about fond memories as if they were with their families. Photo: Pham Bang

To promptly encourage and alleviate the psychological burden on the inmates, the detention center also prepared over 200 kg of sweets and candies. On New Year's Eve, the members of the Supervisory Board, guards, and managers of the sub-camps and blocks were assigned to go to each cell to give out sticky rice cakes, candies, and New Year's greetings. During the Tet holiday, the detention center will organize cultural and sports activities to help inmates ease their homesickness.

The Lunar New Year atmosphere is approaching in every prison cell. The inmates look forward to Tet because, with each passing Tet, their sentences are shortened, meaning the day they return to their families and loved ones is drawing closer.