The sound of the Mong flute on the mountainside

I woke up suddenly, as if the fatigue after a long journey had melted away and disappeared. Opening the window to let the mountain mist in, I suddenly heard the sound of a Mong flute coming from somewhere. The sound of the flute became more and more melodious, entwining, urging me to find...

That night, the whole Ca Noi village, Na Ngoi commune held a festival to celebrate Lau Nhia Ma quitting opium. By the flickering fire on the Phu Xai Lai Leng mountainside, the wine was intoxicating, the faces of the Mong boys and girls were red, their footsteps were harmonizing with the sound of the flute. Inviting me to take a long drink of wine, Lau Nhia Ma confided: I have been addicted to opium for more than ten years. Thanks to the soldiers of Regiment 4, the soldiers of Border Post 545, the cadres of the youth village, the commune cadres, and the teachers of Na Ngoi primary and secondary schools who came to encourage and help me, I was able to quit opium. This Tet, I will build a new house. The villagers are happy, the villagers hold a festival to celebrate for me.

Tet market in Buoc Mu 1 village (Na Ngoi commune - Ky Son)

Captain Nguyen Si Toan, who works in the Political Department of the 4th Economic-Defense Group, accompanied me and added: The steering committee of "Dinh's Army" that Chairman Lau Va Chong mentioned is the Steering Committee for Base Construction headed by Colonel Vi Van Dinh, Head of the 4th Economic-Defense Group. The steering committee was established with the aim of closely coordinating the forces stationed in the area with the local Party Committee and authorities to join hands and hearts to build the Ky Son Economic-Defense Zone.

Since the day the steering committee deployed the teams to operate, the entire Phu Xai Lai Leng border area has been given more strength to change. Soldiers, teachers, young people starting businesses, and commune cadres have stayed in the village day and night. The right words and right actions of the brothers and sisters have made the villagers believe. The Mong girls, who were originally reserved and shy, have practiced military training, and have slung guns on their shoulders along with the soldiers of Regiment 4 and Border Post 545 to patrol the border.

The ears of Mong women have heard the right and good things, so their mouths dare to advise their husbands and children not to replant opium poppies, to quit smoking, to quit free migration... It is this companionship that has created miracles, up to now Mong people in Ky Son Economic - Defense Zone absolutely do not replant opium poppies. The number of people who quit smoking opium is increasing.

This Tet, everyone in the Phu Xai Lai Leng border area knows the story of Ms. Xong Y Chia in Tham Hin village (Nam Can commune). Early last spring, listening to the invitation, Ms. Chia's husband, Va Tho Tua, insisted on migrating. The Tham Hin village base construction team, led by Production Team 3 (Economic - Defense Group 4), understood this and encouraged Ms. Xong Y Chia to convince her husband and children to stay. Ms. Xong Y Chia's good and correct words were like "slow and steady rain", her husband and children not only completely gave up the idea of ​​migrating but also actively encouraged some families in the village not to migrate freely but to work hard to eliminate poverty.

Colonel Vi Van Dinh, Head of Economic - Defense Group 4, Head of the Steering Committee for Base Construction, confided: "Each member of the committee and in the groups considers the construction of the base in this Phu Xai Lai Leng borderland as their family's work, so they always struggle to find a direction, work enthusiastically regardless of time and weather so that the Ky Son Economic - Defense Zone can change quickly and firmly."

The border area of ​​Phu Xai Lai Leng now has many two-crop rice fields. The Mong people know how to sow rice seedlings and plant rice in straight rows, the granaries are full of rice, and the villages are bustling with the sound of rice milling machines. People have made a lot of money from selling ginger and arrowroot... The coordination between Group 4, Border Guard Station 545, and Na Ngoi Youth Village to build a model of two-crop rice cultivation, ginger cultivation, and arrowroot cultivation for the villagers to learn has brought about that result. The accompanying footsteps of soldiers and teachers to each house have brought most of the Mong children of school age to school...

Following the soldiers of Border Post 545, the soldiers of Economic - Defense Group 4 and the Mong boys and girls on patrol up the slope to landmark L10, the borderland of Phu Xai Lai Leng today is strangely clear. The warm sunlight awakens the peach blossoms to bloom. The sound of the Mong flute welcomes Spring, signaling a peaceful and prosperous Tet.

Lake Linh