Military-civilian relationship at the border

(Baonghean) - In the drizzling weather, we said goodbye to Vinh City to visit the officers, soldiers, and people of Nam Can border commune, Ky Son district. After nearly a day of continuous marching, in the late afternoon, when fog had begun to cover the mountains and forests, our vehicle arrived at Nam Can Border Guard Station. We were welcomed by the commanding officers and officers and soldiers of the unit. The tight handshakes and friendly questions of the border soldiers quickly dispelled the hardship and fatigue of the long journey.

Nam Can Border Guard Station is responsible for managing and protecting 25 km of the Vietnam - Laos border and Nam Can border commune. This commune has 100% Mong ethnic group with 316 households/1,982 people living in 6 villages: Huoi Nhao, Nam Khien, Nam Can, Son Thanh, Lien Son and Tham Hin.About ten years ago, this was an area where bad elements were active, infiltrating across the border, causing instability in public order. This border land has recorded many feats of arms that have gone down in history. To have peace on this land, the blood of Heroic Martyr Lieutenant Nguyen Canh Dan (Nam Can Station) and Heroic Martyr Va Tong Khu (Nam Can Commune Militia Platoon) has soaked into the borderland. They heroically sacrificed their lives in the cause of protecting the sovereignty and security of the border.

Officers and soldiers of Nam Can Border Guard Station and local militia patrol the border.

Continuing that glorious tradition, over the past time, the Party Committee - Command of Nam Can Border Guard Station has closely coordinated with local Party committees - authorities and people to build a border defense posture that is increasingly in-depth, firmly protecting the sovereignty and border security of the Fatherland.

The Party Committee - Command of the unit has deployed 3 local working groups with 14 cadres who have experience in mass mobilization work, understand the customs and practices of the people who are directly "staying in the village", and carry out "4 together" with the people. This is a powerful staff force for the Party Committee and local government in economic, cultural and social development... Every day, they go to the fields and farms with the people to actively increase production, eliminate hunger and reduce poverty such as growing ginger, building livestock farms, and growing rice. This team actively helps the locality to train, create sources, and develop 11 new party members. Build and consolidate 2 party cells, 4 mass associations to operate in a disciplined manner....

Although the income from salary is still low, the unit's officers and soldiers have actively contributed to the act of "sharing food and clothes", doing well in policy work, taking care of and helping families in difficult circumstances such as: Cooperating with Nam Can Primary School to support the cost of caring for and raising 2 children of Martyrs and General Khu with a monthly amount of 250,000 VND from the unit's Encouragement of Education Fund contributed by officers and soldiers. On the occasion of summarizing the 2012 - 2013 school year, the unit coordinated with Nam Can Primary School to commend and give gifts to poor students who overcame difficulties and studied well with an amount of 900,000 VND; Helping disadvantaged families with nearly 100 working days to repair their houses. In addition, the unit's military medical staff also examined, treated, and provided free medicine to 36 people; coordinated with the commune health department to treat mosquito nets for 200 households. Besides, we also advise and guide people on how to eat and live hygienically, prevent and fight diseases...

In particular, the unit has promoted the role of key cadres, village elders, village chiefs, prestigious people, and clan leaders to propagate and mobilize people not to migrate illegally, not to listen to bad people who destroy the great solidarity of ethnic groups... Lieutenant Colonel Pham Huu Ha, Station Chief, told us a typical example of the important role of village elders, village chiefs, and prestigious people. That was when the unit organized the implementation of the directive of the People's Committee of Nghe An province on propaganda and mobilization of people to hand over weapons and explosives. There were also some difficulties in implementing it because the people considered the hunting gun an indispensable item when going to the forest or farming.

In addition to hunting, the gun also has many spiritual meanings, being an object to ward off evil spirits. In particular, in Mong families here, there is a concept that the gun represents the strength of men. And taking the gun out of the house is no different than taking away their strength. The unit's officers relied on the team of village elders, village chiefs, and prestigious people to propagate to their children and grandchildren in the family and clan to seriously implement the Provincial People's Committee's Directive. With their "power", village elders and prestigious people such as Lau Xay Phia (Nam Khien village), Va Chia Co (Nam Can village)... mobilized the people to hand over 43 flintlock guns and 45 flintlock gun barrels to the authorities in a short time...

Nam Can - in that remote border area, the army and people are day and night united, attached, joining hands to build, manage, and firmly protect the Fatherland's border.

Article and photos:Hung Phong