Going up to Con Cuong mountain district in the first week of April, we heard about the difficult situation of the Dan Lai people in Ba Ha area. In 2017-2018, we went up the Giang River into the Pu Mat forest, to places like Co Phat, Pung... to participate in propaganda and mobilize Dan Lai households to move to the new Ba Ha residence, so when we heard, we couldn't help but feel sad.
Spending time in Ba Ha when the afternoon sun was red behind the stilt houses with concrete pillars, the village was quiet and desolate. The first Dan Lai person we met was an elderly woman. Asked what her name was? With a look of hesitation and fear, the woman answered softly: My name is Khuong.
What is your cousin?
- I don't know.
- How long have you been here?
- Long time ago.
How many years is long?
– I don't know… Months.
– How is life here? Do you like your new place?
– Yes. But there is no soup here…
The second person we met was also a woman named Bon. Bon also did not know her own last and middle names. She was about 1.3m tall, carrying a baby in her arms and leading another child, at first everyone thought they were three sisters. But Bon said she was 23 years old, and the two children were her own children. When asked about her family, Bon replied that her husband was working in the South, sending 300,000 VND each month for the three of them to live on. Regarding their current life, Bon's family was in dire need. "We have no more rice. We have run out of rice..." - Bon said.
Arriving at Ba Ha, we also met another Dan Lai man, La Van Tuan. Unlike Khuong and Bon, La Van Tuan was quick and answered questions fluently. According to Tuan, the Dan Lai households left Pung and Khe Khang villages for Ba Ha in 2019. Here, everyone has a house to live in, the water source is stable, but the fields are too small. He said: “The people work on the fields all year round, without spraying pesticides so they can pick vegetables. But the fields are small. The commune said it was 230 m2rice field, about 400 m2land for corn cultivation, but in reality very little. The hilly and forest land is managed by the village community, and in the past they received rice support, but now there is no more..." Then Tuan said that to ensure the life of his family, he went to work at a forestry seedling production facility with a salary of 5 million VND/month. He said: "Here we need strong men. If the father is strong, the family will have enough to eat. If the father is not strong, the family will not have enough to eat...".
Concerned with the area of rice fields assigned, Tuan was asked, if only agricultural production would ensure enough rice to eat? Tuan replied: “Farming is just for fun, not enough to eat. For example, my family has 7 people, with the area of rice fields assigned, working would only be enough to eat for a month…”.
After a few days, we returned to Ba Ha. Together with the Party Committee and the government of Thach Ngan commune, Con Cuong Forest Protection Department transferred some essential food and provisions to the Dan Lai people, and we heard more about the situation here.
In 2006, Thach Ngan commune welcomed 42 households and 214 Dan Lai people from Mon Son commune to settle in Thach Son village. By 2019, there were 35 more households and 129 Dan Lai people settling in Ba Ha village. This is a major policy of the Party and State, with the goal of helping Dan Lai people escape from the nomadic life of hunting and gathering, gradually stabilizing their lives, and improving their intellectual level. Upon arriving at their new place, Dan Lai people are supported by the State with solid housing; there are welfare facilities serving their daily life such as electricity grid, roads, schools, healthcare, domestic water, sanitation facilities, food, etc. The Party Committee and government of Thach Ngan commune have also assigned competent cadres to regularly stay in the area to resolve work; promptly implement social security regimes according to Decree 20/ND-CP of the Government...
However, the general economic and social life of the Dan Lai people is still very difficult, especially in Ba Ha village. In Thach Ngan commune, there are currently 90 Dan Lai households, of which 89 are poor and 1 is near-poor. The intellectual level of the people is still low, the mentality of waiting and relying on the State's support policies still exists; there are still cases of early marriage and incestuous marriage; some students drop out of school or go to school at the wrong age. It is worth mentioning that the agricultural land area is small and fragmented, while the people lack jobs and do not have economic production skills, so there is always a shortage of food during the lean season.
According to the Party Secretary of Thach Ngan Commune, Mr. Nguyen Dam Minh, in the face of the difficulties of the Dan Lai people, the Party Committee and the government have called on philanthropists to join hands to help; on the other hand, they have reported to the higher authorities, requesting to study and find long-term solutions so that people can gradually become independent. Specifically, as in the report sent to the higher authorities, it is recommended to have policies and appropriate treatment for the Dan Lai people; support training in suitable professions such as animal husbandry, forestry, veterinary, carpentry, construction... and types of livestock and poultry breeds for people to organize animal husbandry; timely support of rice to relieve hunger during the lean season...
In Con Cuong district, completing the goal of helping Dan Lai people proactively create a new life and improve the intellectual level of the people is a concern of the Party Committee and the government. According to Vice Chairman of the District People's Committee Luong Dinh Viet, the district has directed the Department of Labor - Invalids and Social Affairs, and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to go to Thach Ngan commune to grasp the situation; in addition, it has reported to the District Party Committee. Mr. Luong Dinh Viet said: "When the District Party Committee Secretary heard the report of the District People's Committee, he directed the establishment of a working group to go to Thach Son and Ba Ha villages. The purpose is to grasp the situation and find the right solution to help Dan Lai people here...".
Reality has proven over the years that the Party and the State have implemented many programs to support the Dan Lai people to gradually change their lives. However, due to objective limitations, achieving this goal will be a long journey, possibly spanning an entire generation. However, this goal is extremely humane and needs to continue to be promoted, for both the Dan Lai people in Ba Ha, Thach Son, and also in the villages in the core area of Pu Mat forest!
