Warm spring in the great Pu Mat forest

Life changes

At the end of the 12th lunar month, along with the biting cold in the drizzle and north wind, the Dan Lai people in Bung and Co Phat villages - the two farthest villages of the border commune of Mon Son (Con Cuong) have finished harvesting their crops and prepared dong leaves, fragrant sticky rice, a few kilos of meat and bundles of dry firewood to wrap and cook banh chung to welcome the new year 2023.

Residents and students of Co Phat village, Mon Son commune, wrap banh chung to celebrate the New Year with officers of Khe Khang Border Control Station. Photo: KL

At Khe Khang Border Control Station located in the center of Co Phat village, on a winter afternoon, the Secretary of the Co Phat village Party Cell, La Van Linh, along with students and some villagers gathered in a small yard. The woven sedge mat with red and green patterns had turned yellow and was filled with green dong leaves that the villagers had just picked from the forest. Next to it was a basket of soaked sticky rice, a few bundles of bamboo strips and a pot of pork marinated with fragrant dried onions and pepper.

Everyone was preparing to cook some Chung cakes to celebrate the New Year. The atmosphere was bustling with laughter and happy talk about the upcoming New Year. The village cadres, villagers and Border Guard soldiers had the opportunity to reminisce about the past year.

The lives of the people of Co Phat village, Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district have changed a lot. Photo: KL

“It was an eventful year for our village, as the Co Phat village Party Cell admitted three new members. Many households were helped to develop their economy, and students were able to go to school regularly and happily,” Secretary La Van Linh happily said.

Mr. La Van Linh has been the secretary and then the head of Co Phat village for nearly ten years, and has witnessed many changes in his people. In the great Pu Mat forest, the Dan Lai people, from the days of facing hunger and clothing shortages, living a makeshift life in the remote mountains, now have many families with sturdy tiled roofs, and many roads have been paved with concrete for convenient travel.

“To make the above changes, the Border Guard and local authorities have made great efforts to guide people from the smallest things such as eating, living, daily activities to economic development…”, Mr. Linh said.

Spring is filled with warm military-civilian affection in Co Phat village, Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district. Photo: KL

Therefore, every year when spring comes, people become more attached to and trust the government and the military because it has helped people do many practical things.

While wrapping banh chung with the border guards, Mr. La Van Tam, who lives right next to Khe Khang Border Control Station, said, “On Tet, our people often wrap banh chung and croissant cakes, go into the forest to find bamboo shoots, and catch fish in streams to offer to their ancestors on New Year's Eve and the first days of the new year. Everyone, every family organizes singing, wishes each other a warm cup of wine, wishes each other a peaceful new year, good crops, and unites to help each other in life.”

Road to Bung village, Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district. Photo: KL

Deeper into Co Phat, the road to Bung village must pass through 2 iron bridges and 3 wooden bridges across the stream. As spring approaches, although the road is long and difficult due to landslides and slippery roads, the people of Bung village still try to prepare for a decent Tet.

The first impression when entering the village is that the houses and fences protecting the fields and gardens are all made of bamboo.

According to the people: Bamboo is a plant with many uses and has been with the Dan Lai people from birth until death. Bamboo materials taken from the forest will be soaked in rivers and streams to prevent termites. The soaking time is at least 1 month, after soaking for enough time, it can be used to build houses and fences.

Houses of people in Bung village, Mon Son commune, Con Cuong district are mainly made of bamboo. Photo: KL

Following the cadres of the Bung village guard post, we visited the house of Party Secretary La Van Trang while he was splitting bamboo to make a trellis for growing squash. Stopping to chat happily, Mr. Trang said: The village has 115 households, 486 people, life is still very difficult, but in recent years, thanks to the help of the local government and Border Guard, the people's lives have changed positively.

In addition to 19 hectares of rice fields, people also grow vegetables, raise cattle, and some households provide services. In the past, Tet was all about having enough to eat, but now, every family, no matter how big or small, prepares more delicious dishes than usual, shares a pig to worship their ancestors, and entertains guests.

Party cell secretary La Van Trang talks with border guard officers of Bung village. Photo: KL

The Party cell and the village management board also called on people to clean the environment inside their houses and outside the alleys to prepare for Tet. "This year's Tet is especially happier because thanks to the support of border party members temporarily living at the Party cell, the village has admitted 3 new party members, bringing the total number of party members of the Bung village Party cell to 12 comrades. The Dan Lai people in Khe Khang have now changed" - Party cell secretary La Van Trang said excitedly.

Stick to the village, stick to the people

Mon Son Border Guard Station has 1 control station located at Co Phat village and 1 checkpoint located at Bung village - 2 villages of Dan Lai people in the core zone of Pu Mat National Park. In addition to performing the task of protecting the border, the station and checkpoint staff also stay in the villages, propagandize and mobilize people to strictly comply with the Party's policies and the State's laws, propagate and raise awareness among people about family planning, the harms and violations of the law of incestuous marriage, child marriage; build economic models to eliminate hunger and reduce poverty.

Khe Khang Border Control Station officers guide Co Phat villagers in taking care of vegetables. Photo: KL

Major Phan Van Thanh - Head of Khe Khang Border Station located in Co Phat village said: To make people believe and listen, first of all, the station staff must build a model for people to see and follow. It's as simple as growing green vegetables, each season has its own food, the vegetable garden in the station is always green with many kinds of vegetables and fruits. From there, the station supports seeds, guides people to grow vegetables, expands the rice area, helps villagers build roads, houses, livestock barns...

Implementing Directive 681, concretized by Resolution No. 882-NQ/DU of the Provincial Border Guard Party Committee "on assigning border guard station party members to be in charge of households in border areas", the soldiers in green uniforms stationed in Co Phat and Bung village proactively approached households, directly guided them, and diversified propaganda forms with the motto "slow and steady wins the race" to help households raise awareness and overcome the mindset of "waiting and relying" on the State's policies to overcome difficulties and move forward.

Party members of Mon Son Border Guard Station talk with households assigned to help. Photo: KL

Typically, Mr. La Van Tam's household in Co Phat village was guided and supported by border guards at the Station in breeding livestock, growing crops, and preventing diseases. He has become a well-off household in the village with a model of raising rice, vegetables, pigs, 50-60 chickens and ducks, and 8 buffaloes and cows.

“It was very difficult before, but now with the help of the Border Guard, life is better, Tet is warmer and happier. On the 29th and 30th of Lunar New Year, we slaughter pigs, cook cakes, catch fish in the stream, pick vegetables in the garden, and raise our own chickens and ducks so we don't lack anything,” Mr. Tam shared.

Some households in the village have bought plows, milling machines, opened goods and services shops... and even carpentry workshops to serve the essential needs of the people. Before Tet, the head of Co Phat village, La Van Tam, born in 1988, is still working hard at his carpentry workshop to complete the products that people order.

Mr. Tam said: Having a talent for carpentry, encouraged by the border guards, since 2016 he has been working on making carpentry for the villagers, gradually developing it into a small carpentry workshop to both stabilize the family economy and serve the needs of the villagers. "Previously, if the villagers wanted to buy a table or chair, they had to transport it from the center of Mon Son commune, which was very difficult because of the difficult traffic, so I took on the job for the villagers. I do carpentry, farm, and raise 5 buffaloes and cows, as the village chief, I have to take the lead in developing the economy for the villagers to hear and believe," Mr. Tam said.

In addition to raising livestock and growing crops, the Dan Lai people in Bung and Co Phat villages have developed many additional industries. Photo: KL

Through a short conversation with us, the young village chief also said: For the people of Dan Lai, the Border Guard is as close as a family member. On Tet holidays, they still take turns staying to celebrate Tet and visiting the villagers, very happily and warmly. The Border Guard not only helps people eliminate backward customs and lifestyles, actively develop the economy; cares about children's education; supports the Party cell and the village management board to enhance their leadership role and direct activities in the village, but also cares about the health of the people. "Here, the roads are far away, so if people are sick or ill, they all rely on the border medical staff at the station," emphasized Mr. La Van Tam.

This was demonstrated when we were talking with the soldiers in green uniforms at the Co Phap Control Station when we saw Mr. La Van Minh - a villager running around and informing that his wife was sick and asked the border medic to come to his house to examine her. Hearing that, the doctor in green uniform Hoang Kim Thang quickly stood up and brought medical equipment to go immediately. After examining and prescribing medicine, Mr. La Van Minh's wife's health was stable, Mr. Minh went to the station to thank her "Tet is coming, if there were no border medics, we wouldn't know what to do"

Military doctors at Khe Khang Border Control Station examine the health of Mr. La Van Minh's wife in Co Phat village. Photo: Hoai Thu

Leaving Khe Khang, we came across a group of students carrying small bundles of firewood, chatting away. “Where are you going?” “We are giving firewood to the border guards to cook banh chung for Tet”, hearing our question, a student quickly replied.

Children in Co Phat village bring firewood to give to soldiers to cook banh chung. Photo: KL

Suddenly, Spring feels warmer because of the simple military-civilian relationship in the Pu Mat wilderness. Despite many difficulties, it is full of love and sharing...