Spend the night campaigning for people to hand over their weapons.

On the eve of the Lunar New Year 2018, the weather was bitterly cold, but the working group of Na Ngoi Border Guard Station (Nghe An Border Guard) still actively coordinated with local authorities and related forces to mobilize people to hand over weapons and explosives in Phu Kha 1 village (Na Ngoi commune, Ky Son). This is a village where 100% of the Mong ethnic people live.

Na Ngoi Border Guard Station coordinated with local authorities to organize propaganda and mobilize people to hand over weapons at the village points. Photo: Hung Phong

Na Ngoi border commune, Ky Son district has 19 villages, including 1 Khmu village, 1 Thai village, and 17 Mong ethnic minority villages. People living in the commune have long been accustomed to using guns to hunt wild animals and protect crops. However, many consequences have arisen in the process of storing and using explosives among the people.

At the beginning of the campaign, the working group's staff pointed out the harmful effects of storing weapons and explosives; the legal regulations on storing weapons and explosives; and encouraged the villagers to voluntarily hand over their existing weapons and explosives.

There is a single opinion that owning a gun is a demonstration of strength and traditionally every family must have a flintlock gun. However, the elder Vu No Chua said that nowadays, wild animals in the forest are almost gone, the protection of crops and fields is taken care of by the Border Guard and officers, so our villagers do not need to store weapons anymore, our villagers should voluntarily hand them over to the officers.

People voluntarily surrender their weapons. Photo: Hung Phong

Listening to the right words and reasonable analysis, immediately after that, the people of Phu Kha 1 village voluntarily handed over to the working group 8 flintlock guns, 2 flintlock barrels and 2 alcohol guns...

Mr. Mua Do Thai - Chairman of Na Ngoi Commune People's Committee shared: The fact that people still store and use weapons and explosives partly comes from the ancient customs of the people. However, through basic propaganda and mobilization, people understand clearly the harmful effects of storing and using weapons and explosives. The Na Ngoi Border Guard Station's coordination with the locality in conducting propaganda and mobilization has raised people's awareness and sense of law compliance. The most important thing is to maintain the peace of the border villages.

Before Lunar New Year, despite the cold and rainy weather and many tasks to take care of, the officers and soldiers of Na Ngoi Border Guard Station and local officers still diligently went to 19/19 villages to persistently propagate and mobilize.

Thanks to the close combination of measures and the support of prestigious people, the people voluntarily handed over to the unit 40 flintlock guns, 10 flintlock gun barrels, 10 alcohol guns, and 20 detonators.

In addition, 100% of households also signed a commitment stating: “We will not store or use any weapons, explosives, or supporting tools, especially homemade guns for hunting animals. If the authorities discover or arrest us, our family will accept all forms of legal action.”

Number of weapons voluntarily handed over by people. Photo: Hung Phong

Captain Nguyen Ba Ky - Deputy Political Commissar of Na Ngoi Border Guard Station affirmed that during the Lunar New Year, he will continue to closely coordinate with local authorities and relevant forces to take more drastic measures to thoroughly recover weapons and explosives from the people.

"We have identified this as the unit's core task to minimize and eventually end the harm caused by the storage and use of weapons, explosives, support tools, etc. so that our people can enjoy Tet and welcome Spring in peace," Captain Ky added.