In late May, when the first rays of summer sunlight poured down like honey on the towering Pha Den range, we traveled nearly 300 kilometers from Thanh Hoa city upstream of the Ma River to the border area of ​​Muong Lat. In that place of high mountains and deep waters, the footprints of cadres and party members of Economic-Defense Group 5 were deeply imprinted on the border roads to build infrastructure for the people in the border area.

Organizing the construction of traffic roads to Doan Ket village, Muong Lat town (Muong Lat, Thanh Hoa).

Build new cultural houses to help people

After more than half a day of winding roads, the Muong Lat Heaven Gate appeared in the hazy afternoon clouds. Standing here, looking towards the center of Muong Lat town, I was reminded of the verses of author Ngo Hoai Chung in the poem "Up to Muong Lat": "The small village is fast asleep/ Halfway up the slope/ Far away in the valley/ The sound of buffalo bells echoes back".

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duy Trung, Deputy Political Commissar of the 5th Military Economic Group, warmly welcomed us right at the gate of the unit when it was already dusk. He said: "It's late now, from the Group to Muong Chanh commune - the farthest commune in the Muong Lat Military Economic Zone - it's nearly 40km. You guys should rest, have some food, and tomorrow morning we'll leave early."

The next day, the unit changed its "war horse" to a 4-wheel drive pickup truck. Lieutenant Colonel Phung Van Dam, Deputy Head of the Staff-Planning Department of the Delegation, led the way to Muong Chanh commune. While driving, Mr. Dam announced the good news: "Muong Chanh is the first commune in Muong Lat district to reach the new rural finish line in early 2025. To help the locality complete the criteria, the unit invested in building a new cultural house in Na Chua village; more than 40 officers and employees of the Delegation supported the locality in sweeping all the lime in the commune; built a national flag road and a garbage sorting house for the people."

Officers and soldiers of Economic -Defense Group 5 are constructing a road from Con Dao village to Pong village, Quang Chieu commune (Muong Lat, Thanh Hoa).

Mentioning Na Chua village, Muong Chanh commune, we and perhaps many people still have not forgotten the historic flash flood in 2018. Xim stream usually flows calmly winding around the villages. However, when the rain came, the flood roared and swept away the beautiful Na Chua village of the Thai people here. The roofs were washed away, the familiar stilt houses were broken in the raging water. Rocks and soil were piled up everywhere, fields were devastated, the cries of loved ones mixed with heavy sighs in the mountain mist. Once again, poverty and hunger weighed heavily on that small village.

In that critical situation, the Party Committee and the commander of the Economic-Defense Group 5 held an emergency meeting and agreed to send cadres and employees to bring food, medicine, and cut down forests directly to support and help the people. Mr. Vi Van Loan in Na Chua village recalled: “When the flood had just passed, the people were still stunned by hunger and cold. Then, in the white mist of the early morning, the soldiers of the Economic-Defense Group 5 appeared, bringing rice, instant noodles, dry food, and medical equipment to provide first aid to the people.”

In the days after the flood, without waiting for anyone to call their names, the cadres and party members of Economic-Defense Group 5 quietly immersed themselves in the broken life. After the locality unanimously chose the hill on the other side of Xim stream as the new settlement for Na Chua village, Economic-Defense Group 5 was assigned by superiors to urgently level the ground and prepare the infrastructure for the establishment of the new village.

Promoting the exemplary spirit and responsibility of each cadre and party member in the unit, when the site leveling work for the Na Chua resettlement area was completed, groups of soldiers from the Economic-Defense Group 5 took turns helping people rebuild their houses. In his memory, Mr. Luong Van Sanh, a local resident, recalled: "The soldiers of the Group did not care about day or night. There were cold and rainy nights but they still wore flashlights, nailed each wooden pole, and tied each tarpaulin to protect the households in the village from the rain."

Now, standing in the middle of the renovated Na Chua village, the green corrugated iron roofs sparkle in the sun, the cement road crosses the stream, the laughter of children echoes in every stilt house of the Thai people... Few people can still recognize that this place was once "devastated" by the flood. The achievements of today, the people of Muong Chanh owe a lot to the Party, the Government, the local authorities and the cadres and party members of the Economic-Defense Group 5!

Adding to the prosperity of Na Chua village is the village's cultural house, which was just inaugurated and handed over to the locality by Economic-Defense Group 5. The cultural house is located right at the top of the slope leading to the village, designed spaciously, equipped with enough decorations, tables and chairs. Comrade Lo Van Van, Head of Na Chua village, happily boasted: "Since the cultural house was built, people have had a place to hold village meetings and hold festivals. Many families who have chosen the cultural house to hold their weddings have chosen the cultural house to hold their events."

From 2020 to now, Economic-Defense Group 5 has invested in and built 8 cultural houses in villages in Muong Lat district. On the way to the villages, comrade Bui Tri Nhan, Chairman of Muong Chanh Commune People's Committee said: "Na Chua has been revived since 2018, thanks to the great contributions of the soldiers of Economic-Defense Group 5. Now, Na Chua has been renewed, more spacious, cleaner, and has full cultural facilities thanks to the soldiers of Economic-Defense Group 5".

Not only in Na Chua village, over the years, the Khmu people in Doan Ket village, the Thai people in Pieng Mon village, Muong Lat town still remember in their hearts and minds the special affection that the soldiers of Economic-Defense Group 5 supported and helped resettle the village, build roads, bridges, and provide electricity for the people. Village elder Luong Xuan Ban in Doan Ket village is over 80 years old this year. Although his health is weak, he still told us clearly about each project that Economic-Defense Group 5 helped the people: "Since its establishment, the Group has built suspension bridges so that our people do not have to cross the Ma River by raft. When there is a lack of electricity or clean water, the Group has supported them, and the Khmu people will never forget that affection."

A corner of Na Chua village, Muong Chanh commune (Muong Lat, Thanh Hoa) today.

"Army Road" leads the way for people

The road connecting Con Dao village to Pong village, Quang Chieu commune, used to be a real challenge. Whenever it rained, it was slippery, and motorcyclists had to walk for several kilometers. The difficulty of transportation was like a burden on people's shoulders, and trade was stagnant, so the "ghost" of poverty continued to surround the people.

Understanding the difficulties of the people, Economic-Defense Group 5 is the investor, building a road connecting Con Dao village to Pong village, 4.13km long, 4m wide, starting in 2023. After nearly two years of implementation, the inter-village road is now basically completed. The road surface is wide, flat, convenient for vehicles to move between the two villages. "Without the troops of Economic-Defense Group 5, my village doesn't know when we would have a road to shorten the travel distance between the two villages like this" - Comrade Lo Van Hang, Party Cell Secretary, Head of Pong village shared with us excitedly.

The project has been deployed since 2023 in harsh weather conditions and difficult terrain. Lieutenant Colonel Phung Van Dam shared that the construction unit of the road is very hard-working, there are days when it rains heavily, the material trucks cannot enter, afraid that if the progress is delayed, it will be a mistake to the people, so the leaders and commanders of the Group regularly come to check and urge the officers, employees, and workers directly working on the road, to overcome all difficulties so that the project can be completed on schedule.

Not only Con Dao and Pong villages, many difficult villages such as Pha Den, Hua Pu, and Suoi Long are also gradually "changing their skin" thanks to the system of rural roads built by Economic-Defense Group 5 in coordination with the local government and people. Wherever the road is opened, the economy moves there. Motorbikes now enter the alleys, carrying goods, seeds, and necessities. Not only that, Economic-Defense Group 5 also supports communes in building clean water systems and dams to serve agricultural production... Thanks to these projects, smiles are brighter on the faces of Mong, Thai, and Kho Mu people in this border area.

Colonel Mai Van Tai, Political Commissar of the 5th Economic-Defense Group, shared: “In the Resolution for the 2020-2025 term and the Resolution on leadership in implementing annual tasks, the Party Committee of the Group clearly identified that helping people develop the economy and stabilize their lives is to maintain the people's hearts and minds at the border of the Fatherland. Therefore, we consider each completed project with guaranteed quality as a "milestone of trust" for the people in the upper reaches of the Ma River."

It must be affirmed that these works of love between the army and the people do not only have material significance, they are also symbols of sustainable change, of the belief sown in the mountains and forests. Behind these works are months of silent sweat and the youth of many cadres and party members of the Economic-Defense Group 5. They have temporarily put aside the joys of family reunion to live with the people in the wild mountains and forests, in the remote border. And when the essential infrastructure for the people is basically established, the cadres, party members, and young intellectual volunteers again embark on the work of eliminating illiteracy, eliminating hunger, and reducing poverty in this border area.

Article and photos: KHANH TRINH - MINH HIEU

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/cuoc-thi-viet-vung-buoc-duoi-co-dang/cot-moc-niem-tin-noi-thuong-nguon-song-ma-bai-1-muong-lat-bung-sang-tu-nhung-cong-trinh-831998