People and Border Guards patrol the border

The provincial Border Guard is the core force in the journey to overcome all difficulties, persistently "clear the way", create changes in awareness, so that ethnic minorities on the frontline of the Fatherland can promote their role as the main subject, internal strength, and promote socio -economic development. Thereby, joining hands and unanimity to build a peaceful, stable, special friendly, cooperative and developing Vietnam - Laos border in the new situation.

"Leverage" for people to promote their role as subjects

As the mountain mist gradually dissipated in the early morning sun, we followed professional military Major Nguyen Tien Dung, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Trung Son commune, and officers and soldiers of the Hong Van Border Guard Station, Mr. Ho Van On, team leader, and some members of the border and border marker self-management team, to patrol to marker 646 (under the management of the Hong Van Border Guard Station). The boat docked at the foot of A Lin bridge, ready to weigh anchor. Going upstream of A Lin for nearly an hour, then continuing to walk along the stream bank for nearly half an hour, we reached the border marker area. The marker was majestic and sturdy. Far away from the border and the marker (the prescribed distance, not "intruding" into the prohibited farming area), cassava fields, banana fields, corn fields..., one after another, peacefully, made people smile with relief.

Major Nguyen Tien Dung and everyone recalled: In April 2022, they hurriedly went to this landmark to check and mobilize people, after receiving information that 7 households with 17 people had built temporary huts and were producing near the border and the landmark within the prohibited cultivation area. At that time, there were also lush corn and cassava fields, covering the green hillsides. However, a part of the swidden fields of the 7 households producing here violated the safety corridor of the regulations prohibiting cultivation near the border and the landmark of the two countries Vietnam - Laos, causing everyone to think heavily. The people had unintentionally violated the encroachment.

At that time, the sun was scorching hot, sweat soaked their backs, but the footsteps of the Border Guard and members of the self-management team still walked along the hillsides and fields, looking for farmers who were returning to rest in makeshift huts. The people "responded" to the Border Guard's explanation that farming in the restricted area was a violation and needed to stop, with silence. The silence was like a "wall", which was not easy to shake. So, for a long time after that, Major Dung, Major Nguyen Thanh Thai, Deputy Political Commissar ; Lieutenant Colonel Mai Quoc Trung and his comrades from the Hong Van Border Guard Station, repeatedly returned to the farming area, continued to inspect, and mobilized 7 households to move their farming activities out of the restricted area; instructed the people to recognize the signs of the national border so as not to violate the border crossing, encroach on other people's land, etc. At the same time, thanks to the coordination of village elder Ho Van Hanh, he went to the households' houses to "whisper".

Village elder Hanh emotionally told the story of mobilizing the people: “I recalled the big flood at the end of 2021 that caused the culvert in the village to be flooded; the Pa Dua stream is short, the hillside is steep, the water flows quickly, flows fast, rises high, the temporary bridge was swept away. The Border Guard is the main force coordinating with the government and other forces day and night to clear the culvert, "straighten" the flow, and save many houses along the stream and culvert from collapsing. I said, whenever the house is dilapidated and the people need it, the Border Guard does not mind the sun or rain to help. Everything the Border Guard does brings good things to the people, the village, the hamlet, and this entire border land. The Border Guard carries out the task of protecting the peaceful border. If the border is strong, then our houses will be strong. Every citizen who wants a strong house and economic development must take the initiative to protect the border with the Border Guard, in which complying with the regulations is a practical way. I went back and forth with Major Dung relatives many times. Finally, the relatives agreed; so they signed the commitment. Now, all 7 households have voluntarily returned the land belonging to the border safety corridor, moving the cultivated area out of the restricted area, to ensure border security of the two countries.

In a recent meeting at the village elder Hanh's house, the men and women of the Pa Co and Ta Oi ethnic groups... still had the same hard-working appearance and sun-tanned faces, but their smiles were brighter than ever, as they proudly confided that they were protecting the sovereignty of the national border and territorial security, by complying with regulations when entering the forest to collect forest products, or going to the fields to cultivate...

According to Colonel Pham Tung Lam, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of the Provincial Border Guard, in recent years, along the Vietnam - Laos border in A Luoi, hundreds of households have voluntarily stopped farming and producing in prohibited areas near the border and landmarks; stopped illegally exploiting forest products, and stopped illegally crossing the border. They have become an extension of the border, providing timely and valuable information, helping the Border Guard effectively prevent and combat all types of crimes, maintaining security, order and safety in the border area. This is the result of countless efforts, dedication and responsibility of the Border Guard, in which 12 deputy secretaries of the enhanced commune Party Committees and more than 100 Party members of the border guard stations (belonging to 4 border guard stations stationed in A Luoi) are in charge of more than 500 households, "village-based" forces, and cadres of local working groups, which are the core force.

“Our comrades on the border have persistently coordinated with village elders, prestigious people, local authorities, associations and organizations to mobilize to “clear the way” and create changes in awareness - “leverage” for people to promote their role as subjects. Mass movements to participate in self-management of border lines, border markers and security and order in border hamlets and villages; village elders, village chiefs and their families and descendants register to manage and protect border lines and border markers; youth volunteers protect border lines…, have been promoted. Along with the “nuclei” of 43 self-management teams for border lines and border markers/1,712 households, people in border areas have increasingly promoted their role as subjects in implementing the movement of the entire people participating in protecting territorial sovereignty and national border security in the new situation” - Colonel Pham Tung Lam shared.

"Accompanying" medicinal herb gardens of high economic value in the border land

The land "turns over"

Colonel Pham Tung Lam said that, in order to implement the Party's major policy of "bringing the mountainous areas to catch up with the lowlands", the Party Committee and the Provincial Border Guard Command have implemented many programs and projects to help the people of 12 border communes of A Luoi district; accompanying and helping people in the border areas to eliminate hunger and sustainably reduce poverty, promote socio-economic development, and protect the national border. In order to advise and coordinate with the Party Committees and local authorities to effectively deploy and implement programs and projects in the border areas, in recent times, the Provincial Border Guard has paid great attention to strengthening the staff of border guard stations, to 12 border communes of A Luoi district, holding the position of deputy secretary of the commune party committee, in charge of national defense and security, advising on socio-economic development; assigning border guard station party members to be in charge of households, participating in activities of village party cells and residential groups in the border areas.

It is a force that eats, lives, works, and speaks the same ethnic language; closely understands the difficulties, thoughts, and aspirations of the people, and from there has provided correct, accurate, and appropriate advice when implementing, bringing high efficiency.

As they led us through the narrow grass banks, getting closer to the guava garden of Ms. Nguyen Thi Thi's family in Pe Ay 2 village (Quang Nham commune), the footsteps of Lieutenant Colonel Le Xuan Thanh, Political Commissar of Nham Border Guard Station; Senior Lieutenant Nguyen Van Yen, Head of the Mass Mobilization Team; Major Le Khac Tan, officer of the local working group, seemed more enthusiastic. They said that although they often accompany and follow, help with labor, and technical care for the guava garden, every trip is filled with emotions. Because this is the sentiment and dedication of their comrades - a livelihood model that the Provincial Border Guard Women's Association gave to Ms. Thi's family. The officers and soldiers of Nham Border Guard Station are responsible for continuing to "cultivate".

The guava plantation has nearly a thousand trees, spreading out on the vast hillsides. While diligently weeding and hoeing, Thi and her husband stopped, their smiles glistening with sweat. “There has been a good guava crop. When we first harvested dozens of kilograms of “full” guava and brought them to A Luoi town to sell, my husband and I were still surprised as if in a dream. Before, we thought we only knew how to plant rice and corn like the people of Pe Ay 2 village have done for generations. Now we know how to take care of guava, so that the following seasons will yield the highest harvest. Thank you very much, Border Guard,” Thi smiled again.

Following Lieutenant Colonel Ta Khac Dong, Head of Huong Nguyen Border Guard Station; Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Tri, Deputy Political Commissar and Major Blup Huu Bay, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of A Roang Commune to visit poor households in A Roang 1 village, receiving support from the unit's officers and soldiers in livelihood models, technical assistance, and standing side by side on the journey to rise up, we were impressed by the tight handshakes and affection of Mr. A Viet Tach, Ms. Ploong Thi Loan..., for the Border Guard.

“My family now has a herd of 5 cows, 2 fish ponds, and acacia forests. In the village, there are many households with a herd of dozens of goats and several hectares of acacia trees that are almost ready for harvest. Myself and many other people are now confident, proactive, and know how to plan an economic direction that is suitable for the terrain, soil, and weather of the locality,” said A Viet Tach.

According to Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Chairman of the People's Committee of A Luoi district, now the border strip has been and is "turning around" more and more strongly with models of bananas, Thai jackfruit, green-skinned grapefruit, guava, red dragon fruit..., Bo Chinh ginseng gardens and medicinal herbs of high economic value. Ethnic minorities in the border communes of the mountainous district of A Luoi have transformed the structure of crops and livestock towards commodity production. Border people have promoted their internal strength, which is the sustainable "root" strength in the socio-economic development of the locality. The change and transformation in the awareness and actions of the people have a deep "imprint" of the Border Guard, the soldiers in green uniforms, devoted to the solidity of the border citadel.

Article and photos: Quynh Anh - Ha Le

(To be continued)

Part 2: "Nurturing" in the border area