A So (A Luoi 4 commune, Hue City) was once known as a "dead land" due to large areas of land contaminated with dioxin during the war. Today, 60 years after the liberation of A So, thanks to the attention, support, and assistance of central ministries and agencies, as well as the local government, especially the local police force, the lives of the ethnic people in this area are improving day by day.
Báo Công an Nhân dân•07/03/2026
Reviving the "Agent Orange epicenter"
On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the liberation of A So, we had the opportunity to return to this land, one of the historical sites located not far from the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail. Along both sides of the road leading to A So (Loah-Tavai hamlet, A Luoi 4 commune) are solidly built houses where the people proudly display the national flag, fluttering brightly in the spring breeze to celebrate the "great festival" of the country - the election of representatives to the 16th National Assembly and representatives to the People's Councils at all levels for the 2026-2031 term.
Local residents recount that from 1961 to 1971, A So was a strategic enemy stronghold on the Truong Son trail. During the war, in Thua Thien Hue province, particularly the A So airfield area, more than 432,812 gallons of herbicides (containing approximately 11 kg of dioxin) were sprayed. Authorities determined that the area of land contaminated with dioxin at A So airfield was approximately 5 hectares, with an average contamination depth of 0.7 meters.
Thanks to the support and assistance of the police force, the A So area in A Luoi 4 commune (Hue City) is changing every day.
After A So was liberated (March 11, 1966), many households of the Pa Co and Ta Oi ethnic groups chose to build houses and live in the flat, hilly terrain of A So and surrounding areas. However, due to the effects of dioxin, many families have children born with disabilities, affecting their physical development and health. Economic development in this area is also difficult because it is hard to find markets for their products due to consumer fears of dioxin contamination.
For the reasons mentioned above, in 2001, 2003, and 2007, the People's Committee of the former Dong Son commune carried out three relocations to prevent exposure to Agent Orange/dioxin. Although the relocation affected the lives of the people, within just a few years, the residents of A So, the "epicenter of Agent Orange," relied on livestock farming, fruit tree cultivation, and expanding acacia and eucalyptus plantations to improve their lives.
According to Ms. Ho Thi Hon, Head of Loah-Tavai village, to mitigate the consequences of dioxin contamination in the A So area, since 2020, the Chemical Corps (Ministry of National Defense) has implemented a project to treat dioxin-contaminated soil at A So airport. By the end of October 2023, they had completed the treatment of over 9.3 hectares of land in the area. Over the three years of the project, the units have treated a total of 38,718 m³ of dioxin-contaminated soil, including 6,500 m³ treated biologically and 32,218 m³ treated by burial and isolation.
From an area once a hotspot of pollution with extremely toxic and dangerous substances, A So airport has been restored to a clean and safe environment, preventing the dangerous impact of dioxin on human health and the ecological environment. Thanks to this, the lives of 138 households and 521 people in the village have gradually stabilized, and socio-economic development has begun. "The local people are very grateful and appreciative of the concern of the Party, the State, and the Central Ministries and Departments for their efforts in supporting the locality to overcome the consequences of chemical toxins after the war in the A So area," added Ms. Ho Thi Hon.
The commune police are dedicated to helping the people.
Over the past period, the Party and State have implemented many policies to help and support ethnic minority people in Hue City in general and the communes of A Luoi in particular, including the people of A So and A Luoi 4, by providing seedlings, livestock, and many projects to help people implement livelihood models. In particular, the A Luoi 4 commune police have made efforts to stay close to the community, regularly going door-to-door, visiting and encouraging households, especially poor, near-poor, and disadvantaged families, to help them improve their lives.
Sixty years after the liberation of A So, the people of A Luoi 4 commune continue to strive in labor and production to build their homeland.
Captain Le Khanh Long, Deputy Head of the A Luoi 4 Commune Police, shared: “Since the administrative boundaries were merged and the two-tiered local government model was implemented, the commune police force has carried out many initiatives such as “security cameras”, “security lighting”, donating livestock and plants, and awarding scholarships to poor students in A So and Loah-Tavai villages.
“The commune police have actively advised the Party Committee and local government to coordinate with other units to carry out many meaningful projects and tasks. In particular, with the motto of “four together” (eating together, living together, working together, and speaking the language of ethnic minorities together), the officers and soldiers of the unit have actively campaigned and disseminated legal information to the people. This has helped the people to be vigilant, raise their awareness, and avoid being lured or enticed by criminals into committing illegal acts, thus contributing to ensuring security and order in this border area,” Captain Le Khanh Long informed.
Mr. Ho Dung, Chairman of the People's Committee of A Luoi 4 commune, added: After the liberation of A So, upholding the glorious revolutionary tradition, the Party Committee, government, and people of A Luoi 4 commune have united and strived to overcome many difficulties, gradually building a more developed homeland. Thanks to this, the local socio-economic situation has seen many positive changes. In 2025, the commune completed all 13 socio-economic development targets. In addition, the infrastructure system has received comprehensive investment, thus continuously improving the material and spiritual lives of the local people, and maintaining national security and defense.
On March 6th, the Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of A Luoi 4 commune solemnly organized a ceremony to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of A So (March 11, 1966 - March 11, 2026). Speaking at the ceremony, the Standing Vice Chairman of the Hue City People's Committee, Nguyen Thanh Binh, emphasized that this was not only an opportunity to recall the glorious history but also a motivation for every official, Party member, and citizen to continue striving to build an increasingly prosperous, beautiful, and civilized homeland.
Leaders of the Hue City People's Committee and delegates attended the ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of the liberation of A So.
In this new phase of development, the local Party Committee, government, and people need to continue to promote the spirit of unity, effectively exploit potential and advantages, focus on sustainable economic development associated with preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, and improve the people's living standards. In particular, it is necessary to effectively implement education, healthcare, and policies of gratitude and appreciation for those who have rendered meritorious services. Strengthening national defense and security, building a strong political system, and contributing to the city's successful achievement of development goals in accordance with the spirit of the Resolution of the 17th Congress of the Hue City Party Committee are also crucial.
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