Mr. Pham Phuoc (second from the left) is a person who has always been closely associated with the Nam Thach Han mega-project - Photo: Archival.
“After the complete liberation of the South and the establishment of Binh Tri Thien province, the Party and State paid great attention to economic development and overcoming the consequences of war in Central Vietnam, prioritizing agricultural development to ensure food security for the people. At that time, I was assigned to work at the Design Board for Irrigation Works in Binh Tri Thien province.”
"It was this position that connected me to the Nam Thach Han irrigation project, the first and most important irrigation project of the Ministry of Water Resources and Binh Tri Thien province in the South, which began construction on March 8, 1977. And it was also from the Nam Thach Han irrigation project that Quang Tri province became my second home," Mr. Pham Phuoc began his story, initiating his journey to revisit his "hometown" Quang Tri.
At the age of 80, a rare feat, he still nimbly travels throughout the rice-growing region of the former Trieu Phong and Hai Lang districts; with his trousers rolled up above his knees and carrying his sandals, he wades through the fields to join the farmers harvesting the winter-spring rice crop. He cheerfully boasts to the farmers: "I'm Pham Phuoc, from Quang Binh. Back then, I participated in the construction of the Nam Thach Han irrigation dam." Hearing the name Pham Phuoc, many exclaimed: "Mr. Phuoc is considered the chief engineer of the Nam Thach Han construction site... right?" He smiles warmly, moved: "Yes, yes... even now, the people still remember!"
“Every revolution has its difficulties and advantages. The merger of Quang Binh and Quang Tri provinces into the new Quang Tri province is no exception. But if the entire Party and people of the two provinces agree and prioritize the common good, it will succeed. That lesson, I have personally learned from my many positions and from my practical experience in building the Nam Thach Han mega-project,” Mr. Pham Phuoc shared. |
An old farmer approached Mr. Pham Phuoc, shaking his hand and saying, "I'm Nguyen Huu Hoat, I wonder if the commander still remembers me... a soldier from the Nam Thach Han construction site!" Through their conversations about building the Thach Han reservoir, they recognized each other. Mr. Nguyen Huu Hoat (born in 1948) from Trieu Long commune, Trieu Phong district (formerly), was a former civil servant of the old regime. After liberation, he was recruited by the revolutionary government to participate in the construction site as a Company Commander, belonging to the Trieu Hai Irrigation Division.
Through Mr. Hoat's introduction, Mr. Pham Phuoc gradually reunited with many of his comrades and fellow workers, such as Mr. Ngo Mon (born in 1955), a champion earth-carrying worker at the Nam Thach Han construction site; and Ms. Ngo Thi Bich (born in 1958), who joined the large-scale construction site at the age of 19 and was injured while digging earth at the main N2 canal through Long Hung village, Hai Phu commune (formerly Hai Lang district)...
“In the construction of the Nam Thach Han mega-project, the number of troops at its peak was about 73,000, mobilized from the entire Binh Tri Thien province. Each district organized a division named after its locality: Tuyen Hoa, Quang Trach, Bo Trach, Dong Hoi, Le Ninh, Ben Hai, Dong Ha, Trieu Hai, Huong Dien, Phu Loc, Nam Dong, Hue City... But the greatest contributions came from Quang Binh and Quang Tri. The people of Trieu Phong and Hai Lang always remember their compatriots from Quang Binh, and remember Uncle Pham Phuoc,” Mr. Hoat recalled.
The Nam Thach Han mega-project viewed from above - Photo: NTL
At lunchtime, in a farming family's home in Trieu Phong district, Mr. Pham Phuoc decided to stay and have lunch with them. The simple, rustic meal consisted of white rice, braised snakehead fish, a bowl of sour soup, and a plate of sweet potato leaves with fish sauce... He ate, feeling the deliciousness and warmth of the family's hospitality. He told them, "It feels like I've come home, back to my homeland!"
I asked Mr. Pham Phuoc about what took away his memory after visiting his second home, Quang Tri. He answered succinctly: "Emotions!"
Then he explained: "The sentiment of camaraderie between the two regions, which share many historical similarities; the close ties, shared hardships, joys, and sorrows during the two wars of resistance against France and the United States to save the country."
The unwavering affection of the people of Quang Tri for me and the people of Quang Binh, who once shared the burden of building the Nam Thach Han project, bringing food and clothing to the people of Quang Tri, remains just as valuable today and will continue to be so in the future. This loyalty, integrity, and solidarity will undoubtedly be the core values that create strength on the path of integration and development when the two provinces become one.
But we shouldn't let emotions cloud our judgment about whether it's "your province" or "my province," but rather define it as "our province," thereby creating a unified whole in awareness and action; in leadership and guidance; in the application and exploitation of existing potentials and strengths... This will help the new Quang Tri province to quickly break through and form a new growth pole in the North Central region, as directed by General Secretary To Lam."
Ngo Thanh Long
Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/nguoi-cua-hai-que-194706.htm
