The "fire keeper" in Kram village

She is H'Bliăk Niê (commonly known as Amí Bơng), the one who "keeps the flame" of faith burning, ensuring that the hearts of the Êđê people always turn towards the Party and the State.

At sixty years old, her hair was streaked with gray, but Amí Bơng's eyes were still as sharp as a kơ-tia bird, and her voice was as clear and resonant as the gongs celebrating the New Year. She said, "The hearts of our people are very simple, like a betel nut tree that only knows how to grow straight. But evil people are like venomous snakes, always wanting to crawl into the dark places to spit venom, making our people's minds blind."

Ms. H'Bliăk Niê is a model of successful production and a respected village elder among her people.

With 31 years of Party membership and over 30 years dedicated to social work, from her time as Party Secretary of the commune to her important position as Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the former Cư Kuin district, Ms. H'Bliăk has always held one belief: To gain the people's attention, one must be a person of the people. During the years 2001, 2004, and 2008, when the "ghost" of FULRO incited riots, she tirelessly stayed in the "core areas." She believed that guns and bullets could only stop actions, but a sincere heart was what truly won people's hearts.

Amí Bơng recounted the years of implementing Program 134, when the people lacked arable land. She, along with the local Party committee and government, mobilized well-off households to share every inch of land with impoverished families. “When the stomachs are full and the feet have land to stand on, the words of the wicked will fall into the abyss,” she said with a gentle smile. That is the root of mass mobilization work, aiming to build “the people’s hearts” from the simplest things.

Returning to her village after retiring in 2016, Ms. H'Bliăk did not choose to enjoy her old age peacefully. When hostile forces exploited social media to lure young people, she continued her journey of campaigning and mobilizing the masses.

She recalled the period of 2018-2019 when she was invited by authorities to participate in dialogues and re-education programs for former prisoners. Some initially met her with disdain and resentment. She used compassion and a sense of brotherhood to win them over. She asked them about their corn fields, their children's education, and the pain of mothers and wives whose husbands and sons had been deceived into doing bad things. She recounted: "I told them that the Party and the State are like parents, never abandoning their misguided children. Only FULRO would abandon its members in the jungle, in hunger, and in prison." Through these heartfelt words, she successfully persuaded over 30 individuals to return to honest work and maintain security in their villages.

In particular, during the tragic terrorist attack that occurred in the early morning of June 11, 2023, amidst widespread panic, Ms. H'Bliăk stepped forward to reassure the public; she directly met with those holding misguided views, clearly showing them the brutal face of the reactionary forces. She exposed the conspiracy to divide national unity, reminding her compatriots that: Ede and Kinh people are all brothers and sisters under the flag of the Fatherland.

Today, faced with the "poison" of the internet, she spends her time talking to young people, exchanging ideas, and guiding them on how to distinguish between real and fake news. She says: "The fact that phones make your hands move faster than your brain is very dangerous. You have to look at the truth. Our village now has electricity, roads, and schools, thanks to the Party, the State, and the government taking care of the people. Bad people won't give you a single grain of rice or corn. They'll use sweet words to entice and lure you in, saying there's food and money there, and sometimes they'll even trick you into being sold!"

Thanks to Amí Bơng's contributions, Kram village has always been a shining example of security and order. Local defense and military affairs have been strengthened from within. The people of Kram village also admire Amí Bơng for her economic development. From her orchards to her livestock farms, she has created jobs for dozens of people.

The story of Ami Bong illustrates the irreplaceable role of respected figures among ethnic minority communities. They are "living landmarks" protecting national sovereignty and security with their love for their homeland and unwavering faith in the Party and the State.

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