The strength of the people in protecting national security in religious areas

The vast majority of religious followers comply well with the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws, actively participate in patriotic emulation movements, live a good life, respect God and love the country, unite in labor and production, develop the economy , culture and society, contributing to building a rich, strong and civilized homeland and country.

Police of Rung Thong town, Dong Son district visited and discussed with parishioners about security and order situation. (Source: Government Committee for Religious Affairs)

Infrastructure investment, serving development

From 2014 to present, implementing Directive No. 09 of the Ministry of Public Security on "Promoting the movement of the entire people to protect national security among religious people", Party committees, authorities and Steering Committee 138 from the province to the grassroots have focused on leading, directing and synchronously and effectively implementing the Party's guidelines and policies, and the State's policies and laws on religion.

In particular, the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Committee and districts, towns and cities have issued many programs, plans and investment projects for economic and social development; allocating hundreds of billions of VND to invest in and build infrastructure, irrigation systems, traffic and other welfare works in areas with ethnic minorities.

In particular, in recent years, implementing the National Target Program on “New Rural Development”, Thanh Hoa province has prioritized resources, focused on investment, upgrading infrastructure, developing industries, shifting economic structure, ensuring social security, developing culture, education, health care, changing the face of rural areas of religious communities. The material and spiritual life of believers has been increasingly improved, the rate of poor households has decreased rapidly.

Religious people united and enthusiastically participated in the movements "When drinking water, remember its source", "Repaying gratitude", "Encouraging learning and talent", "All people unite to build a cultural life in residential areas", "Living a good life and a good religion" with 10 contents including "Seven good lives", "Three good religions", "Peaceful religious land, cultural family", "Progressing pagodas"...

From 2022 to present, through activities during the National Day for National Security Protection, the whole province has organized nearly 1,200 conferences to disseminate the law combined with mobilizing religious people, especially those with religious positions and prestige. Every year, over 80% of religious households are recognized as cultural families and model families. Religious people actively practice the motto of living a compassionate life, harmonizing religion and life, avoiding evil, moving towards good, building a peaceful, prosperous and happy life.

Thanks to good propaganda work, the work of building and consolidating the grassroots political system, up to now, 100% of villages, hamlets and neighborhoods in the religious areas have grassroots party organizations and mass organizations operating. The whole province currently has 1,715 party members who are religious.

The number of religious followers participating in the government apparatus at all levels is increasing; their roles and operational effectiveness are increasingly promoted. Many dignitaries, monks and nuns, and religious officials are elected by the people to participate in People's Councils at all levels; many outstanding religious followers are selected to take on key full-time and part-time positions in the political system and are the core force for security and order work at the grassroots level.

Every year, authorities at all levels regularly maintain, meet, exchange, and have direct dialogue with dignitaries, officials, and prestigious people in an open, receptive, and frank spirit, creating trust, attachment, and strengthening friendly relations between the authorities and the church, together promptly resolving issues arising related to religious activities.

With the responsibility of being both a "guide" for parishioners to participate in religious activities and a good citizen of the country, many dignitaries, officials, and prestigious people have actively promoted and mobilized parishioners to live a good life, practice good religion, voluntarily participate in patriotic emulation movements, and ensure security and order in religious areas.

Currently, Thanh Hoa province has 4 main religions recognized by the State in operation, including: Buddhism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Cao Dai, with a total number of followers of about 330 thousand people (accounting for about 8.6% of the province's population).

Replicate many self-management models on security and order

From 2014 to present, Thanh Hoa Provincial Police has advised the Provincial Steering Committee 138 to lead and direct provincial departments, branches, organizations and localities to promote the construction and replication of advanced models and examples suitable to the characteristics and conditions of each unit and locality, in order to promote creativity, proactiveness, and self-awareness of dignitaries, officials, monks and nuns and people of all religions to actively participate in the movement to protect national security, and well implement the criteria of "Self-prevention, self-management, self-protection, self-reconciliation" on national security right from the grassroots level.

According to statistics, out of a total of 749 self-defense and self-management models on security and order in the province, 87 models in the religious areas have been built, replicated and effectively promoted, such as: the model "Peaceful parish, happy family"; "Peaceful Phu Hanh parish, cultural family", "Peaceful parish, respecting God and loving the country" in Thanh Hoa city; "Peaceful parish - cultural family" in Nga Son, Tho Xuan, Quang Xuong, Nong Cong, Thieu Hoa districts; "Peaceful parish" in Sam Son city; "Exemplary Catholic family" in Thach Thanh district; the models "Bright heart, good direction", "Progressive pagoda", "Three safeties" on security and order, "Living a good life, good religion" in almost all Buddhist places of worship...

The police of Sam Son city, Thanh Hoa province actively promoted and encouraged religious establishments in the area to hang the national flag during holidays and Tet. (Source: Cong Thuong Newspaper)

Over the past 10 years, religious people in the province have provided the police force with over 4,000 sources of information, including nearly 1,500 valuable sources of information on security and order, helping the authorities fight and handle thousands of cases and matters related to security and order; participating in managing, educating, reforming, and helping hundreds of people who have made mistakes; reconciling nearly 85% of complicated cases and matters arising right at the grassroots level; mobilizing 100% of religious establishments and private homes of believers to hang the national flag on important holidays.

Along with religious activities, over the past 10 years, religious organizations and followers in the province have actively participated in social activities, joining hands to build new rural areas. Since 2017, religious people have voluntarily contributed to building new rural areas with a total amount of over 54 billion VND, donated nearly 300 hectares of land, 209 thousand working days, repaired and renovated many village cultural houses, more than 2,000 km of rural roads and hundreds of km of lighting....

Social charity activities, donations to support the "Fund for the Poor", "Repaying gratitude", "Agent Orange Fund" and support for people affected by natural disasters and floods, helping households with housing difficulties. In particular, Buddhism has mobilized nearly 200 billion VND in support for social charity activities since 2017; Catholicism mobilizes an average of over 10 billion VND in support annually.

In particular, since implementing Directive No. 08 of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee "On promoting the movement for the entire population to support and help poor households without housing, living in temporary, dilapidated houses and stabilizing people living on the river", Thanh Hoa province has provided land for housing and mobilized socio-political organizations and people in the area, especially the Caritas Committee of Thanh Hoa Catholic Diocese, to support the construction of Great Unity houses for 182 Catholic families living on the river in general and Catholics living on the shore to stabilize their lives.

This is a correct and very timely policy of Thanh Hoa province, which is gradually spreading widely and permeating the thinking and actions of Thanh Hoa people.

The results and experiences drawn after 10 years of implementing Directive No. 09 are an important premise to continue to effectively promote the mass movement to protect national security in religious areas.

87 models in the religious areas have been built, replicated and effectively promoted, such as: the model "Peaceful parish, happy family"; "Peaceful Phu Hanh parish, cultural family", "Peaceful parish, respecting God and loving the country" in Thanh Hoa city; "Peaceful parish - cultural family" in Nga Son, Tho Xuan, Quang Xuong, Nong Cong, Thieu Hoa districts; "Peaceful parish" in Sam Son city; "Exemplary Catholic family" in Thach Thanh district; the models "Bright heart, good direction", "Progressive pagoda", "Three safeties" in terms of security and order, "Living a good life, good religion" in almost all Buddhist places of worship.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/suc-manh-toan-dan-trong-bao-ve-an-ninh-to-quoc-vung-dong-bao-ton-giao-295512.html