In accordance with Regulation No. 1483/QC-PH dated June 16, 2019, between the Political Department of Military Region 2 and the Steering Committee for Coordinating Activities of 9 Provinces in the Region, the Provincial Steering Committee for Coordinating Mass Mobilization Work (Provincial Steering Committee 190) has closely followed its assigned tasks and developed a plan for coordination between the provincial armed forces and member units. It has also established survey teams to assess the situation regarding mass mobilization, ethnic groups, and religions in the districts and cities within the province.

Border Guard officers and officials from Muong Lan commune, Sop Cop district, exchange techniques on fruit tree care with local people. Photo: Truong Son

Member agencies closely follow the grassroots level and program content to coordinate inspection and supervision of mass mobilization work, linking it with patriotic emulation movements and campaigns launched by the Central Government and the province, effectively carrying out tasks of economic and social development and consolidating national defense and security.

During the period 2019-2024, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and its members organized over 26,000 campaigns to educate and mobilize the people to refrain from illegal border crossings, the re-cultivation of opium poppies, the illegal transportation, trading, storage, and use of narcotics; and the illegal propagation of religious doctrines. They also guided the people in applying science and technology, transforming the structure of crops and livestock, and improving the efficiency of agricultural and forestry production.

Simultaneously, hundreds of sections on national defense were developed, special pages were published in Son La Newspaper, legal education was disseminated at the grassroots level, and resolutions of the Party and the strategy for national defense in the new situation were publicized; provinces and centrally-administered cities were built into solid defense zones; the study and emulation of Ho Chi Minh's ideology, ethics, and style were promoted... Public opinion was guided on complex issues and hotspots in resolving land disputes and land clearance; good examples and good deeds were highlighted; successful production and business models; poverty reduction... for union members, association members, and armed forces soldiers to learn from and replicate.

Leaders of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province are disseminating information to the people on effectively implementing religious affairs in Song Ma district. Photo: Nguyen Thu.

Colonel Ha Van Dung, Deputy Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command, shared: The unit has integrated mass mobilization work with the implementation of the Government's Project "Promoting the role of the People's Army in participating in the dissemination and education of law, and mobilizing people to comply with the law at the grassroots level in the period 2021-2027". We proactively coordinate with departments, agencies, mass organizations, and localities to disseminate information to officers, soldiers, and people in remote, mountainous, and border areas about the Law on Military Service; the Law on Road Traffic; the Law on Cybersecurity; the Law on Marriage and Family; regulations, rules, and regimes related to the armed forces. This dissemination is carried out through various forms, such as posting documents, audio files, and videos on mass media, websites of agencies and units, and social media accounts... In addition, we organize exhibitions of books and legal documents; distribute leaflets for propaganda; Oral propaganda by the team of speakers.

Improving people's living standards

The mass mobilization work of the Provincial Steering Committee 190 has been linked to promoting economic development models, supporting sustainable poverty reduction, improving people's lives, and building civilized, green, clean, and beautiful urban areas. During the period 2019-2024, 747 economic development models were established; 1,643 women's households were supported to escape poverty, and 846 women started businesses. Support was provided in the form of supplies, fertilizers, agricultural machinery, and livestock worth over 5.1 billion VND; technical guidance on production was provided to 25,565 people; and support was given to the construction of 392 production and business development models. Member units coordinated to organize vocational training and create jobs for 12,900 union members, association members, and soldiers who completed their military service.

Leaders of the Thuận Châu District Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Department are encouraging residents of Quỳnh Thuận village, Chiềng Pha commune, to participate in building new rural areas. Photo: PV

Ms. Bui Thanh Thuy, President of the Provincial Women's Union, stated: The mass mobilization work focuses on encouraging members to overcome difficulties and strive to successfully complete assigned tasks, affirming the position of women in the family and society. Over 1,100 women have been awarded the title of "Outstanding Woman". More than 4,100 households have met the criteria of "Family with 5 No's and 3 Cleanliness Standards" or "Family with 5 Yes's and 3 Cleanliness Standards"; hundreds of members' houses have been awarded the "Clean House, Beautiful Garden" and "Green House" plaques.

Member units also coordinated with philanthropists, charitable organizations, and localities to support the construction and repair of 4,795 "Great Solidarity" houses, "Comrade Houses," "100 Dong Houses," "Farmers' Association Shelters," "Shelters of Love," "Trade Union Shelters," and "Humanitarian Houses," totaling 239 billion VND. They also supported 3,755 poor students who excelled academically and poor households in developing their economy. Member units coordinated the organization of programs such as "Spring Border Guard: Warming the Hearts of the People," "Spring of Solidarity - Tet: A Heartwarming Celebration of Military and Civilian Affection," "Tet for the Poor and Victims of Agent Orange," "Humanitarian Tet," "Humanitarian Month," and "Campaign for Each Organization and Individual to Be Associated with a Humanitarian Cause." Through these programs, nearly 458,700 gifts were distributed, totaling nearly 132.317 billion VND.

Specifically, the dry season border protection campaign combined with civilian outreach work, the "Spring of Solidarity - Tet of Warmth between Soldiers and Civilians" program organized in Chieng Xuan commune, Van Ho district; Chieng Son commune, Moc Chau district; Chieng Phung commune, Song Ma district; Pung Banh commune, Muong Leo commune, Sop Cop district, helped people pour concrete for 400m of rural roads; helped 12 families with particularly difficult circumstances repair their houses; donated thousands of gifts, along with necessities and scholarships to poor students with good academic achievements. The "Army Officers and Soldiers Helping Children Go to School" project has sponsored and supported 30 students, with an amount exceeding 450 million VND per year.

Building a strong grassroots political system.

Annually, the Provincial Military Command has directed its subordinate agencies and units to effectively carry out military recruitment work, combined with selecting and training cadres for remote and border communes. Over the past five years (2019-2024), thousands of ethnic minority citizens from particularly difficult villages, highlands, and border areas have been recruited for military service. Among them, 421 outstanding Youth Union members participated in Party awareness classes, and 180 were admitted into the Party. The Provincial Border Guard Command advised local authorities on the admission of 415 new Party members; and strengthened and consolidated 86 grassroots Party organizations, 65 mass organizations, and 73 management boards of border villages.

The Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Song Ma district is promoting the "Clean Garden, Beautiful House" model among female members of Chieng Khoong commune. Photo: Nguyen Thu

The Party Committee of the Provincial Border Guard Command directed border guard posts to assign 365 Party members to be in charge of 745 households in 174 villages of 17 border communes; 72 Party members from border guard posts participated in activities at border village Party branches. In coordination with the Provincial Party Committee's Organization Department, they advised the Provincial Party Standing Committee to appoint 6 Border Guard Post commanders to the Party Committees of 6 border districts for the 2020-2025 term. The Standing Committees of the 6 border districts appointed 17 officers from border guard posts to the Party Standing Committees of 17 border communes, holding the position of deputy secretary of the commune Party committee. The Provincial Military Command coordinated with the 326th Economic-Defense Brigade to survey and evaluate the activities of political and social organizations in 8 communes; and provided assistance to 45 political and social organizations in high-altitude border villages facing many difficulties.

Lieutenant Colonel Lo Van Tich, Political Officer of the Chieng Khuong Border Gate Border Guard Station, Song Ma District, shared: "The unit has assigned Party members to participate in activities at Party branches in border villages and special Party branches of the commune. Through these activities, Party members gain a better understanding of the political security situation and social order in the area, enabling them to advise the local Party committee, government, and unit commanders on timely resolution of incidents, preventing the occurrence of 'hot spots' in the area."

Building on the achievements, the Provincial Steering Committee 190 has set out nine key tasks. These include focusing on disseminating the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's laws and regulations on national defense and security, directives and resolutions from the Central and local authorities, and the province's socio-economic development plan. They also involve coordinating and participating in building and strengthening the all-people national defense posture, linked with the people's security posture, protecting the sovereignty and border security of the Fatherland. Furthermore, they encourage the people to actively participate in socio-economic development programs and maintain local national defense and security.

Hong Luan