PANO – Apart from maintaining security of the national border, over the past years, border posts in Huong Hoa and Dakrong Districts of Quang Tri Province effectively built up Hamlet sisterhood model among hamlets in different localities along Vietnam-Lao border. This model helped strengthen their relations and production to improve the living standards. More importantly the model also helped raise local people’s awareness of strictly observing the Border Law.
In April, 2005, the Quang Tri Border Command held a ceremony for Ka Tang Hamlet (Lao Bao Town, Huong Hoa) of Vietnam to swear sisterhood with Densavan Hamlet (Sepon District, Savannakhét Province of Laos). This succesful model has been replicated to various places and at present 46 hamlets of the two countries have followed the model.
Mr. Kon Thuong, Party committee secretary of La Lay Hamlet (A Ngo Commune, Dakrong) shared: “In spite of being separated by a border line, La Lay Viet and La Lay Lao are sisters and brothers. We usually help La Lay Lao overcome difficulties”.
In 2008, La Lay Viet Hamlet presented 2,000 cajuput seedlings and 1,000 orchard trees such as oranges, grapefruits and rice strains to people in La Hay Lao and also instructed them how to cultivate and care these seeds. Besides, La Lay Viet funded the Lao Hamlet to build a school, offered 500kg of rice, 100kg of salt, 1,000 books and notebooks and 1,000 pencils. It showed Vietnamese love and care to their Lao sisters and brothers. In 2009, Tu Muoi District (Laos) was seriously suffered from the No.9 storm, Dakrong district offered 15 tons of rice to these people but the relief aid could not reach them because the A Ngo bridge was flooded. The La Lay border post’ troops and La Lay Viet people had to cross the river to deliver the relief to the Lao flood victims. La Lay Viet hamlet also helped their Lao brothers repair and build new 27 houses.
Similarly Loa Hamlet (Ba Tang Commune, Huong Hoa district of Vietnam is twinned with A Ra Hamlet (Laos), in 2001, Loa Hamlet assisted A Ra Hamlet complete its road for motorbikes and trucks so that local people can sell their products to Vietnam. In the past, to pass by between two hamlets, local people had to get across 3km in jungle.
On festival days, Loa Hamlet’s leaders visit, inquire after and present gifts to needy families in A Ra. The Vietnamese people also guide A Ra people to build mini hydro-power plants. In return, people in A Ra Hamlet provided building materials to in Loa Hamlet to build new houses.
Visiting Cu Bai Hamlet (Huong Lap Commune, Huong Hoa in Vietnam) a sister hamlet of Rac Hamlet (Laos), reporter was introduced to several practical activities conducted by the border troops and local people. Cu Bai border post and local residents offered more than 7,000 cajuput seedlings to people in Rac hamlet. In October, 2009, Cu Bai border post’s troops, in association with local youths built a 20km- long road linking Cu Bai to Rac hamlets and extended to Lao Kapai Commune, creating convenient conditions to two nations’ people to travel and do business.
Reported by Minh Anh
Translated by Van Hieu