Promoting the role of reputable people among ethnic minorities

Over the past years, reputable people in the area have promoted their role and affirmed a very important position among ethnic minorities.

A leader of Van Quan District Police Station provides reputable people in the area with information about security and order

Trusted by the people and voted as a reputable person, Mr. Vi Van Xuan, born in 1959, Binh Trung village, Van An commune, Chi Lang district, always wondered how to further develop his village. Mr. Xuan said: “I always bear in mind that my family and I must pioneer and be exemplary in everything, then we encourage the people in the village to follow us. From 2020 up to now, I have coordinated to encourage people in the village to donate over 90 million VND, 1,800m² of land for concrete roads and supported 8 million VND to build village road lighting projects. At the same time, we regularly encourage people to maintain security and order, practice a civilized lifestyle, eliminate superstitions… In the past 3 years, the village has continuously been recognized as a cultural residential area.”

Currently, there are 1,649 reputable people in the province, including 1,428 men and 221 women, 26 village elders and village heads; 11 family and clan heads; 343 retired officers; 126 heads of villages, hamlets, and city blocks; 108 Secretaries of Party cells; 36 priests, shamans… In addition to Mr. Vi Van Xuan, a reputable person in Binh Trung village, Van An commune, in recent years, with their prestige and responsibility, reputable people among ethnic minorities among ethnic minorities have proved to be a positive factor in encouraging people to well comply with the Party’s guidelines, the State’s policies and laws and to maintain security and order, to emulate in production, socio-economic development, to respond to local movements and activities…

According to statistics, on average, each year, reputable people provide about 1,000 valuable sources of information to help functional forces prevent and fight against crime and law violations at the grassroots level; they encourage people to donate about 15,000m² of land to build public works and new rural areas. At the same time, in the past 3 years, reputable people have successfully reconciled more than 70% of conflicts in the community, up nearly 10% compared to the period 2015 – 2018. In many areas, reputable people have played an important role in persuading people to move their house for construction projects, typically in Lang Son city.

Ms. Hoang Thi Huyen, Chairwoman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Lang Son city, said: “In the city, there are currently 87 reputable people in 87 villages and city blocks. They are considered a “special mass force” in the community, the nucleus of building a great solidarity bloc, they gather and encourage others to agree with socio-economic development policies and plans of the city, including urban decoration projects. In 2022, thanks to reputable people in the area encouraging the movement of houses for site clearance, Lang Son city has handed over land of 9 projects to investors for construction. In the first 8 months of 2023, site clearance for 6 projects has been completed.”

It is known that in order for reputable people to promote their roles in all areas of social life, every year, relevant levels and branches of the province, districts and Lang Son organize training conferences providing information to reputable people. Moreover, they receive benefits such as gifts on Lunar New Year, sick visit, books and newspapers according to regulations.

Mr. Lang Van Hien, Head of the Professional Division, Provincial Committee for Ethnic Affairs, said: “From 2021 up to now, the division has advised the Provincial Committee for Ethnic Affairs to coordinate with People’s Committees of districts and Lang Son to organize over 30 training conferences to provide information on propaganda skills, knowledge about national defense – security and socio-economic development for more than 2,700 prestigious people. At the same time, each year, the Committee coordinates to organize one trip for prestigious people to visit and learn from experiences in provinces and cities. Thereby, it helps them promote their role, improve operational efficiency, contributing to maintaining security and order, and socio-economic development in the locality.”

Recognizing the achievements, from 2022 up to now, the Provincial Committee for Ethnic Affairs has awarded certificates of merit to 60 prestigious people, and the People’s Committees of some districts have awarded certificates of merit to 40 typical prestigious people in the area.