Promote the role of the People’s Public Security in the movement of “All people protecting national security”
Our Party and President Ho Chi Minh attached great importance early on to building up the Movement of “All people protecting national security” (hereafter the Movement). Thoroughly grasping this viewpoint, the People’s Public Security has adopted measures to organise the Movement and achieved positive results. To respond to the new mission requirements, it is extremely important to continue promoting the role of the People’s Public Security in the Movement.
Recognising its functions and assigned tasks, since its inception, the People’s Public Security has always maintained a close-knit bond with the masses, relying on people to form a widespread revolutionary action movement, with a view to ensuring national security, political security, and social order and safety nationwide. The two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists witnessed such movements for national security and order protection. After the Southern Liberation and National Reunification, “The Mass Movement to protect national security” dramatically developed, which encouraged the high-level participation of a large number of citizens. Entering the period of national renewal and international integration, against the increased requirements set by security and order protection, on June 13th, 2005, the then Prime Minister issued the Decision No.521/QD-TTg on the Festive Day of “All People Protecting National Security.” On December 12th, 2005, the then President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam signed the Order No.30/2005/L-CTN announcing the Law on the People’s Public Security, whose Article 11 specified: “Annually, the nineteenth of August is the traditional day of the People’s Public Security and the Festive Day of All People Protecting National Security.”
On August 1st, 2005, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) promulgated the Document No.72/HD-BCA(V11) to give instructions to ministries, branches and People’s Committees of provinces and municipalities on implementing the Prime Minister’s Decision No.521/QĐ-TTg. It also developed the Plan No.110/KH-BCA(X11) on December 16th, 2005 to direct police units to advise party committees and authorities and cooperate with departments, branches, bodies at the same level in realising the Prime Minister’s Decision. Right in 2005, it launched and widely, deeply executed the movement entitled “cadres and soldiers of the People’s Public Security sacrifice themselves to serve the country and the people” within the entire force, while actively conducting the work of propagation and education to raise the public awareness of the Festive Day of “All People Protecting National Security.”
Since then, the People’s Public Security has actively counselled the Party and the State to enforce numerous policies on the Movement, proactively issued comprehensive action plans and guiding documents, simultaneously reviewed the movement and rewarded collectives as well as individuals with outstanding achievements in the Movement. Besides, the MPS has focused on building the force responsible for promoting the people’s role in security and order protection, especially at grass-roots level. Up to now, a specialised force for the Movement has been established and closely, systematically organised from ministerial to grass-roots levels. Thoroughly grasping the Directive No.09-CT/TW, dated December 1st, 2011 by the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat on “Strengthening the Party’s leadership over the Movement in the new situation”, the Central Public Security Party Committee and the MPS have signed a lot of resolutions, programmes and plans to cooperate with ministries, branches and localities in encouraging the people’s role in security and order protection, such as the Programme 09/Ctr-BCA-MTTQ, dated August 1st, 2013 for coordination between the MPS and the Standing Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front in enhancing the Movement. Meanwhile, they have formulated joint resolutions with the Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union on “crime and social evil prevention and combat among adolescents,” with the Veterans Association of Vietnam on “collaboration in building the movement of national security protection” and “performing the task of national security and order protection in the current situation,” with Vietnam General Confederation of Labor on “educating workers and employees not to commit crimes and social evils,” and with the Vietnam Farmers’ Union on “Encouraging the participation of farmers in crime prevention and fighting.”
When maintaining security and order, police officers and soldiers have persistently followed the Party’s basic guidelines, thoroughly grasped and creatively applied President Ho Chi Minh’s viewpoint of “skillful mass mobilisation,” got firm hold of local situation, promptly understood people’s thought and aspirations, and taken initiative in renewing the contents, form, method of improving the people’s role in security and order protection. As a result, the quality of promoting the people’s role in the Movement has been continuously raised. The people have provided “tens of millions of pieces of information” on security and order, about 70% of which have enabled functional bodies to detect, investigate and solve a lot of criminal cases.”
However, despite the achieved results, there have been shortcomings in the Movement. Several police officers and soldiers, units and localities have not been fully aware of the Movement’s importance. They have lacked initiative in counselling party committees and authorities to lead, direct and organise the Movement. The work of propagation and education aimed at raising the people’s awareness of their rights and responsibilities in crime prevention and fighting as well as security and order protection has not been regularly conducted. The contents and forms of building and organising the Movement have not been diverse or attractive enough to draw public attention. The core force in security and order protection, particularly at grass-roots level has not been powerful enough. Coordination between the People’s Public Security, the People’s Army and other forces within the political system has not been maintained regularly. Policies and mechanisms to facilitate the Movement have, to some extent, not satisfied the task requirements.
In the coming time, the international and domestic situation will experience new developments, which affect the role of the People’s Public Security in the Movement. The hostile forces will continue intensifying their plots of “peaceful revolution” and “depoliticisation” of our armed forces with more sophisticated and cunning conspiracies. Domestically, under the leadership of the Party, although the country has gained great achievements in all fields, some weaknesses still remain. More seriously, corruption and deterioration in political ideology, morals and lifestyle have exerted negative impacts on the role of People’s Public Security in the Movement. In order to overcome these weaknesses, it is essential to well perform the following tasks.
Firstly, raise the People’s Public Security’s officers and soldiers’ awareness of their role and responsibilities in the Movement. It is vital to fully understand that the building of the movement is the responsibility of the entire People’s Public Security. Simultaneously, specific programs and plans to carry out this work must be adjusted to each field, each type of object and geographical area in accordance with the assigned tasks and functions. This work must be seen as a criterion for staff evaluation and for assessment of units and agencies’ task fulfilment.
Secondly, make the People’s Public Security clean, strong and closely linked with the people. In the short run, the apparatus must be neatly arranged to ensure effective operation. Due attention should be paid to preventing and repelling deterioration in political ideology, morals, and lifestyle as well as “self-evolution” and “self-transformation”, stepping up the fight against corruption and wastefulness, well performing the work of political, ideological, legal and professional education for cadres and soldiers, especially for the security and order protection force at grass-roots level. Moreover, greater importance should be attached to actively fighting to defeat the enemy’s plot to undermine the close-knit bond between the People’s Public Security and the people as well as between the People’s Public Security and the People’s Army. Police leaders at units and localities should regularly educate cadres and soldiers to strictly comply with regulations and code of conduct when they contact and work with the people, ensuring that they will always respect and protect the people’s mastery.
Thirdly, strengthen collaboration with the People’s Army, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Central Mass Mobilisation Committee, ministries, branches and localities to gather the people in the Movement. The Steering Committee on the Movement needs to be consolidated, with the quality of its operations being increased. Emphasis should be laid on researching, promulgating and supplementing documents to define functions, tasks and power of each member of the Steering Committee as well as improving the quality and efficiency of its leadership and direction over the Movement.
Fourthly, proactively advise competence authorities on formulating and perfecting the system of legal documents, mechanisms and policies to specify the Party’s and State’s guidelines on the building of the Movement. More investments should be made in technical facilities while policies should be adopted to promptly encourage and reward those who take vital part in protecting security and order as well as in building the Movement. Consideration should be given to counselling party committees and authorities at all levels to promulgate action plans and guiding documents on developing the Movement. Great value should be attached to continuing to consolidate the political system and effectively implement the Democracy Regulation at grass-roots level as well as ensure the people’s material and spiritual life.
Fifthly, adopt appropriate policies and measures and renew the contents and forms of promoting the Movement effectively, practically in accordance with each locality and area’s particularities. The People’s Public Security should regularly educate the people on their awareness, responsibility, rights and obligations in the Movement, improve the efficiency of mass mobilisation, and bring into play the role of persons with great prestige and religious dignitaries in building the Movement in areas inhabited by a large number of ethnic minorities and religious people. Last but not least, the Movement needs to be combined with the Patriotic Emulation movement launched by the Party, the State, ministries, departments, branches, unions and localities.
NGUYEN VIET HUNG, The People’s Security Academy