Mass mobilisation in the Army in general and the local armed forces, in particular, plays a decisive role in the task fulfilment of agencies and units. Being well aware of that and being imbued with Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, the provincial armed forces (PAF) of Phu Tho attach importance to this work by applying practical and effective models and measures, thus strengthening the relationship between the army and the people and consolidating the “people’s hearts and minds” posture.

Following President Ho Chi Minh teaching “Every regular force, local force, and militia has to stay close to the people or they are bound to fail. It is to win people’s hearts, trust, and love”, over the year, the PAF have closely followed the situations and the military and national defence tasks, mobilised and gathered a large number of forces and resources to synchronously and extensively implement contents, forms, and methods of carrying out mass mobilisation in the localities. Under the motto “staying close to the people, respecting, and understanding them” and the spirit of serving the people for the their sake, the PAF’s mass mobilisation has achieved significant results, helping to raise people’s awareness, alleviate poverty and eradicate hunger; preserve and promote the national cultural identity; repel social evils and unsound customs; gradually improve people’s spiritual and material life, thus successfully implementing the province’s socio-economic development programmes and goals. Therefore, a consensus on awareness and responsibility in leading, directing, and implementing mass mobilisation is created, thus enhancing the glorious tradition and the qualities of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers”, strengthening the relationship between the army and the people as well as the great national unity bloc, and the people’s trust in the Party, the State and the Army.

A meeting between the provincial mass work task force and Phu Ninh district military command on mass mobilisation work (Photo: danvan.vn)

Implementing President Ho Chi Minh’s teaching that “Mass mobilisation is of paramount importance…Skilful mass mobilisation leads to success in everything”, the PAF’s Party Committee and Command have always thoroughly grasped and strictly followed the guidelines of the Party, the policies and laws of the State, the resolutions, directives, and instructions of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defence, the General Department of Politics, the Military Region, the Provincial Committee for Mass Mobilisation, etc. on mass mobilisation, ethnic and religious work in the new situation. On that basis, leading and directing units and agencies to develop plans and implement annual and periodic mass mobilisation in a scientific, practical and appropriate manner. Regularly reviewing, supplementing, and perfecting the system of regulations; assigning committee members to be in charge of monitoring, inspecting, urging, and taking responsibility for the results of mass mobilisation in agencies and units. Political commissars, junior political commissars, and commanders at all levels always attach great importance to educating, mastering, and raising awareness of the roles, responsibility and affection for cadres, soldiers, and militiamen in implementing mass mobilisation. At the same time, regularly consolidating the contingent of cadres engaged in mass mobilisation; establishing working groups and teams, organising groups and periods to conduct mass mobilisation in the localities, especially where there are socio-economic hardships. Military commands of districts, towns, and cities have well promoted their advisory role to assist local party committees and authorities in leading, directing, and implementing mass mobilisation; proactively advising and coordinating in tackling complex cases at the grassroots level, thus maintaining political security, social order and safety. Strictly maintaining the regime of briefings to exchange information and grasp the situation of the localities; sharing and learning experiences in building typical models and examples; fostering and improving the qualifications and skills of officers engaged in mass mobilisation. To create unity, the provincial Military Command signs annual cooperation programmes with the following organisations: Veterans Association, Labour Union, Farmer’s Union, Red Cross, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, and Women’s Union. Besides, it determines the contents and forms of coordination in implementing mass mobilisation, ensuring consistency and efficiency according to Uncle Ho’s teachings “All government officials and members of organisations…have to be in charge of mass mobilisation.”

With his profound vision and rich revolutionary experiences, President Ho Chi Minh realised the role of propaganda in mass mobilisation. He often advised “Knowing how to propagate is the key to success”; propaganda is “making people understand, remember, follow our words”. Following Uncle Ho’s teachings, agencies and units in the PAF have closely coordinated with local party committees, authorities, departments, branches, and mass organisations to implement various forms and methods of propaganda and campaigning to mobilise the people to follow the guidelines of the Party, the policies and laws of the State, and the local regulations; mobilising people to actively emulate production, develop socio-economy, build new-style rural areas, protect the environment, and participate in the movement of “all people protect national security and build a strong all-people national defence posture”. Besides, promoting propaganda and education on the roles and responsibilities of all classes of people in preserving and promoting the traditional cultural beauty as well as upholding the pride of Phu Tho as a land of historical and cultural traditions and the capital of the first state of Vietnam - Van Lang. By organising activities to celebrate the spring and welcome the New Year, the PAF has integrated propaganda to mobilise people to follow the regulations on building a new cultural life, promote traditional identity as well as fine customs and traditions of the nation and villages, eliminate unsound customs, superstitions, social evils, combat wastefulness, prevent and control fire and explosion, thus ensuring political security, social order and traffic safety.

In the areas of religious people, units have advised local party committees and authorities to promote the role of religious dignitaries in propagating and mobilising religious people to perform national defence and military tasks. Besides, establishing propaganda groups and organising exchanges to integrate the contents related to national defence and security to foster the knowledge of thousands of religious dignitaries. By doing so, they can make religious people believe more in the Party and State’s religious policies, lead a good life, and actively fight against conspiracies and tricks to take advantage of issues in beliefs and religions to undermine the great national unity bloc. Along with that, agencies and units have well carried out propaganda that people of all classes have been well aware of and strictly followed the Law on Military Service, thus motivating and encouraging young people to enthusiastically enlist in the army, improving the quality and efficiency, and meeting the annual recruitment targets.

Phu Tho is a mountainous midland province where 50 ethnic groups live together, of which ethnic minorities account for 17.15%. The local people’s educational levels are uneven, and hardships still exist in people’s daily life. Therefore, the PAF’s mass mobilisation has always been aimed at helping the people develop their economy, eradicate hunger, and alleviate poverty, thus improving their material and spiritual life. Thoroughly grasping President Ho Chi Minh’s thought of mass mobilisation officers have to “think, supervise, listen, walk, speak, and do”, agencies, units, and military commands of districts, cities, and towns have actively participated in the movement “the Army joins hands to build new-style rural areas” in 225 out of 225 communes, wards, and towns in the province by contributing thousands of working days on an annual basis. From the bottom of their hearts, officers, soldiers, and militiamen have taken practical and specific actions to directly improve the living conditions of the people, such as repairing and rebuilding rural roads, in-field traffic, repairing cultural houses, building “Gratitude Houses” and “Comrade Houses” for policy families. Agencies and units have effectively implemented the model of training in the field combined with mass mobilisation, mobilising people to donate thousands of square metres of land to expand and build rural roads; coordinated with other departments and sectors to mobilise youth union members to participate in site clearance work for key projects, contributing to local socio-economic development. Besides, propagating and disseminating knowledge on agricultural extension, seed and capital support, restructure of models of cultivating plants and animals for hundreds of households; mobilised ethnic minorities to settle down and actively participate in production models to improve their lives. Closely coordinating with local authorities to responsibly participate in the implementation of programmes, policies, and schemes for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, especially the programme to alleviate sustainable poverty, etc. Additionally, units have coordinated with local party committees, authorities, departments, branches, and socio-political organisations to organise the activities of “Gratitude”, repair and visit martyrs’ cemeteries, encourage and give gifts to policy families, families with members on duty at the border, islands as well as other units stationed in the area, etc. The practical contributions of officers and soldiers in mass mobilisation has helped improve the material and spiritual life of the people, especially of ethnic minorities, making them believe more in the army, which is recognised and appreciated by all-level authorities.

The results from grasping and following Uncle Ho’s teachings in implementing mass mobilisation of the PAF of Phu Tho have strengthened the people’s trust in the Party’s leadership, solidified the great national unity bloc, and built a firm “people’s hearts and minds” posture, thus making the image of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” shine in people’s hearts. This serves as the foundation for the unit to successfully fulfil all assigned tasks.

Senior Colonel NGUYEN MINH LONG, Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command