In his lifetime, President Ho Chi Minh recommended that: “Clever mass mobilisation leads to success in everything”. Being fully aware of the roles of the mass and engraving Uncle Ho’s teachings in leading the Vietnamese revolution, our Party has been determining that mass mobilisation is of immense significance for the revolutionary cause of the Party. This strategic and consistent issue aims to mobilise and encourage people from all social strata to actively participate in revolutionary and patriotic movements, strengthen the great national unity bloc, and cement the rapport between the Party and the People to accomplish all revolutionary tasks.

Grasping and implementing the Party’s policy on mass mobilisation, under the leadership and direction of the Central Military Commission (the CMC) and the Ministry of Defence (the MoD) over the past years as well as the guidance of the General Political Department (the GPD), all agencies, units, cadres and soldiers in the whole Army have synchronously and comprehensively performed mass mobilisation with far-reaching influence over the entire society. Implementing the grass-roots-oriented principle with an abundance of contents and forms, agencies and units have effectively propagated and mobilised the people to abide by the Party’s guidelines and the State’s policies and laws to achieve social consensus and consolidate the great national unity bloc. Active and effective coordination is required to participate in building the political systems at grass-roots levels, accelerate socio-economic development, and perform national programmes and targets for sustainable poverty alleviation to build new rural areas, civilised urban areas, and ensure political security and social safety. The whole Army has always stood side by side with localities to effectively implement emulation movements and campaigns, which is the centrepiece in building a strong all-people national defence posture, especially the “the people’s heart and mind posture” to preserve the country’s stability. Units in key and strategic areas have brought into play the lofty qualities of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers” in surmounting difficulties, hardships and “clinging to localities and local people” to propagate and mobilise local people to eradicate old-fashioned customs, promote cultural and ethnic identities; participate in fighting and preventing crime and illegal missionary activities; foil the conspiracies and tricks of hostile forces taking advantage of issues on ethnicity, religion, democracy, and human rights to provoke protests and break the great national unity bloc. Furthermore, they are the mainstay of the people to cling to the seas and fisheries; thereby contributing to safeguarding the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland.

Cadres and soldiers of Chau Khe Border Guard Post (Nghe An) participate in disaster relief (Photo: qdnd.vn)

Functioning as the “working army” tasked with “combating” in peacetime, the Army is always the leading force that is in readiness to help the people prevent and overcome natural disasters, diseases, etc. no matter where they are. Particularly, since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, cadres and soldiers in the Army have unhesitatingly stormed to the front lines with branches, forces, party committees, and local authorities to actively fight and prevent the pandemic and protect people’s health and lives.

Apart from the achievements, there exist several shortcomings. The contents and forms of mass mobilisation at some agencies and units are short of creativity and innovation. The coordination in dealing with issues on political security, social order and safety is ineffective. Several cadres and soldiers whose knowledge, experience, methods, and working styles in conducting mass mobilisation are insufficient have not met the task requirements. And so on.

Practice shows that building and safeguarding the Fatherland are witnessing great development which requires the whole Party, People, and Army to unite and actively and comprehensively conduct tasks including mass mobilisation implemented with the following solutions.

Firstly, accelerating propagation and education to enhance the awareness and responsibility of party committees, commands at all levels, cadres, and soldiers toward mass mobilisation in the new situation. Party committees and commands at all levels are required to deeply grasp ho Chi Minh’s thoughts, the Party’s guidelines, the State’s policies and laws, the resolutions of the CMC and the MoD, and the instructions of the GDP on mass mobilisation. The focus is on the tasks and solutions determined in the Resolution of the 13^th National Party Congress, Conclusion No. 43-KL/TW issued on January 7^th, 2019 by the Secretariat on continuing to implement Resolution No. 25-NQ/TW issued on June 3^rd, 2013 by the Central Party Committee (11^th tenure) on “Strengthening and renewing the Party’s leadership in mass mobilisation in the new situation, etc.

Secondly, strengthen the leadership and direction of party committees and command in conducting mass mobilisation. Mass mobilisation at agencies and units must be under the leadership and direction of party committees, party cells, commissars, commanders, political agencies, and higher echelons’ professional instructors. It is necessary to stringently and effectively implement Regulation No. 718-QC/QUTW issued on November 5^th, 2021 by the CMC on mass mobilisation of the Vietnam People’s Army; regularly check, adjust, and supplement to suit the actual situation of each agency and unit. Simultaneously, importance should be attached to building resolutions and plans for effective and accurate implementation; mobilising the synergy of organisations and forces in conducting mass mobilisation.

Thirdly, actively renew contents, diversify forms and methods of conducting mass mobilisation; the focus is placed on eradicating hunger, alleviating poverty; preventing natural disasters and diseases, and rescuing. As the centrepiece of party work and political work, mass mobilisation in the Army is conducted in accordance with regulations and principles but remains flexible to suit the characteristics and situation of each locality. To achieve high effectiveness, agencies ad units must actively renew contents and methods and cling to the motto: “Listen to the people, build mutual understanding, and confidence” and Ho Chi Minh’s mass mobilisation styles: “Respect the people, stay close to the people, understand the people, and be responsible to the people”. Importance should be attached to twinning, marching, and camping to perform mass mobilisation; coordinating with agencies and socio-political organisations at all levels in implementing “Clever mass mobilisation” Emulation Movement and building “Good units of mass mobilisation” in conjunction with performing national programmes and targets on economic, cultural, and social development, sustainable poverty alleviation, strong political systems at grass-roots level; military and civilian emulation movements and campaigns. Emphasis is also placed on enhancing the quality of mass mobilisation in remote areas; bringing into play the roles of mass mobilisation in building economic-defence zones in strategic and key localities. It is required to proactively handle issues concerning environmental pollution, land disputes, compensation, and clearance in remote areas, urban areas, and industrial zones. It is also necessary to diversify methods of mobilising people in border areas and promote the roles of dignitaries, village elders, heads of villages, and reputable people to support socio-economic development and build a border of peace, friendship, and cooperation for development.

Additionally, the Army must continue to remain its core role as the people’s reliable mainstay in fighting, preventing, and overcoming the consequences of natural disasters. Simultaneously, the Army should promptly detect and effective prevent sabotage activities of hostile forces and reactionaries whose plot is to partition the great national unity bloc; promptly orient public opinions and awareness, especially on “hot” and complicated issues.

Fourthly, promote the role of political agencies and cadres at all levels, mass organisations and Council of military members in implementing mass mobilisation. On the foundation of their functions and tasks, political agencies and cadres at all levels should well conduct their roles of advising, directing, guiding, and organising mass mobilisation; regularly renew its contents and methods as well as coordinate to effectively implement emulation movements and campaigns. It is important to inspect, supervise and surmount all inadequacies; regularly conduct after-action reviews, build and duplicate typical models; promptly commend and award well-performed collectives and individuals; resolutely tackle any disciplinary violations during mass mobilisation. Significance must be put on promoting the role of party committees and command in leading and directing the implementation of Grass-roots Democracy Regulation; regularly strengthening and improving the effectiveness of mass organisations and Councils of Military members; taking care of material and spiritual life and thoroughly handling soldiers’ inner thoughts and aspirations to create unity and consensus in performing tasks.

Fifthly, regularly pay attention to building and cementing mass mobilisation agencies and cadres. Party committees and commands at all levels should attach importance to building mass mobilisation agencies and cadres with sufficient quantity to satisfy task requirements in the new situation. In particular, mass mobilisation cadres should be fostered to have firm political courage, ethics, in-depth knowledge, extensive experience, and creativity in conducting mass mobilisation. New contents should be updated so that cadres and soldiers can improve their skills in dealing with all circumstances. Coordination with local party committees and authorities must be required to detect and train the linchpin and reputable people in residential communities in mobilising the mass. Military schools should research and compile contents and programmes to train professional skills in mass mobilisation, special propagation, ethnic and religious work. Functional agencies must continue to research and make recommendations on regimes, policies, and funding to ensure mass mobilisation to meet task requirements in the new situation. The Party’s mass mobilisation in general and the Army’s mass mobilisation in particular, play a significant role and are of strategic importance to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the People. This requires the whole Army to heighten the awareness and responsibility especially of party cell committees, commissars (or secretaries), commanders, and political agencies at all levels to grasp and implement with multiple contents, models, and creative and effective methods. This is an objective, imperative issue that facilitates the firm consolidation of “people’s heart and mind posture” to victoriously accomplish the cause of building and safeguarding the Fatherland in the new situation.

Major General NGUYEN VAN GAU, Member of the Party Central Committee, Member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Chief of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People’s Army