Friday, October 31, 2014, 08:11 (GMT+7)
Promoting fishermen’s role in protecting maritime and islands sovereignty of the Homeland

Part I. Fishermen – “the human milestone” at sea

When he was alive, President Ho Chi Minh used to say: “Land is the home, sea is the door. Is it acceptable that we protect the house without safeguarding the door? Where do the burglars first break into a house? They come through the door. For this reason, we must raise fishermen awareness of protecting the costal areas. The enemy’s spies often lurk in coastal areas. If this is the case, coastal people will be the first sufferers. If coastal areas are not protected, production activities of fishermen and salt farmers will not be safe. Hence, one important task of coastal people is to protect the coast. Coastal people are door keepers for the country”.

Vietnamese fishing boats get ready for offshore activities (Photo: nhandan.com.vn)

Nowadays, thanks to suitable policies and considerable investments of the Party, the State, party committees and authorities of coastal provinces, fishing activities have seen an unceasing growth in terms of workforce, fishing ships and equipment, technique of cultivating and productivity. Fihsermen’s presence at sea not only makes important contribution to maritime economy development but also helps to claim sovereignty over the country’s territorial sea and islands. While doing fishing, they are not only hardworking labourers, but also offshore guards identifying and giving early warnings of incidents at sea and taking part in search and rescue activities, making contribution to the prevention of illegal infiltration of foreign ships into our maritime territory. In case of a complex incident, fishermen provide support and coordinate with specialised forces in the on-spot struggle for national sovereignty and security at sea. Regardless of disasters and dangers, even if their lives and property are at risk, they still show determination to stick to the sea, keep on their job and maintain control of their traditional fishing grounds, thereby contribute to maintaining security, protecting the country’s sacred sovereignty over its territorial sea and islands.

The Central Resolution on Strategy for Fatherland protection in the new period holds that: protecting the Fatherland is the cause of the whole Party, people and armed forces ; the power for protecting the Fatherland comes from the synergy of the whole country which comprises of the power of all social forces and fields. Territorial maritime and islands sovereignty cannot be protected only by specialised forces, though they are the key ones. The fundamental and longterm strategy is to promote the role of fishermen, support their production activities. Combining economy with defence is of both theoretical and practical significance.

At present, creating favourable conditions for fishermen is a matter of neccessity. This is the foundation for the country to utilize its maritime resources for the economy, making contribution to improving living standard for fihsermen and claiming and firmly protecting national sovereignty and security over the territorial sea.

(to be continued)

Hong Lam – Van Bay – Hoang Truong

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