Reputable persons of ethnic minorities play significant role in Son La

• Northeast reputable individuals actively participate in the movement "All people protecting national security"
• Reputable individuals of ethnic minorities in Thanh Hoa praised

Over the past years, due to negative impacts of increased drug crimes, in the world and region, especially in the "Golden Triangle" area, the situation of drug crimes in the Vietnam-Laos border, particularly drug trafficking across the border section of Houaphanh (Laos) and Son La (Vietnam), has become more complicated.

Chieng Son is a mountainous commune of Moc Chau District, Son La Province, which shares nearly 9km of border with Sop Bao District, Houaphanh Province, Laos. It was once seen as a complicated area of drug-related activities.

As a reputable person, Mr. Song A Tua has now become a bridge connecting the authorities and the local ethnic minorities.

Every year, the Chieng Son commune police handle over 50 cases of security and order, most of which are drug-related cases. At one point, there were 239 drug addicts in the commune, along with 202 released prisoners, 34 suspended prisoners, and 13 non-custodial objects for drug-related offenses.

As a successful drug trafficking deal may be valued equivalently to the outcome of a year-long crop, many young ethnic men participated in drug-related crimes, said Mr. Song A Tua, head of Pha Luong village, Chieng Son Commune, Moc Chau District.

Over the past years, Mr. Song A Tua, with his reputation and responsibility, has wholeheartedly mobilized local households to actively participate in building cultural villages, preventing crimes and social evils, especially drug-related crimes.

Moreover, he together with other village patriarchs, clansmen and reputable persons actively have mobilized local people to participate in ensuring security and order as well as in movements on hunger eradication and poverty reduction.

As a reputable person, Mr. Song A Tua has now become a bridge connecting the authorities and the local ethnic minorities.

He said that, in the coming time, he will continue cementing solidarity among local ethnic minorities while serving as a bridge between the local people and the authorities at all levels, mobilizing all people to successfully implement the guidelines and policies of the Party and State.

Hel also hoped that the local police forces will further strengthen the ties with local ethnic minority communities, and collaborate with the local people to ensure social security and order and build a better life for each family and each village.

According to Mr. Duong Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Chieng Son Commune People’s Committee, Mr. Song A  Tuan is a good model of the “All people protecting national security in local”.

He then stressed the need to duplicate the good model of cooperation among forces along the border section of Son La and Houaphanh in tackling the complex drug crime situation, especially in the other areas of the whole Vietnam-Laos borderline.