The Southwest region is drawing on community trust and ethnic unity to support development and social stability.
“Whether Kinh, Tho, Muong, Man, Gia Rai, E De, Xe Dang, Ba Na or any other ethnic minority group, all are descendants of Vietnam and brothers and sisters of the same family. We share life and death, happiness and hardship, and help one another through times of hunger and need.”
President Ho Chi Minh’s message in a letter sent to the Congress of Southern Ethnic Minorities in Pleiku on April 19, 1946, remains deeply relevant today, particularly as hostile forces continue to exploit ethnic and religious issues in attempts to sow division and weaken national unity.
From the perspective of ethnic minority communities in Southwest Vietnam, VietNamNet presents the series “Safeguarding the Party’s ideological foundation from Southwest Vietnam” in the current context.
Trusted community figures serve as bridges between the Party, the State and the people
Party General Secretary To Lam meets outstanding ethnic minority students and young people in December 2025. Photo: Le Anh Dung.
In ethnic minority communities across the Southwest region, trusted local figures have become a core force in public outreach and community mobilization.
Beyond serving as role models in daily life and economic activity, they act as vital links between local authorities and residents, helping maintain social order, build cultural life and strengthen national solidarity.
For more than a decade, Thach Dan of Ca Sang area in Vinh Chau Ward, Can Tho City, has devoted himself to community service.
Recognized as a trusted community representative since 2013, the 75-year-old remains actively involved in local affairs and continues to serve as a source of encouragement and support for Khmer residents in the area.
As a member of the local mediation team, Thach Dan and his colleagues handle between one and three cases every Sunday, mainly involving land disputes, family conflicts and child marriage issues. Through patient dialogue and practical solutions, many disputes are resolved at the community level before escalating into prolonged complaints.
Deputy Minister of Ethnic and Religious Affairs Y Vinh Tor presents gifts to respected community representatives in Can Tho.
He also works closely with the Vinh Chau Border Guard Station to raise public awareness of the law. Whenever signs of social disorder, unusual activity or potential security concerns emerge, he promptly reports them to local authorities and security forces for early intervention.
At a time when malicious actors increasingly use social media to spread misinformation and distort the Party's policies, the role of respected figures such as Thach Dan has become even more important.
Their credibility and close connection with local communities make them a "soft shield" against false narratives and divisive messages.
His contributions are also visible in local infrastructure development. Thach Dan's family voluntarily donated more than 200 square meters of land for road construction and an additional 25 square meters for a community center.
He later mobilized local residents to donate land for a road extension of more than 400 meters, improving transportation and economic activity throughout the area.
Such practical contributions have strengthened public confidence in rural development policies and socio-economic programs. When residents trust and support government initiatives, policies are more likely to succeed and communities become more resilient to divisive influences.
Nguyen Thi Hoa Binh, Chairwoman of the Vinh Chau Ward People's Committee, described Thach Dan as an exemplary and respected figure whose actions consistently match his words.
"His contributions not only support local development but also strengthen community cohesion and serve as a source of inspiration for Khmer residents," she said.
Sharing a similar perspective, Ly Then, a trusted community representative and deputy head of the management board of Seray Cro Sang Pagoda in Vinh Chau Ward, said local residents have increasingly joined authorities in maintaining public order and promoting cultural life.
"Many families in the ward display portraits of President Ho Chi Minh in the most respected place in their homes. Residents have strong confidence in the leadership of the Party and the State, while working together to improve livelihoods and maintain security," Ly Then said.
Ly Then and the management board of Seray Cro Sang Pagoda have worked closely with local authorities to promote Party and State policies among residents.
Alongside these efforts, trusted community representatives actively encourage residents to preserve their cultural identity and traditional values. From maintaining festivals and customs to promoting a modern cultural lifestyle, their work helps balance preservation and development.
Lam Hoang Mau, Director of the Department of Ethnic and Religious Affairs of Can Tho City, said the city currently has more than 500 trusted representatives within ethnic minority communities.
"They are an important force contributing to the development of ethnic minority areas as well as the city's overall progress. In recent years, local authorities have introduced various support policies to help them continue fulfilling their role," he said.
Development gains are built on the strength of unity
Experience has shown that when people remain united and maintain confidence in the Party's leadership, attempts to spread distorted narratives and division have little room to take hold.
Strengthening the great national unity bloc is therefore not only a matter of socio-economic development but also a fundamental solution for protecting the Party's ideological foundation under new circumstances.
The Resolution of the 14th National Party Congress for the 2026-2030 period emphasizes the need to fully harness the role of the people, socialist democracy, public strength and national unity.
It reaffirms the principle that "the people are the root," placing citizens at the center of national development, renewal and national defense efforts.
All Party and State policies must genuinely reflect the needs, aspirations and legitimate interests of the people, while respect for human rights, citizens' rights, public well-being and social satisfaction should serve as key measures of success.
This orientation provides both a strategic vision and a practical foundation for further strengthening national unity.
The Party and State's attention to ethnic minority communities helps foster public consensus. When trust is reinforced through practical policies and tangible support at the grassroots level, attempts to provoke division lose their influence.
The Party and State's support for ethnic minority communities helps build public consensus and strengthen trust through practical policies and grassroots engagement.The strength of the entire people remains the key factor in helping the country overcome challenges.
In his article Promoting the Strength of Great National Unity for National Development, published in Communist Review on November 12, 2025, Party General Secretary To Lam wrote:
"To continue strengthening the great national unity bloc, we must first strengthen unity within the Party and among the entire people under the Party's leadership. More than ever, priority must be given to consolidating and promoting the power of national unity, viewing it as the decisive factor in leading the country into a new era of development.
This requires every cadre and Party member to lead by example, match words with actions, place the interests of the nation and the people above all else, and resolutely defeat any scheme aimed at dividing our unity.
We must continuously improve people's material and spiritual well-being while protecting their legitimate rights and interests. This is both the objective and the driving force behind national unity.
Special attention must be given to vulnerable groups and disadvantaged regions, including ethnic minorities, people in remote areas, border regions, islands, former revolutionary bases and disaster-prone communities.
When people prosper, when the nation is strong, democratic, fair and civilized, and when all citizens benefit equitably from development, national unity becomes even stronger and no hostile force can sow division."
For ethnic minority communities across Vietnam, and particularly in the Southwest region, unity and trust reinforced through meaningful policies and practical grassroots support leave little room for divisive agendas.
That trust forms the foundation of a strong people's defense posture and helps safeguard the Party's ideological foundation under all circumstances.
The strength of great national unity is not an abstract concept. It is built from public trust, from cooperation between the Party, local authorities and citizens in every village and neighborhood.
It is also the essential force that enables the country to overcome challenges, serves as a shield against hostile activities, and provides the foundation for a rapidly developing and sustainable Vietnam in a new era.
Vietnamnet.vn
Podcast
.svg){kind=icon}
