Part 2: Safeguarding security and safety for the festival

The presence of border guard soldiers in every village and polling station has contributed to maintaining stability, enabling voters to exercise their right to mastery with peace of mind and select representatives of their will and aspirations.

“Three stays, four togethers” safeguarding trust from the grassroots level

Ahead of election day, across border routes, officers and soldiers of the provincial Border Guard Command regularly went down to villages to monitor conditions, meet each household, conduct outreach, and resolve emerging issues promptly at the grassroots.

Applying the motto “three stays, four togethers” (stay close to the unit, the locality, and the people; eat together, live together, work together, and speak the ethnic language together), Captain Giàng A Thắng, Head of the Reconnaissance Team at the Huổi Puốc International Border Gate Station, visited C5 and Noong É villages in Mường Nhà commune multiple times to bring election information to residents. Believing that for people to understand and exercise their civic rights fully, cadres must first listen to them, Captain Thắng always combined election outreach with grasping local thoughts, aspirations, and daily petitions during each grassroots visit.

During these visits, Captain Thắng noted several petitions regarding constructing a clean water supply route in C5 village and connecting electricity to Noong É village. These unresolved matters had led some households to feel hesitant and disaffected, with some stating they would not vote unless their concerns received attention.

Faced with this situation, rather than merely urging people to exercise their civic rights, Team Leader Giàng A Thắng persistently met, discussed, and explained the significance of the election to residents, while listening to their legitimate petitions and conveying them to competent authorities. In particular, for the family of T.A.S. in Noong É village, Captain Thắng visited four times to explain and mobilize regarding the power grid connection, and he met the family of T.A.C. in C5 village three times to help address difficulties concerning the clean water route along the stream near their home.

Through these persistent, sincere, and responsible efforts, Captain Thắng successfully convinced both households to participate fully in the election. Recently, he was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Minister of National Defense for outstanding achievements in the peak emulation drive celebrating the election of deputies to the 16th National Assembly and People’s Councils at all levels for the 2026 - 2031 tenure, as well as the 136th anniversary of President Hồ Chí Minh’s birthday (May 19, 1890 - 2026).

Fragmented terrain, scattered populations, villages situated far from commune centers, difficult transportation, and the absence of national power and telecommunications infrastructure place high demands on voter outreach. Recognizing this, Border Guard personnel innovated communication methods to be approachable and easy to understand for each target group and area.

To help voters grasp election information, officers and soldiers of the Sen Thượng Border Post organized centralized dissemination sessions at village cultural houses and integrated outreach into 14 village and community meetings, reaching over 710 listeners. They also organized 7 concentrated sessions across villages, attracting more than 960 participant turns. Working alongside village elders, village heads, and prestigious community figures, they distributed leaflets and explained legal election regulations, delegate standards, polling schedules, locations, and voter responsibilities. To deepen outreach, the station established three working groups comprising nine officers and soldiers to stay stationed in villages, mobilize residents, and monitor public opinion.

Captain Phan Văn Long, Deputy Political Officer of the Sen Thượng Border Post, noted that the unit assigned cadres to work with local authorities in reviewing, cross-checking, and compiling voter lists across villages to prevent omissions. Concurrently, assigned officers stayed close to the people, coordinating with grassroots leaders to report emerging issues to unit leaders and local administrations promptly, maintaining local stability and preventing complex incidents from impacting election preparations.

Every polling station serves as a mass mobilization point

In border areas, officers and soldiers coordinate with local administrations and forces to meet residents, listen, explain, and resolve issues, turning each polling station into an effective mass mobilization point. Assigned as Head of the Security Assurance Team at polling teams No.27 and 28, Major Nguyễn Ngọc Khoa, a reconnaissance officer at Mường Nhé Border Post, regularly met residents to explain their voting rights and duties while gathering their aspirations.

Working with village elders, heads, and prestigious figures, Major Khoa adapted communication methods to local customs and information-access conditions. Explaining that each ballot represents both civic mastery and a duty to the community and country, he helped elevate voter awareness, leading residents to engage proactively in preparations and observe voting regulations seriously.

Major Nguyễn Ngọc Khoa shared that synchronizing professional measures with mass mobilization helped ensure the election proceeded safely, democratically, and lawfully. Political security and social order were maintained before, during, and after election day, resulting in a 100% voter turnout rate in his assigned polling areas and across Mường Nhé commune.

Alongside border and marker management, officers and soldiers of the Leng Su Sìn Border Post coordinated with village leaders to monitor local sentiment and advise administrations on handling matters at the household level. Regular patrols and territorial controls helped preserve regional stability without complex incidents.

Captain Đinh Công Kiên, Deputy Political Officer of the Leng Su Sìn Border Post, stated that the unit assigned 19 officers and soldiers to nine polling teams, including one team leader, one deputy leader, and 17 members. In remote polling stations with fragmented terrain, the unit worked with other forces to ensure security, provide guidance, and assist voters, aiming to make every safe polling station an anchor for building a firm people’s security posture to defend peaceful villages and national sovereignty.