Part 3: Ethnic languages - the key to unlock local residents’ trust

From public meetings conducted in ethnic languages, grassroots units have developed models that spread widely into movements. In doing so, Party resolutions and State policies have reached deep into people’s hearts and been transformed into concrete action at the nation’s outermost ramparts.

Mass mobilization in ethnic languages at border areas

Four years ago, when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, the border villages of Điện Biên did not only hear public announcements in Vietnamese but also in their own mother tongues. Across Pa Thơm commune (now Thanh Yên commune), the mobile loudspeakers of officers and soldiers from the Pa Thơm Border Post broadcasted health guidance and epidemic regulations right into every alley and household. For ethnic minorities, hearing instructions in their native language helped them clearly understand how to protect themselves and their communities. In those difficult days, bilingual broadcasts planted trust and unity, enabling the people to weather the crisis.

Even after the pandemic, the principle of “constant gentle rain wears away stone” continued to be applied by Border Posts. During village meetings, community gatherings, and even in theatrical dissemination events, ethnic languages were used alongside Vietnamese. As a result, villagers’ awareness of border laws, vigilance, and collective responsibility increased significantly. They understood what to do, what to avoid, and became “eyes and ears” supporting border guards in protecting the frontier.

Senior Colonel Lê Đức Nghĩa, Deputy Political Commissar of the provincial Border Guard Command, emphasized: “Dissemination in ethnic languages has proven highly effective. Flexible use of languages not only overcomes barriers but more importantly builds trust, so that the people view Party resolutions and State policies as directly tied to their own lives.” As of June 2025, the provincial border guard command had consolidated a mass mobilization team of 84 officers, including 23 fluent in ethnic languages. They are strong “bridges” between the Party, the State, and the border people. In patrols and meetings, these officers carry not only the green epaulettes of soldiers but also the voices of the people to persuade, explain, and mobilize. Communication in native languages has allowed their heartfelt messages to spread, deepening villagers’ trust and willingness to accompany the soldiers.

The command has also opened training courses in ethnic languages for officers and professional soldiers. On September 22, a Thái language course concluded, equipping more officers with an effective tool for engaging and mobilizing local communities. Promoting the use of ethnic languages in public outreach has become a key to harmonizing the Party’s voice with the people’s. In remote borderlands, every bilingual broadcast and meeting has brought policies closer to the people, strengthened trust, and nurtured unity to safeguard the nation’s borders.

From model to movement

In recent years, bringing Party resolutions and State policies to highland and border communities has been a critical political mission for local Party committees, governments, and armed forces. Creative models of using ethnic languages in outreach have spread into province-wide movements, strengthening trust and consolidating unity at the grassroots level.

Previously, the Military Command of Nậm Pồ district (now the Defensive Area Command Region 1 - Mường Nhé) pioneered the establishment of civil affairs teams. The unique feature of this model was the use of ethnic languages instead of only Vietnamese. Before training cycles or task deployments, the unit’s political office worked with relevant agencies to collect materials and set directions. These were distilled into concise outlines and delivered directly to villages and households. Dry topics such as the Law on Militia and Self-Defense, the Law on Military Service, or the Law on the Reserve Forces were thus communicated in a way that villagers could easily grasp.

Lý Cáo Chòi of Huổi Cơ Dạo hamlet (Nà Hỳ commune) recalled: “Before, when I listened in Vietnamese, I couldn’t understand everything. Now that cadres speak in our language, I clearly know what I must do to comply. Not only the elders but even the young feel more engaged, because the information is in the familiar language of their families and communities.” Local officials noted that these civil affairs teams became true “bridges,” bringing policies into life and reinforcing the close soldier-people bond. As a result, villagers became more united, maintaining security and helping build new rural areas along the border. From this early success, the provincial Military Command expanded the model into a movement.

Beyond translating resolutions, many units have also organized ethnic language training for their officers and soldiers. Recently, the provincial military command opened a course on ethnic knowledge for 60 officers and professional soldiers. The curriculum included studies on ethnic minority communities, the Party’s perspectives on ethnic affairs, socio-economic development policies for upland areas, and measures for national defense and security in the mountains.

Senior Colonel Nguyễn Trung Đắc, Political Commissar of the provincial Military Command, stressed: “This region is home to many ethnic groups with diverse languages, customs, and practices. Therefore, equipping officers and soldiers with ethnic knowledge is essential to improve mass mobilization, support sustainable poverty reduction, preserve cultural identity, and strengthen the great national unity bloc.”

Reality has shown that when soldiers speak ethnic languages and understand local customs, they not only deliver resolutions but also sow trust, inspire morale, and awaken community responsibility. From a small model in former Nậm Pồ district, a widespread movement has now taken shape across the provincial armed forces. It has become the “key” to turning Party resolutions into lived reality, transforming trust into concrete action.