Giàng A. M. and Thào T. S. from Bon B hamlet, Pú Nhung commune, have been married for six years. At the beginning of 2025, they began having conflicts after deciding to send their children to their grandparents and go to work in industrial zones in the lowlands. By late June, their disagreements peaked: they quit their jobs, returned home, and demanded a divorce, as each accused the other of being unfaithful.

Upon learning of the situation, Party Cell Secretary Giàng A Súa and members of the mediation team visited the couple to listen, analyze, and advise them. After hearing both sides, the team members carefully explained the causes of the conflict, the rights and wrongs, and pointed out the losses that would result from a hasty divorce, particularly the harm to their children. Thanks to the team’s encouragement, the couple reconciled and decided to continue building their family together.

Mr. Súa shared that on average, the village mediation team handles over 10 disputes per year, mostly involving family issues and production-related disagreements. Since the beginning of this year, they have dealt with seven cases, successfully mediating six and transferring one complex case to higher authorities.

In Na Son commune, Mediation Team No. 1 has long been considered a bright spot. According to team leader Quàng Văn Xôn, the group has 10 members, mainly heads of mass organizations and respected community figures. Thanks to effective communication and legal education, villagers’ law compliance has improved greatly. Minor quarrels have almost disappeared, and for the past three years, the team has not received any requests for mediation. Villagers live in harmony, focusing on economic development and building a cultural, civilized community.

Điện Biên, with its vast natural area and rugged terrain, is home largely to ethnic minority groups. While the province has benefited from special policies of the Party and the State to boost socio-economic development, it still faces many challenges in living standards, educational levels, and legal awareness, especially in remote and upland areas.

Violations of the law, conflicts, and disputes within communities still occur. Many petitions sent to higher authorities involve land-use disputes between households. If not promptly addressed, these issues can lead to discord, division, even violent clashes, and provide opportunities for hostile forces to exploit, inciting “hot spots” of social disorder.

To address this, authorities at all levels have developed and implemented measures to resolve people’s problems and ensure grassroots security. Strengthening the role of commune- and ward-level mediation councils, particularly village and hamlet mediation teams, has proven an effective approach. These teams detect, resolve, and prevent conflicts at the earliest stage.

The province currently has more than 1,400 mediation teams with nearly 8,000 mediators. Since 2019, these teams have handled over 1,000 cases per year, with more than 80% successfully resolved at the grassroots level. Most disputes involve land, civil matters, family and marriage issues, or small community disagreements.

It is noteworthy that the majority of cases relate to civil, marital, and land disputes - sensitive issues prone to conflict. Thanks to their understanding of local customs and their credibility within communities, mediators have become “bridges” that balance interests, moving residents from confrontation to dialogue, from discord to consensus.

Beyond mediation, many teams also proactively promote legal education, raising awareness among villagers and reducing the likelihood of conflicts arising in the first place. In challenging conditions, effective grassroots mediation not only relieves pressure on government and judicial bodies but also builds public trust, contributes to cultural life, preserves social order, and strengthens the great national unity bloc.