A press conference highlighting the Party’s guidelines for the great national unity bloc was held at Hanoi’s press centre on April 22.

The ethnic community in Vietnam comprises 54 groups, of which 53 are minority groups with a combined population of nearly 11 million, accounting for 13 percent of the national population. The ethnic minority groups inhabit in large areas of strategic importance in terms of politics, economics, social affairs and national security and defence.

Over the past years, the Party and State have provided correct guidelines and polices for areas inhabited by ethnic minority groups, in accordance with requirements of each stage of the Vietnamese revolution. These policies aim to lift Vietnam out of underdevelopment status and reinforce the great national unity bloc. Many of these polices have become a part of the lives of ethnic minority people and won their approval and support.

At a press briefing held in Hanoi on April 22, Huynh Dam, member of the Party Central Committee (PCC), Vice Chairman and General Secretary of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Committee presented a report on implementing the Party’s guidelines for the great national unity bloc.

“Thanks to great national unity, Vietnam always maintains stability and achieves a high social consensus, adding fresh impetus to its great achievements during the past five years and its significant and historic achievements during the 20 years of renovation.” said Mr Dam.

Regarding policies towards ethnic minority people, Trang A Pao, PCC member and Director of the Committee for Ethnicity said during the past years, many sound Party and State policies towards ethnic minority people have been issued, based on equality, solidarity, mutual support for common development. The State has invested over VND20,000 billion in building infrastructure facilities, given more than VND10,000 billion to 2,410 communes with special difficulties in mountainous and remote areas and those inhabited by ethnic minority groups. So far, 20,000 ethnic minority people have studied at universities and colleges and many of them have become local authorities.

Concerning the VFF’s role in the fight against corruption, Mr Dam said the VFF along with the Vietnam Journalists’ Association has carried out its supervision role to report corruption case to the Party and State. At each session of the People’s Council and the National Assembly sessions, the VFF gathered and summed up people’s opinions on different issues including corruption to submit to concerned ministries for their consideration.

Regarding the implementation of its democratic regulations and supervision role, the VFF listened to people’s opinions and removed nearly 3,000 candidates from the proposed lists of election to People’s Councils at all levels in the 2004-2009 term. Recently, the VFF has implemented Decree 79 on the vote of confidence for chairmen of people’s councils at commune and ward levels and it will continue to get public opinions on officials at a high level.

For the VFF’s role in poverty reduction, Mr Dam said the VFF has encouraged the whole population to participate in the “Day for the Poor” Campaign. As a result, 300,000 houses have been built for the poor. In the next five year, the VFF aims to basically eliminate dilapidated houses for the poor, Mr Dam added.

Trang A Pao answered many questions relating to policies for ethnic minority people. Mr Pao said we are implementing programmes 135 and 134, with a focus on four issues: land for production, land for residence, housing and capital for production.

Mr Pao said due to their poor knowledge and underdeveloped economy ethnic minority people often find themselves being easily cheated and bribed by bad elements. Many have been incited to cause social disorder and even flee illegally into Cambodia.

To resolve difficulties for ethnic minority people, in the near future the Party and State should devise measures to improve the basic knowledge of local people and increase the quality of education and training programmes for local students.