Lao mothers, brothers, and sisters
There are many stories of Lao people who wholeheartedly cared for and treated Vietnamese volunteer soldiers in Laos when they were injured, tormented by forest malaria. Some even pounded rice seeds to cook porridge, and warmed volunteer soldiers as for their loved ones.
For Nguyen Van Nghiep, Deputy Head of the National Liaison Board of Vietnamese Volunteer Troops and Advisers in Laos, "blood bond" and "in the same family" are words he constantly uses to talk about faithful Lao people who he met during the fierce, arduous struggle but full of confidence of both nations in the past.
"Alongside the right awareness of international duties towards the Lao revolution, the trust, love, care and protection of the people of the Lao tribes helped us overcome all difficulties and hardships," Nghiep said.
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Lao people welcome Vietnamese volunteer troops. (Photo taken from the photo book themed “Vietnam-Laos special relationship” of the News Publishing House) |
He still remembers that in 1950, during a visit to his sick leader who was resting in a local house in Attapeu province, he met and talked with a mother. Learning that the young Vietnamese volunteer soldier had an old mother and many younger siblings at home, the Lao mother showed sympathy for him and wanted to introduce her lovely daughter named Simon to him.
However, the conditions at that time did not allow him to think about private love affairs. Although the young soldier and her daughter could not be a couple, the Lao mother still loved and adopted him. She gave him a Lao name Khamsy with ‘Kham’ means ‘gold’ and ‘sy’ refers to her daughter’s name Simon.
“The name Khamsy has a deep meaning, showing respect and showing that my Lao mother considered me her own child. During my operation in Attapeu, I was always cared for and protected by her family," said Nghiep.
In the 1954-1955 period, while operating in Champasak province, Nghiep was supported by a Lao Party member named Ki. Ki and his wife, Chom, had no child though they had been married for many years. Knowing his family situation, the couple loved him more and treated him like their younger brother. Regardless of rain or sun, day and night, the husband made contacts and took Nghiep to target places, while the wife cooked and provided him with other food supplies.
“He always went ahead to probe the situation to ensure safety. When I stayed at home, they took turns guarding so that I could have a rest. Because of the mission, it was not until the peace was restored that I had the chance to visit them but unfortunately both had passed away," Mr. Nghiep recalled sadly.
When recalling the care and protection of the Lao couple, Nghiep said that the story reminded him of a steadfast and indomitable female Party member of the Lao revolution named Bua whom he knew in Champasak. In 1955, she was caught by the enemy while on the way to provide food supplies for Vietnamese advisers.
Useless in tortures, the enemy brought her and another prisoner to two available graves. They opened fire to threaten to kill the blindfolded prisoners but failed to subdue both. Finally, they had to bring them back to the place of detention.
“Detaining her for a while and using many tricks, the enemy could not find either a word or any evidence from Bua, thus they were forced to release her. After resting, regaining her strength, and following the situation, Bua reconnected with her organization, worked actively and contributed to the Lao revolution,” he went on.
Law of existence and development
With the spirit of proletarian internationalism and implementing President Ho Chi Minh's teaching "Helping our friend is helping ourselves," Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and advisers surmounted all difficulties, hardships, made sacrifices, and stood side by side with the Lao military and people in two glorious long resistance wars against the French colonialists and the U.S. imperialists as Lao President Kaysone Phomvihane once affirmed that “The flesh and blood of the Vietnamese people have dyed red everywhere in Laos for the independence of Laos," and "Vietnam's help to Laos has built a special relationship."
The glorious feats-of-arms and brave hearts of the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and advisers cannot be fully expressed in words and will never fade away in the hearts of the Lao people.
“The Party, State and people of Laos always bear in mind the noble sacrifices, sweat and blood of Vietnamese volunteer troops and advisers who helped the Lao revolution in the past. This help was like helping brothers in a family, as President Ho Chi Minh said "Helping our friend is helping ourselves," said Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang.
In return to the sacrifice of the Vietnamese people for the Lao revolution, the Lao people sacrificed their lives and assets to assist the revolution of Vietnam. Vietnamese Party General Secretary Le Duan once underlined that "Our two parties and two peoples have mutually supported each other. It is not right to see only one side’s help.”
“With special affection, the Party, State and people of Laos wholeheartedly supported and created all favorable conditions for Vietnam to open the ‘Ho Chi Minh Trail’ through Laos to ‘split the Truong Son mountain range to save the country,’ entirely liberating Southern Vietnam, reunifying the country," the Lao diplomat emphasized.
That noble and great sacrifice became an incomparable strength and a great motivation, contributing to the great victory of the revolutions of the two neighboring countries of Vietnam-Laos in 1975, ending decades-long war, making miracles of defeating both the French colonialists and U.S. imperialists.
Since the two countries started the Doi Moi (Renewal), the Communist Party of Vietnam and the Lao People's Revolutionary Party have worked closely to bring two countries out of the socio-economic crisis and put forth their socialist orientations, adding a new miracle to the special relationship between Vietnam and Laos.
Based on that historical fact, both Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung and the Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngboungnuang have affirmed that the Vietnam-Laos special relationship is shared invaluable assets of the two peoples, the law of existence and development, and an important factor that ensures the victory of the revolutionary cause of each country.
(To be cont.)
Translated by Mai Huong