On this occasion, Deputy Defense Minister, Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, who is Head of the Ministry of National Defense’s Steering Committee for Vietnam’s participation in UN peacekeeping operations, granted an interview for the People’s Army Newspaper. We would like to present the interview as follows.
Reporter: Mr. Deputy Minister, could you please give your assessment of the preparation for the L2FH No.1 of Vietnam?
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Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh |
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh: We have spent quite a long time preparing for the departure of the hospital. This careful preparation enabled us to meet the standard requirements of the UN. This is a significant and hard mission that the Party and State assigned to the Ministry of National Defense. The preparation and pre-deployment training of the hospital required the coordination among different sectors and between Vietnam and other countries. Apart from professional training, the military medical force had to learn many other skills to get ready and best fulfill duties at UNMISS.
Over the past years, the Ministry of National Defense, the Government, the National Assembly and other central ministries and agencies have paid a lot of attention to the preparation of the hospital so as to complete the legal framework for the deployment of the hospital to UNMISS. At present, we can say that Vietnam is ready to undertake this noble and important international duty.
Reporter: This is the first time Vietnam has sent a military unit to a UN peacekeeping mission. What do you think about this event, Mr. Deputy Minister?
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh: Vietnam so far has sent 27 officers to undertake different positions at UN peacekeeping missions. This time, the sending of a fully-staffed and capable unit of Vietnam to UNMISS shows a great stride of Vietnam in participating in UN peacekeeping operations. I believe that we will gain success, contributing to peace and stability of the world. As I know, the UN and other countries also expect to see the capability of the Vietnam People’s Army in peacetime, whether it is similar to what they had learnt about the heroic military of Vietnam in the past. This is also an opportunity for us to affirm and prove our contribution to maintaining international peace, showing the world that Vietnam is good at both implementing the patriotic war and keeping peace of the world. One of the highlights is that there are 10 servicewomen as staffers of the hospital this time. The UN highly appreciates the role of women and the rate of servicewomen of countries participating in UN peacekeeping operations usually stands at 10%. Meanwhile, the rate of the L2FH No.1 is 17%, which is of great significance, showing that Vietnam is good at joining UN peacekeeping operations and carrying out the UN goal of gender equality at the same time. They are waiting for the presence of Vietnamese servicewomen at UNMISS.
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International peacekeeping experts briefed upon the organization of L2FH No.1 |
Reporter: What do you think about the messenger role of each Vietnamese troop participating in UN peacekeeping operations?
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh: Each troop of the L2FH No.1 is not only a messenger of peace and culture, but also a messenger of Vietnamese military power that we have built up from our heroic tradition during resistance wars to gain national independence and safeguarding. The military power is shown in the troops’ efforts in learning and training to improve their personal capabilities. Apart from professional medical knowledge, each of the troops has had to learn a lot of other skills, including foreign languages, international law, local politics, culture and history, etc. A representative of Vietnam must be like that, representing the Vietnam People’s Army and sending the message of peace from Vietnam to the international community. At the UN mission, each troop has to attach special care to self-training and self-resilience. The harsh conditions at the UN mission make the best opportunity for them to hone themselves in all aspects.
Reporter: Could you please let us know the situation of UNMISS at present?
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh: South Sudan and some other countries in Africa are now facing poverty. Their governments have lost control over the societies, and conflicts among different tribes and groups in a country are occurring. The UN is to deploy forces to the scenes to prevent war from breaking out, restore peace via negotiations and help reconstruct the countries. However, according to the UN, participating countries can choose the jobs and localities suitable to their peacekeeping forces. Under the foreign policy of the Party and State, which is to maintain peace, we do not engage in armed conflicts, do not get involved in the local administrative system, and do not participate in conflicts without the voice of the UN. It does not mean that we are shunning hardships, but that is our foreign policy. Under our foreign policy, we do not participate in any armed conflicts overseas. We just undertake humanitarian and mediation missions.
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Troops of the Vietnam L2FH No.1 boarding the aircraft for departure to UNMISS |
Reporter: The issue of maintaining global security and conflicts occurring in places in the world require the presence of the UN peacekeeping force. In the coming time, are we going to send troops from other arms and services to any UN peacekeeping missions?
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh: The UN has made a lot of offers, but we just join activities in line with our foreign policy and suitable with our capabilities. First, we must keep absolute safety for our force. Second, we must complete our duties. In the coming time, we continue to grasp and study the situation. In details, after the launch of the L2FH No.1, the L2FH No.2 will be officially established and prepare and get ready to replace the L2FH No.1 after one year. The L2FH No.1, when completing its duties in South Sudan, will become the mobile military medical force for the search and rescue duties in peacetime. We are also preparing our military engineers, and the troops are expected to depart for a UN mission in late 2019. We have completed the construction of the Vietnam Peacekeeping Center and the center has just been recognized by the UN as a UN international center authorized to carry out training for the UN peacekeeping force in the Asia-Pacific region.
Reporter: What are your recommendations for the troops of the L2FH No.1 when undertaking duties at UNMISS?
Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh: I believe that the staff of the L2FH No.1 of Vietnam will successfully fulfill their duties. We made preparations and practiced in recent years. After the launch, the staff of the hospital will officially start working and carrying out medical practices in the real conditions at the mission. Therefore, on behalf of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, and as the head of the Steering Committee, I have required the chain-of-command and all troops of the hospital to strictly observe the military discipline and regulations, implement regular work in a timely and seamless manner. Both spiritual and material lives of troops should be paid due attention to while absolute safety is required as it is the first and foremost issue that should be taken into consideration when carrying out field duties. They should also make efforts in training and learning, overcoming difficulties and challenges in the new environment, the new context and under new requirements. The whole hospital must uphold solidarity and high determination to promote the victorious tradition of the Vietnam People’s Army.
Reporter: Thank you very much!
Reported by Trung Kien
Translated by Huu Duong