Vietnamese blue berets’ achievements in mass mobilization in Abyei

PANO - Together with well performing regular missions, Vietnamese troops in Abyei are known for their effective implementation of mass mobilization activities. Their responsibility for people in difficult areas has been effectively promoted in the disputed area on the border of South Sudan and Sudan.

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In the 10,000 square kilometers-wide area, where the Vietnamese troops are performing the U.N. peacekeeping duties, mass mobilization work has been well carried out by the Vietnamese engineering force since 2022, and their efforts have been acknowledged by locals. They call the Vietnamese blue berets the U.N. force that has done missions with all their heart.

Lieutenant Colonel Dang Quoc Tuan (second from the left) exchanges security situation with international colleagues.

Since the Vietnamese engineering troops were deployed to this area, they have swiftly and effectively implemented practical projects and initiatives, such as upgrading roads, building or repairing schools and classrooms, drilling wells, and handing over boats to locals. Those are regular activities in support of the local community.

In Vietnam, such missions may not be challenging for a military unit, but they are extremely difficult in Abyei, requiring relentless efforts of the whole team. Due to conflicts, refugees have flocked to Abyei which has also faced its own ethnic and armed conflicts. For local people there, having a traditional tukul without basic furnishings to shelter them from the sun and rain is considered extremely valuable. They have aspirations for a stable life and their children could go to school, but armed conflicts and harsh weather conditions can destroy their homes or subject them to flooding. Due to the conflicts, poverty, and disagreements in Abyei, acquiring materials to build classrooms and houses, repair desks, or fix boats becomes a significant challenge. For instance, while it takes just 30 USD to buy a goat, a bag of cement costs up to 35 USD. In reality, even with money, it is not always possible to acquire the necessary supplies for construction in such an unstable land like Abyei.

However, thanks to the practical assistance of the Vietnamese "blue berets," the life of local people has significantly improved. Now in rainy season, locals are no longer worried that their activities are affected due to heavy rain, impassable muddy roads, or flooding.

By wholeheartedly helping locals, the Vietnamese soldiers have earned a special place in their heart. The Vietnamese language gradually becomes familiar to the local residents. Now, it is not strange hearing children in Abyei singing Vietnamese songs, or witnessing locals selling their agriculture products using Vietnamese. According to Lieutenant Colonel Dang Quoc Tuan, a member of the working group of the U.N. Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the fine relationship comes from the tireless efforts and sincere sentiment of the Vietnamese blue berets. Every time they encounter Vietnamese soldiers, local people warmly welcome them with smiles and friendly gestures, treating them like their close friends and loved ones.

Upon hearing the news of the visit of the inter-sectoral working group for Vietnam’s participation in U.N. peacekeeping operations, led by Deputy Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Pham Truong Son, people of Abyei were filled with joy.

At the Abyei Nursery School, where most of the students are orphans, residents and students gathered long before the delegation's arrival. They formed two long lines from the main road to the school gate, holding Vietnam’s national flags and Party flags. Amid the joyful chanting of "Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh," there were songs and dances performed by the local community, expressing their happiness, enthusiasm, and blessings for the visiting delegation.

A local resident said, "Although the school has welcomed many delegations and individuals, this is the first time such a solemn reception has been held because it is for the people from Vietnam, our friends, our dear brothers and sisters."

The principal of the school affirmed that the Vietnamese troops are the U.N. force that has conducted duties with all their heart.

Col. Tuan said that being loved by people in Abyei is a great achievement in mass mobilization work of the Vietnamese blue berets who have conducted mass mobilization activities in a challenging, dangerous, distant, and unfamiliar land.

Translated by Tran Hoai