PANO - These days, units of Military Zone 9 have organized various culture and sports activities for Khmer troops and local organs to celebrate the Chol Chnam Thmay Festival, the traditional New Year Festival of the Khmer ethnic minority group in Southern Vietnam.
Major General Ngo Van Ba, Deputy Political Director of Military Zone 9 said that the festival was special for Khmer people, so the zone organized activities to raise both material and spiritual lives for Khmer troops, while consolidating solidarity among troops.
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Enjoying the festival with the tug of war, a folk game
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On the occasion, Military Zone 9 sent delegations to visit pagodas in provinces and cities in the Mekong River Delta to promote understanding and strengthen solidarity between the armed forces and Khmer people, making contributions to local socio-economy development. Units of the zone presented rice to needy Khmer people in the localities where they are stationed.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Doi, Political Director of Regiment 9 of Military Zone 9’s Division 8, said that during this year’s festival, the unit received 46 families of Khmer troops and created favourable conditions for them to join the unit’s activities.
Besides, the zone’s provincial military commands of An Giang, Soc Trang, Tra Vinh and Bac Lieu and Can Tho city visited monks in Khmer pagodas, organized culture and sports activities, and sent doctors and nurses to provide free health check-ups and medicines to needy locals, and policy beneficiaries in villages.
Private Lam Hoang Phuc, a soldier of Squad 4 of Company 13’s Platoon 12, said that these meaningful activities helped ease troops’ homesickness. “These are unforgettable memories in my army life”, said Phuc.
Meanwhile, Vo Thi Hong Hanh, a youth from Tan Nghia commune, Cao Lanh city, Dong Thap province, expressed her happiness to join such a meaningful event which helped her and local youths learn more about the culture and custom of Khmer ethnic minority group.
Translated by Tran Hoai