MR7 is a key strategic area in the South, where diverse religions and beliefs converge.
From awareness to action
Following President Ho Chi Minh’s teaching of “Freedom of belief and solidarity of religious and non-religious people,” the Party Committee and Chain-of-Command of MR7 have always defined that religious work is an important political task with close combination with Party and comprehensively-strong unit building work. Thus, many practical and effective solutions have been carried out, contributing to higher awareness of the Party and State’s policy on the work.
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The working delegation of MR7 Command pays a Christmas visit to the Ho Chi Minh City Archdiocese in 2024. |
Last year, the MR7’s Defense and Security Education Council organized 31 classes, providing defense and security knowledge for 4,604 religious dignitaries and officials. Additionally, they compiled many documents on the history, culture, customs on different religions in the area, boosting the religious solidarity great unity.
The region’s armed forces also promoted dissemination among locals to heighten their vigilance against hostile forces’ plots while teaming with religious organizations in doing mass mobilization work, building new-style rural areas, and encouraging youths to perform their military service.
Priest Phan Trong Quang, Permanent Vice Chairman of Binh Duong provincial Catholic Solidarity, said that there is a belief that a good Catholic must be a good citizen; therefore, Catholics in the province have actively engaged in building new-style rural and civilized urban areas. Moreover, priests have always taken the lead in encouraging parishioners to build and multiply models, such as peaceful parishes, cultural families, crime-free residential areas.
According to Priest Ngo Cong Su, Deputy Director of Nui Cut God Mother Center, and parish priest of Ninh Phat Parish in Dong Nai province’s Thong Nhat district, Catholic youths are aware of military service performance, considering it responsibility to the Party, the Fatherland, and their proud.
Cultivating the religious great solidarity bloc
The MR7’s armed forces have strengthened their close bonds with local religious people through a number of meaningful activities, such as building gratitude and great solidarity houses, presenting gifts to disadvantaged people and supporting house construction in border residential areas near military-civilian check-posts.
Venerable Thich Buu Hoa, Deputy Secretary, Chief of Office of the Executive Committee of the Buddhist Sangha of Binh Phuoc province, highlighted the building of border residential areas near military-civilian check-posts so that more Buddhist followers have been involved in protecting borders, border markers and giving support to functional forces, helping ensure security and order in border areas.
Venerable Chau Hoai Thai, member of the Executive Council, Deputy Chief of Office 2 of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, head of Tong Kim Quang Pagoda in Binh Duong province’s Phu Giao district, said that the practical support from the MR7’s armed forces has helped religious establishment operate smoothly.
He suggested more dialogues between the local armed forces and religious communities to grasp local people’s need and difficulties to have timely solutions. This will help build trust, promote mutual understanding and mutual support. He also suggested enhancement of cultural and traditional values of religions to boost community connectivity.
Translated by Mai Huong