(VOVworld) - Ethnicity and national unity play a strategic role in Party guidelines and state policies. In revisions to the 1992 Constitution, this issue has received much discussion.

The revised draft of the 1992 Constitution reflects the spirit of Party resolutions on ethnic affairs, which declares that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a union of the various ethnic communities occupying the Vietnamese land. The State follows a policy of equality, solidarity and mutual support among the various ethnic communities and prohibits all acts of ethnic discrimination and division. The various ethnic communities have the right to use their own language and writing, to preserve their ethnic identity and to nurture their customs, traditions and cultures. State  policies help ethnic minority groups exploit their internal strengths and integrate into the common national development. The State implements policies of all-round development aimed at gradually improving the material and spiritual well-being of ethnic minorities. All citizens, whether from a majority or minority group, have equal rights and obligations in all aspects of life.

The ethnicity policies in the revised 1992 Constitution should underline Ho Chi Minh’s thoughts and principles that the Party identifies, all ethnic groups in the great Vietnamese family are equal in respect, and should unite and assist one another to develop and progress. The State’s responsibility is to ensure the implementation of comprehensive policies on development to gradually improve the material and spiritual lives of ethnic groups, and help them use their internal strengths to share in national development. Many have stressed the importance of clarifying the rights and responsibilities of ethnic minority groups in the Constitution to avoid their reliance on State policies. Lu Van Que, Head of the Ethnicity Consultancy Council of the Vietnam Fatherland Front says: “The State should help all ethnic groups develop. Ethnic minority groups need to use their internal strengths to develop and reduce their dependence on state policies. It’s necessary to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor. The basic principles of Party and State polices on ethnic affairs are sufficient and practical”.

The revised 1992 Constitution needs to clarify that Vietnam is a multi-ethnic nation in which ethnic affairs and national unity play a strategic, long-term role. This stipulation aims to create a consensus between the Party and the people. National unity and solidarity of ethnic and religious groups are the key to national stability and growth. A researcher of Ethnicity, Doctor Bui Xuan Dinh says: “I think we should say promoting the role of ethnic groups with the Vietnamese group playing the major role because for a multi-ethnic nation, the development of the majority group should serve as the common development trend. This is the obvious rule of other multi-ethnic nations. Of course, in addition to bringing into play the dynamic and creative role of the main ethnic group, it’s important to promote other ethnic minority groups”.

In the 20 years since the adoption of the 1992 Constitution, ethnic affairs and national unity have been institutionalized in many aspects helping ethnic groups to develop. Revisions to the 1992 Constitution regarding ethnic affairs will continue to enhance the role of ethnic groups in national construction and development.