Village patriarchs and chiefs of Co Ma commune in Thuan Chau district explain Party guidelines and State policies to locals.

23 of 42 households in Nam Luong hamlet are Catholics, Presbyterians, or members of the Protestant Christian Fellowship. 

Vu A Dua, Secretary of the hamlet’s Party cell, said that 2 of the 4 cell members are religious followers, who consistently uphold the vanguard spirit, especially in abiding by Party guidelines, State policies and laws, and have promoted their culture and restructured their crops to improve their lives. Now only 20 households in the hamlet are considered poor, said Dua.

"Party members convene regular meetings and persuade people not to propagate illegal religions, to abide by Party guidelines and State laws, and to unite with each other to jointly develop," he said.

140 of the 1,500 households in Chieng Chan commune are Mongs who follow a religion.

According to Lo Van Hai, Secretary of the commune’s Party Committee, religious and non-religious villagers have lived in harmony for years.

“During meetings in each hamlet, we disseminate Party guidelines and State laws and call on people are to comply with State policies and village rules under which religious and non-religious people should unite and develop together," said Hai.

Many people in Mai Son district are Buddhists, Catholics, or Protestants. Ha Van Binh, Deputy Secretary of the district’s Party Committee, said that Party development, especially in the communities of religious ethnic people, is one of 19 norms set by the district Party Congress for the 2020-2025 term.

“In Mai Son district 31 religious followers have been admitted to the Party. They have caused no problem nor received any complaint. Every Party member has complied with Party regulations," said Binh.

Thuan Chau district has 2,000 religious followers. All have actively participated in patriotic emulation movements and campaigns.

Thao A Sua, Deputy Secretary of the district Party Committee and Chairman of the district People's Council, said that in recent years the number of local religious followers who want to become Party members has grown.

“Thuan Chau district has one Party member who is a Catholic. 20 Party members who follow Protestantism are now secretaries of Party cells or hamlet heads. Over the past two years, guidelines have been issued to encourage ethnic minorities and religious followers to become Party members. The district will review all eligible ethnic people soon," said Sua.

Son La province has made it easier for people to practice their religion as long as it is in accordance with Vietnamese law.

In return, religious followers have demonstrated a sense of responsibility in supporting national unity, sharing business experience in order to reduce poverty, narrowing the gap between rich and poor, and promoting a good life and an uplifting religion.