Directive No. 36/2005/CT-TTg On continuing to direct the construction of comprehensive strong bases to meet the requirements of national defense and security in the new situation

DIRECTIVE

On continuing to direct the construction of comprehensive strong bases to meet the requirements and tasks of national defense and security in the new situation 

Implementing Directive No. 58/TTg dated February 15, 1993 of the Prime Minister on "Strengthening leadership and direction in building comprehensive strong bases to meet the requirements and tasks of national defense and security in the new situation", after 12 years of implementation, all levels, sectors, and localities have thoroughly grasped and implemented with significant results. Many new models with rich and creative approaches have emerged. The quality of base construction has continuously improved, contributing to maintaining political stability, strengthening the people's war defensive posture and the people's security posture at the grassroots level, actively contributing to the overall achievements of the renewal process, creating favorable conditions for the country's industrialization and modernization.

However, the implementation process still reveals shortcomings and limitations. A portion of cadres at all levels from central to grassroots levels have not fully recognized the position, role, and importance of the grassroots, thus not emphasizing their responsibility in leading and directing grassroots construction. The cadre team at the grassroots level, especially in remote areas and key, sensitive locations, generally remains weak and insufficiently close to the grassroots; understanding the people, staying on the ground, and promptly identifying complex situations in their early stages is very weak. The advisory and proposal role of military and police agencies in some places is not proactive; coordination among forces in operations is not tight; additionally, policies are still inadequate and inconsistent, resulting in low effectiveness and quality of grassroots construction compared to requirements.

Grasping the Resolution of the Ninth National Party Congress; the Resolution of the Eighth Plenary Session of the Central Committee of the Party (Ninth Term) on "Strategic Defense of the Homeland in the New Situation" to strive for the basic goal at the grassroots level: "Maintaining political stability, economic and social development, improving material and spiritual life of the people, having healthy cultural lifestyles, strong national defense and security, contributing to thwarting the 'Peaceful Evolution' strategy and subversive plots of hostile forces, being ready to successfully counter any situations that may arise at the local and grassroots levels." To build comprehensive strong grassroots, meeting the requirements and tasks of national defense and security in the new situation, the Prime Minister requests all levels and sectors to focus on directing the implementation of the following issues:

1. Emphasizing the construction of strong grassroots politically, establishing a truly solid "people's heart fortress."

First, it is necessary to grasp the policy of building comprehensive strong grassroots to meet the requirements and tasks of national defense and security as one of the strategic issues, a regular and urgent task of the entire Party, people, and army.

Paying attention to consolidating, innovating, and enhancing the quality and effectiveness of activities of grassroots authorities and mass organizations, mobilizing the combined strength of the entire political system, building comprehensive strong grassroots, considering this as a crucial factor to maintain political security - social order and safety, contributing to building provincial and district defense zones increasingly firmly.

Strengthening propaganda and implementation of the Party's guidelines and policies, state laws, national defense and security tasks, education on tradition and love for the country; implementing innovative content and methods of national defense and security education suitable for each target group, raising revolutionary vigilance among cadres and the people, recognizing the schemes and tactics of hostile forces, correctly understanding the requirements and tasks of protecting the Party, the State, and the socialist regime, being ready to defeat any destructive actions of the enemy in any situation.

Continuing to organize and implement effectively Decree No. 79/2003/NĐ-CP dated July 7, 2003 of the Government on the Regulations on Implementing Democracy at Communes. Consistently doing well in mass mobilization work, increasing transparency, democracy, and direct dialogue with the people; resolutely overcoming bureaucratic, corrupt, and alienation from the masses, promoting the effective participation of the people in building the political system at the grassroots level, while proactively and resolutely combating illegal acts such as illegal religious propagation, exploiting freedom and belief, dividing ethnic unity... aimed at undermining the revolution by hostile forces.

2. Promoting economic and social development, closely combining with reinforcing national defense and security, integrating national defense and security with economic and social development in each locality; actively implementing reforms in the content, scale, form, measures of integration, and improving the quality of the grassroots political system.

Paying attention to building strong villages, hamlets, communities (collectively referred to as villages), leveraging the roles of village elders, village chiefs, and police officers as core forces to effectively implement economic and social development and national defense and security tasks at each village and grassroots level.

Closely combining the implementation of central and local economic and social development programs effectively. In the overall planning for economic and social development of various industries and fields or short-, medium-, and long-term plans of ministries, sectors, and localities, ensuring consistency and suitability with the characteristics of each grassroots area in different regions, meeting the requirements of economic and social development and national defense and security tasks.

Consolidating and developing economic-defense zones, particularly in border, coastal, island, remote, and ethnic minority areas. Building economic-defense zones must be integrated with constructing regional defense postures to contribute to strengthening the people's war defensive posture and the people's security posture. Appropriate policies should be developed for vocational training, employment, population resettlement, production development, and addressing spontaneous migration to stabilize and improve the material and spiritual lives of the people.

Continue to develop, supplement, and adjust plans and activity programs for local protection, effectively organize training and drills according to these plans, including plans for prevention, evacuation, disaster response, fire, explosion, rescue operations, etc., prepare forces and means ready to respond effectively to various situations.

Actively implement the development of culture and society to achieve practical results, aiming to create impetus for economic development and consolidate national defense and security at the grassroots level. Continue to widely organize and implement mass movements and campaigns such as "All people unite to build cultural life in residential areas," building cultural villages and families. Focus on solving pressing social issues such as job creation, poverty reduction, eradication of illiteracy, etc., especially in hamlets and villages in particularly difficult regions. Improve the quality of education, healthcare, culture; prevent and curb social evils, outdated customs, criminal offenses, traffic accidents, and violations of public order and safety; while directing the implementation of Resolution No. 05/2005/NQ-CP dated April 18, 2005, of the Government on promoting socialization in educational, health, cultural, and sports activities.

3. Build the People's Armed Forces at the grassroots level strong in all aspects, contributing to maintaining political stability in accordance with the requirements of economic and social development at the grassroots level.

Focus on consolidating and building the Civil Defense Militia, Reserve Mobilization, and Public Security forces at the grassroots level strong; the cadre of military and public security personnel at the grassroots level must be trained and developed according to the regulations of the Government to have the necessary moral qualities and professional skills, fulfilling their assigned responsibilities well. Special attention should be given to implementing the planning, selection, training, and development of cadres who are local residents, children of ethnic minorities in hamlets, villages, and remote areas, border regions, islands, etc., to create a source for building a cadre team that meets the requirements of national defense and security tasks at the grassroots level. Strengthen guidance on coordinating activities between the Civil Defense Militia and public security and other armed forces in the area in protecting political security and public order and safety at the grassroots level; focus on building mobile and standing Civil Defense Militia units ready for combat, reserve mobilization, public security, and border guard forces at the grassroots level in religious communities, ethnic minority areas, and key internal areas.

When complex incidents occur at the grassroots level, they must be promptly detected and the situation accurately assessed; combine educational, persuasive, and mediation measures to resolve legitimate demands of the people; do not be subjective or hasty, and do not allow them to become "hotspots" spreading and persisting. It is necessary to understand the functions and responsibilities of each force to coordinate implementation in accordance with the provisions of the law. Firmly prevent the enemy from exploiting opportunities to intervene and sow discord among forces and the whole people's solidarity.

Pay attention to and care for the implementation of policies and benefits for the Civil Defense Militia, Reserve Mobilization, and grassroots-level public security forces and other armed forces stationed in the area to ensure that these forces are truly the core vanguard in carrying out national defense and security tasks at the grassroots level.

4. Play the role of management and administration of the government, the advisory role of military and public security agencies and relevant departments and organizations, forming a comprehensive strength of the entire people for national defense and security work at the grassroots level.

Military and public security agencies at the grassroots level must play the leading advisory role for the Party Committee and government and serve as the center for coordination and cooperation with departments, sectors, and organizations in the locality in building local armed forces, implementing national defense, military tasks, and maintaining public order and security at the grassroots level.

Focus on consolidating and improving the quantity and quality of the grassroots cadre team, first and foremost the key cadres. The provinces and centrally-administered cities need to study and select soldiers who have completed their military service for further training to create a long-term cadre source for the grassroots level.

5. Ensure the budget for the task of developing the economy and society in conjunction with consolidating and building national defense and security; implement well the policy of support for the rear of the military and other socio-economic policies at the grassroots level.

All levels, sectors, and localities must ensure timely and adequate funding and materials for the grassroots-level armed forces in construction, training, regular, and emergency activities, especially in key and weak communes, wards, and towns to be proactive and ready to respond effectively to complex situations.

Direct the implementation of campaigns such as "Repaying Gratitude," "Remembering the Source of Water," etc.; continue to resolve remaining issues after the war, support policies for the military rear, and other socio-economic policies related to national defense and security tasks. Implement well the policies for grassroots-level cadres, especially those in remote areas, and adopt preferential policies to attract cadres, particularly cadres from ethnic minorities, contributing practically to consolidating the people's trust in the Party and State.

The Ministry of Home Affairs shall take the lead and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to promptly amend and supplement specific policies and systems for grassroots-level cadres and civil servants sent for training and cadre development.

6. Implementation organization

a) The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security:

In collaboration with relevant ministries and sectors, annually assess the current situation and results of building grassroots units comprehensively nationwide, especially in the fields of national defense and security; based on this, determine specific targets and plans to promptly guide and direct localities to formulate practical policies and solutions to build grassroots units comprehensively to meet the requirements of national defense and security tasks.

Coordinate with the Government Inspectorate and relevant ministries, sectors, and localities to effectively implement regular and surprise inspection and supervision work, promptly propose and rectify shortcomings and existing problems to practically contribute to improving the quality of grassroots unit construction.

b) The People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities, the People's Committees of districts, towns, urban districts, and provincial-level cities shall assign one member of the People's Committee to directly assist the Chairman in overseeing and directing the work of building comprehensive strong bases in their respective localities, especially in key areas, critical zones, and bases that continue to face difficulties and weaknesses and require concentrated leadership, strict guidance, high consistency, and adequate budget allocation for this work.

Continue to strictly direct the implementation down to the grassroots level of the contents of Decision No. 107/2003/QĐ-TTg dated June 2, 2003, issued by the Prime Minister on the regulations governing the coordination of activities between the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of National Defense in performing national security protection tasks and social order and safety in the new situation, particularly the coordination of activities among forces in political security protection and social order and safety tasks at local levels and grassroots levels.

c) The Ministry of National Defense shall take the lead and coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to guide localities in planning inspections, reviews, and summaries of experiences in building comprehensive strong bases annually and during each period; simultaneously, they shall plan to submit to the Government for organizing nationwide reviews on building comprehensive strong bases to meet defense and security requirements in 2009.

d) The Minister of National Defense shall be responsible for coordinating with the Minister of Public Security and the heads of relevant ministries and sectors to inspect and urge the implementation of this Directive, and report annually to the Prime Minister.

The Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of governmental agencies, and Chairmen of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall be responsible for directing and organizing the implementation of this Directive.