Vietnamese army joins relief efforts in Myanmar

General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of National Defense, encouraged the relief forces before leaving for Myanmar on the afternoon of March 30. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

On March 28, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake occurred in Myanmar, affecting many neighboring countries, causing great loss of life and property. As of March 29, over 1,600 people have died, over 3,400 people have been injured and many are still missing. The Myanmar government has called on the international community for support. Many countries in the world and in the ASEAN region have sent forces and means to help the Government and people of Myanmar such as: China, Russia, India, Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, Australia, the World Health Organization...

In the history of relations between the two countries, Vietnam and Myanmar have had a good friendship. Implementing the Party's foreign policy, Vietnam is always ready to be a friend, a reliable partner, and a responsible member of the international community; demonstrating the fine tradition and morality of "Love others as you love yourself" of the Vietnamese people. In January 2023, the Central Military Commission Standing Committee and the Ministry of National Defense proactively advised the Standing Committee of the Secretariat and the Prime Minister to send the Vietnam People's Army to provide humanitarian assistance and earthquake relief in Turkey.

General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff, Deputy Minister of National Defense, and the relief force before leaving for Myanmar on the afternoon of March 30. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

On this occasion, the Ministry of National Defense continued to send a working delegation of 80 comrades, led by Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Department of Rescue and Relief, as Commander-in-Chief of the Vietnam People's Army to participate in overcoming the consequences of the earthquake in Myanmar. The working delegation brought necessary equipment, materials, medicines, 6 service dogs and many tons of goods. The activity aimed to continue to demonstrate the noble international spirit of the Vietnam People's Army, affirming the position, prestige, sense of responsibility and capacity of the Vietnam People's Army in international integration and defense diplomacy.

The Vietnam People's Army delegation participating in the search and rescue in Myanmar this time includes 80 soldiers selected by agencies and units; they are the core force of the Ministry of National Defense's international humanitarian and disaster relief teams from: the Engineering Corps, Military Hospitals, Border Guards, the Department of Search and Rescue and functional agencies of the Ministry of National Defense, the General Staff, and the General Department of Politics.

Among the soldiers participating in this mission, many comrades have participated in supporting the Government and people of Türkiye to overcome the earthquake disaster in 2023. The soldiers have demonstrated high determination, good sense of organization and discipline, good solidarity, proactively overcoming all difficulties to excellently complete the tasks of the Army before the Party and the people; at the same time, affirming the sense of responsibility and capacity to always be ready to perform the tasks of the Vietnam People's Army in international integration and cooperation.

In just a short time of less than 20 hours since being deployed and assigned the task, the agencies and units have thoroughly grasped and fully and thoughtfully implemented all preparations for each individual and each force component, in terms of ideology, spirit, force, organization, equipment, logistics and close coordination and cooperation with each other. Thereby demonstrating high initiative, the spirit of readiness to carry out the task immediately in all conditions and circumstances... Up to now, the soldiers are ready in all aspects to depart to carry out the task in the neighboring country.

General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff and Deputy Minister of National Defense, delivered a speech assigning tasks to officers and soldiers before their departure to Myanmar. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

In his speech assigning tasks, General Nguyen Tan Cuong, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, Deputy Minister of National Defense, noted that the current political security situation in Myanmar is very complicated, and the consequences of the recent earthquake are very severe. Along with that, traffic conditions, hot, sunny, harsh weather... will cause many difficulties for rescue forces, including the rescue force of the Vietnam People's Army.

On behalf of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, General Nguyen Tan Cuong requested the members of the working delegation to seriously grasp the tasks, build determination, the highest sense of responsibility, solidarity, unity, proactively overcome all difficulties, and excellently complete the tasks entrusted by the Party, State, and Army.

The Chief of the General Staff stated that soldiers need to make efforts to carry out rescue and humanitarian assistance missions with existing equipment and accumulated experience, promoting dynamism and creativity, in the fastest, most effective and safest time. During the mission, they must always be ready to help the people of the neighboring country according to their ability and conditions; not causing trouble for the government and people of the neighboring country.

In addition, the members of the working delegation need to properly resolve the relationship and closely coordinate between our forces and international forces, the government and people of the host country in performing their tasks; strictly comply with international law, the laws of the host country and military discipline, and ensure absolute safety for people and equipment.

“Proactively coordinate with forces from participating countries, deploy teams and groups to carry out missions in the most favorable and safe manner. Learning from the experience of the mission in Türkiye, try to divide the groups into not too small groups, ensuring safety but also supporting and assisting each other,” General Nguyen Tan Cuong stated.

For difficult, complicated, and sensitive issues, General Nguyen Tan Cuong requested that the Working Group proactively report and ask for direction from the leaders of the Ministry of National Defense. However, “for issues that can be decided, the commanders will discuss and reach an agreement to decide on immediate handling, in the spirit of “General on bail”, because there are situations that only happen in a split second, without the immediate decision of the commander at that time, it may not be completed, this is also one of the tasks considered a combat mission”, the Chief of the General Staff emphasized.

In addition, to promote the tradition and good qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", members of the working delegation need to combine propaganda with specific actions to enhance the image and position of the Vietnam People's Army, creating a good impression with international friends and the government and people of Myanmar.

General Nguyen Tan Cuong requested that the agencies and functional units of the Ministry of National Defense, the General Staff, the General Department of Politics, and the General Department II proactively communicate and coordinate with the forces, do a good job of grasping the situation, reporting to the leaders of the Ministry of National Defense and providing timely information and news to the rescue forces, ensuring security and safety for our forces on duty in the areas.

Major General Pham Van Ty, Deputy Director of the Department of Search and Rescue (General Staff), head of the working delegation, delivered a speech accepting the assignment. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

Speaking on the sidelines of the conference, Major General Pham Van Ty said that, drawing on experience in the process of carrying out search, rescue and relief missions after the earthquake disaster in Turkey in early 2023, the force deployed this time has more experience in organizing, commanding, and operating relief activities as well as coordinating with international relief forces and handling emergency situations and arising situations.

"Certainly, our forces will successfully complete the tasks assigned by the Party, State and Army. After the force arrives in Myanmar, we will coordinate with the United Nations, the international coordination force and the Myanmar Rescue Committee, from there, based on our forces, equipment and strengths, to determine the area to carry out the mission, in order to ensure the most effective results," said Major General Pham Van Ty.

General Nguyen Tan Cuong, Chief of the General Staff, Deputy Minister of National Defense, and representatives of agencies saw off the relief forces at the airport to Myanmar on the afternoon of March 30. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

According to Major General Pham Van Ty, the Vietnam People's Army has chosen to send its most elite force to provide earthquake relief in Myanmar, bringing equipment for the work, including heavy machinery, such as excavators and bulldozers. The top priority is to quickly search and rescue victims trapped in the rubble in areas devastated by the earthquake.

"Our 80 professional military officers are extremely honored to receive the trust and confidence of the heads of agencies and units and the Head of the Ministry of National Defense. We promise to the heads and comrades that we will unite, stick together, and be determined to overcome all difficulties and hardships, and successfully and excellently complete the task of helping Myanmar overcome the earthquake disaster; identifying that searching for victims in the rubble is searching for our relatives in the working group and our comrades; identifying that this is a task that demonstrates the sentiment, responsibility, and position of our country, our people, and our Army," Major General Pham Van Ty emphasized.

Ceremony to see off relief forces to the airport to Myanmar on the afternoon of March 30. Photo: Trong Duc/VNA

According to the schedule, the plane carrying the Vietnam People's Army's relief force to Yangon (Myanmar) will take off at 3:30 p.m. on March 30. During the night of March 30, there will be discussions with the neighboring country and international missions to unify the mission and determine the response plan. It is expected that on the morning of March 31, the Vietnam Army's rescue force will carry out the mission.

VNA

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/luc-luong-quan-doi-viet-nam-tham-gia-cuu-tro-tai-myanmar-post408796.html