Youth union members at a flag ceremony on a fisherman’s boat
On the last day of March, thirty excellent members from the youth unions of the Mobile Training Battalion - Provincial Border Guard High Commander, Truong An Ward (Hue City) and Nguyen Chi Thanh Political School eagerly visited fishermen in the communes of Vinh Hien, Loc Binh, Vinh Hai, and Vinh My - Phu Loc District (communes under the management of Vinh Hien Border Guard Station). The delegation presented 100 national flags, 240 T-shirts and their deep feelings to local fishermen.
"Every Vietnamese citizen always cherishes a sacred sentiment in the heart towards the fatherland’s seas and islands. At those far-off seas, our fellow fishermen catch fishes and shrimps day and night for a living, and join guard forces to protect our maritime borders. The image of a red national flag flying proudly in the wind and asserting the nation’s sovereignty, always and forever spreads a sacred feeling among us," said Ta Duong Anh Tuan, Secretary of the Truong An Youth Union. Therefore, the youth union members of the three units wished to "connect" that divine affection so that those who are clinging to the sea would feel more confident.
Major Nguyen Huu Tri, Deputy Political Officer of the Mobile Training Battalion, has served in the border posts of Hong Van, Nham, and Huong Nguyen mountainous communes (A Luoi district). In difficult patrols across streams and forests to protect the border and landmarks, he and his comrades have imprinted their footsteps in every corner throughout the frontier areas with different tones of emotions.
Visiting his comrades and local fishermen today has aroused an emotion that was difficult to describe in this border guard’s heart. "In the middle of immerse sea and in the midst of dangerous waves, my comrades and our fellow fishermen have stayed perseverant. They are the living landmarks to claim our nation’s sovereignty. The flags being brought with us today express our sentimental feelings and pride that will go along with the fishermen on their trips to the sea for a living as well as for protecting our sea," said Major Tri.
At the Vinh Hien Border Station, along with the soughing waves, the fishermen representing 13 boat groups and 143 crew members solemnly received the red flags. Fisherman Nguyen Quang Nguyen, head of a fishing team, shared that at the beginning of each trip, their first job was to carefully hang the national flags at the boat or ship prows.
That is to affirm: "We are Vietnamese fishermen who are earning our livelihoods in our territorial sea." Mr. Nguyen also said that they felt secured and not lonely, and seemed to receive more strength as they met each other in midst of the sea and saw the national flags fluttering on their counterparts’ prows from afar.
Captain Hoang Manh Ty, Deputy Political Officer of the Vinh Hien Border Guard Station, offered his strong hand as a fulcrum for the union members to board the fishermen's boat waiting for the flag ceremony. The boat carrying the national flag as the rear’s sentiments would depart to the sea through the Tu Hien estuary. The participants held each other’s hands tightly so as to deeply understand the hardship of these rustic but courageous people between wind and water. Our fishermen are cooperating with coastal guards to protect our nation’s sovereignty.
Story and photo: Quynh Anh