The Southwestern Region Steering Committee and the Hau Giang provincial Party Committee on June 24 jointly held a meeting with 150 representatives of local ethnic people and religious dignitaries and followers.

The event aims to raise the awareness of religious dignitaries and followers of hostile forces’ conspiracy and ruse to take advantage of ethnic and religion issues to drive a wedge into the national great unity bloc, cause social instability and violate national security.

Dr. To Minh Gioi, a member of the committee, presented a summary of the region’s history, the Communist Party of Vietnam’s guidelines as well as the State’s policies and laws regarding religion and ethnic areas.

Gioi also went through the achievements of the Mekong Delta region over the past years while affirming the role and responsibility of ethnic people, religious followers and dignitaries in building and protecting national security, ensuring social order and safety at a time when Vietnam is widening foreign relations and cooperation.

He noted that the State’s programmes for ethnic people such as Programmes 134 and 135 have been well implemented and proved highly effective in southwestern provinces.

All localities now have rural roads that can afford cars, electricity and clean water which contribute to the improvement of people’s living conditions.-VNA