HCM City marks 50 years of alliance of national, democratic, peace forces

HCM City (VNA) – The 50th founding anniversary of the Alliance of National, Democratic and Peace Forces of Vietnam (April 20) was marked at a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on April 20.

The event was attended by Politburo member and Secretary of the HCM City Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee Tran Thanh Man, and former leaders and members of the Alliance and the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam (NLF).

In January 1968, the 14th meeting of the third Party Central Committee decided to establish a front that had a platform broader than the NLF’s. This second front would keep an attitude independent from the NLF but enter into an alliance with the NLF and all persons who wanted to strive for an independent, sovereign, democratic, peaceful and neutral South of Vietnam.

On April 20 and 21, 1968, a congress to set up the Alliance of National, Democratic and Peace Forces of Vietnam was held in the liberated area. It mainly operated in cities, especially big cities, and Saigon (now HCM City) where it headquartered. 

The Alliance issued a declaration and an action plan which aimed to struggle for national independence, democracy and peace in Vietnam. It gathered patriotic movements of students, intellectuals, religious followers, workers, entrepreneurs and people in southern cities. Along with the NLF, the Alliance enhanced the solidarity in the resistance war against the US.

In 1977, two years after the south’s liberation and national reunification, front organisations, including the Alliance, merged into the VFF to meet the national development and protection demand in the new period.

Highlighting the significance of the Alliance’s establishment to the country’s revolution, Chairwoman of the VFF Committee of HCM City To Thi Bich Chau said the Alliance’s declaration and action plan truly became part of the revolution in the south of Vietnam. 

Future generations will keep in mind forever its everlasting values, which are patriotism, unyielding revolutionary spirit and strength of the great national unity, she added.-VNA