Permanent Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh presents gifts for outstanding individuals at a gathering held to celebrate Chol Chnam Thmay – the traditional New Year festival of the Khmer ethnic people. (Photo: VNA) Soc Trang (VNA) – Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh wished Khmer people and Buddhist dignitaries in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang happy, safe and good crops as he joined a gathering in Soc Trang province on April 5 to celebrate Chol Chnam Thmay – the traditional New Year festival of the Khmer ethnic people in the south.
Addressing the event, the Deputy PM acknowledged the great contributions made by the Khmer people and Buddhist dignitaries to the development of the country as well as of Soc Trang province.
He asked them to continue to uphold traditions, solidarity and patriotism to contribute to the realisation of socio-economic development goals while ensuring national defence and security-order.
On the same day, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Thanh Man led a delegation to visit and extended his wishes to Khmer people and Buddhist dignitaries in An Giang province, home to more than 93,000 Khmer people.
Man affirmed that the Party and State always pay heed to ethnic affairs, particularly the material and spiritual life of ethnic minorities, especially those in difficult areas, mountainous and remote areas, including the Khmer people of An Giang province.
Last year, An Giang has well implemented policy related to ethnic affairs, providing housing support for dozens of poor ethnic minority households with a total value of over 22.2 billion VND (about 970,000 USD). The poverty rate among Khmer households in An Giang province dropped to 18.8 percent by the end of last year.
On this occasion, Man presented 65 packages of gifts to the monks, the management boards of pagodas and outstanding Khmer families in An Giang province.
Also on April 5, Presidentof the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) CentralCommittee Do Van Chien on April 5 led a working delegation to extend greetingsto Buddhist monks in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang.
Visiting SaSàNáRăngXây pagoda in Vi Thanh city, the VFFleader reiterated the important role played by the Association for Solidarity of Patriotic Buddhist Monks inconnecting the Khmer ethnic community and the Party, the authorities and theVFF, contributing to building the national unity bloc and national construction.
Chien asked local Party committees and administrations at alllevels to create favourable conditions for pagodas, monks and followers to practicetheir religion and continue to contribute to local socio-economic development.
Venerable Danh Tuan said the provincial Association for Solidarity of Patriotic Buddhist Monks will celebratethe festival in a solemn and safe manner. He also pledged that the associationand local Khmer people will unite to conserve their cultural characteristicswhile continue to study and follow the moral example of President Ho Chi Minh.
The VFF leader also called at O ChumPruKsa pagoda in Vi Thuydistrict.
Hau Giang province is home to more than 26,000 Khmer ethnicpeople (3 percent of the local population) and 15 Theravada Buddhist pagodas./.
