Sentences in Dak Lak terrorism case win public support

A working delegation from the Party Central Committee presents gifts to the poor in Cu Kuin district, Dak Lak province (Photo: VNA)

Dak Lak (VNA) – Residents in the Central Highlands, particularly ethnic minority groups, have expressed support for the court’s recent sentences on the 100 defendants in the terrorism case aimed at subverting the people's administration that occurred on June 11, 2023, in Cu Kuin district, Dak Lak province.

The provincial People’s Court sentenced 10 defendants to life imprisonment on the charge of “terrorism aimed at opposing the people’s administration”, including five ringleaders. Five others received a 20-year prison term each for the same offence while the rest had jail terms ranging from 9 months to 19 years.

Y Lina, head of the Ea Nur ward's residential group in Pong Drang town, Krong Buk district, said he believes that the sentences demonstrate the lenient policy of the Party and the State. Expressing his hope for the effective rehabilitation of the convicted, he looked forward to a day when they could reunite with their families and community.

Pastor Y Djan Eban, the respected leader of the Kniet Evangelical Church boasting a congregation of 1,050 followers, endorsed the court's rulings as just and aligned with the State's law. The residents, acknowledging the lenient stance upheld by the Party and the State, rest assured from the fact that justice has indeed prevailed.

Village elder Y Chau Nie said in the coming time, each hamlet and village will intensify the dissemination of the Party's policies and guidelines and the State's laws to the community while encouraging residents to prioritise their livelihoods and resist any attempts of provocation from malicious elements.

Meanwhile, head of the Cu Kuin district’s Committee for Mass Mobilisation Hoang Minh Hai said the district Party Committee advocates grasping the information and legitimate aspirations of local residents to promptly address issues at the grassroots level, especially in administrative and land procedures and beneficiary policies. The district places a significant emphasis on fostering unity through twinning initiatives between villages and political and mass organisations, with a focus on developing new rural areas and alleviating poverty.

Dak Lak, with a population of over 1.9 million people, is now home to 49 ethnic groups, with 35.7% belonging to ethnic minorities.

Last year, Dak Lak met and surpassed 12 out of the 16 criteria, with the rate of poor households reducing to 9.19% from 10.94%. Its budget revenue exceeded the projection by 6% to over 7.8 trillion VND (325 million USD) while export turnover hit 1.6 billion USD, up 0.86% annually.

Under the master plan on Dak Lak province for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the locality aims to improve the material, cultural, and spiritual lives to achieve an above-average national standard based on green and circular economy while preserving the cultural identity of ethnic communities. Dak Lak aspires to become a distinctive and appealing destination for both domestic and foreign tourists, with Buon Ma Thuot, a thriving hub in the Central Highlands, poised for further development, fostering integration and connectivity in the region and beyond./.