The Lao newspaper, New Vientiane, on April 29 ran a feature story on the late Vietnamese president Ho Chi Minh hailing him as a torchbearer who lit the way forward for the Lao revolution.

The story, titled “President Ho Chi Minh: a great cultural activist, an outstanding revolutionary”, reads, in part, “the three Indochinese peoples as well as all progressive forces in the world will remember forever the great contributions made to the national liberation movement by President Ho Chi Minh. He stands as an outstanding revolutionary of the international communist and workers’ movement, and a great cultural activist for Vietnam and for the world as well”.

His love of the people, his generosity and international solidarity are so great and profound that no words can express it. He harmonised genuine patriotism and noble internationalism, the article goes on to say.

It describes the late President as a talented strategist and outstanding organiser who deftly combined the strengths of the Vietnamese people and the strengths of the Indochinese alliance with those of the era to defeat the enemy.

The story recalls efforts made by the late Vietnamese President to establish the Communist Party of Indochina, emphasising that Uncle Ho’s noble revolutionary spirit and ideology have always been a torch that led the Lao revolution and a source of strength that encouraged the Lao people to unite for national liberation.

“He always urged Vietnamese soldiers and experts on international missions in Laos to undertake the hard jobs and leave the easier ones to their Lao friends and do their best in training and protecting Lao officials,” the article relates.

“Uncle Ho always did his best to cultivate the special relations between Vietnam and Laos as well as between Vietnam , Laos and Cambodia ”.

The newspaper calls on Lao people of all walks of life and agencies from the central to local levels to closely follow Uncle Ho’s teachings as a practical way to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the late President’s birth anniversary on May 19./.