President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Commitee Do Van Chien (eighth from left), and Secretary of the Ca Mau provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People's Council Nguyen Tien Hai (ninth from left) present gifts to representatives of reputable persons in the local Khmer community. (Photo: VNA) Ca Mau (VNA) - A delegation led by President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) Central Commitee Do Van Chien on April 12 attended a gathering of Khmer people in the southernmost province of Ca Mau on the occasion of Chol Chnam Thmay, their most important traditional festival.
Speaking at the event, Chien highlighted the local efforts in effectively implement the Party and State's ethnic and religious policies in areas inhabited by the Khmer community, the target programmes on new-style rural area building, poverty reduction and ethnic minority-inhabited and mountainous area development as well as in providing education and health care for local residents.
He asked Khmer people and monks to continue to uphold the tradition of national solidarity, abide by the Party guidelines and State policies, preserve and promote national cultural identity.
He also called on local authorities to pay more attention to improving the living conditions of Khmer people.
Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the provincial People's Council Nguyen Tien Hai emphasised that improving the material and spiritual life of Khmer people is a cross-cutting goal in each development policy of the locality.
On this traditional New Year festival, Ca Mau has earmarked over 1 billion VND (42,550 USD) to support poor and near-poor households and instructed districts to assist disadvantaged households, ensuring that they enjoy a happy festival, he said.
Ca Mau registers 33 ethnic groups, with more than 1.2 million people. The Khmer formed the largest community in the province, with almost 39,000 people./.
