Chairman of the National Assembly’s Council of Ethnic Affairs Ksor Phuoc suggested building policies that encourage self-development among ethnic groups at the council’s 11th plenary session in Hanoi on May 15. The event, running through May 19, will put forward a number of important contents in preparation for the ninth sitting of the 13th legislature, including important draft laws such as the revised Civil Code, Penal Code and Law on Referendum. Vice Chairman of the council Son Phuoc Hoan noted that some ethnic policies in 2015 have yet to fulfil their targets due to lack of time and financial sources. Council member Chu Le Chinh raised the fact that there are many policies specifically designed for the ethnic groups but have been implemented inefficiently, citing poorly trained working staff as the main reason. Delegates suggested reviewing the ethnic policy system, scrapping overlapping programs and projects while urging more attention to preserving ethnic characters. Vietnam is home to 54 different ethnic groups inhabiting mainly mountainous, border, sea and island areas which hold strategic positions in the country’s politics, economics, security and defence. Therefore, the Vietnamese Party and State consider ethnic policy a strategic issue and major task of the entire political system. Vietnam now has 130 policies targeting ethnic communities, according to the Government’s Committee for Ethnic Affairs. (vietnamplus.vn May 15)
