Late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet (centre, front) reviews master plans to build Viet Nam’s first oil refinery of Dung Quat in July, 1995 (photo: VNS)

Such popularity is also due to the personality, the stuff and the dignity of Comrade Sau Dan-Vo Van Kiet, a leader par excellence of the Communist Party of Viet Nam (CPV), the State and the people. He was a staunch revolutionary fighter and a loyal member of the Communist Party who devoted his whole life to the cause of national independence, reunification and socialism for the happiness of his people.

The man who loved and understood us so much has gone far away. Yet deep down, from the bottom of my heart, with enduring respect and closeness, I feel that he is very much in front of us, marching with us, sharing all the joys and sorrows and insistently arguing for what he had for long nurtured: to bring about rapid yet sustainable development for our country.

Forging national solidarity, an enormous contribution by Comrade Vo Van Kiet

Travelling along the history of the nation’s revolution from the time of the 1938 Anti-Imperialism Youth Movement, the 1940 Nam Ky Uprising and the 30 years of the resistance against foreign invasion, through to the present cause of industrialisation and modernisation, Comrade Sau Dan-Vo Van Kiet transformed himself from an enthusiastic and revolutionary young man in the southern Vinh Long province, known for its patriotic traditions, into a revolutionary who later became a member of the CPV Politburo, Prime Minister of Viet Nam and then Advisor to the CPV Central Committee. He was always a man of action and innovation, a strength he accumulated from his own compatriots, comrades in arms and friends.

Such personality and stuff were forged from his unswerving devotion to the Party’s revolutionary cause and firm trust in the future of the nation. In the years that I worked close to him, I watched what he did and tried to understand what he thought and to get a clearer understanding of his personality, dignity, integrity and other qualities that made up this historic man, Sau Dan-Vo Van Kiet.

His personality and firmness perhaps stemmed from his full comprehension of the Party’s line and his profound thoughts on national solidarity and unity. He was among the best disciples of the late President Ho Chi Minh on the issue of national solidarity. His contribution to the consolidation of national solidarity was a profound dedication to the cause of national liberation, construction and defence.

Recalling the tough time of the revolution and resistance wars, as well as the grave circumstances when we reclaimed our independence and reunification, we got an understanding of the importance of national solidarity to the fate of the motherland. And if we look back at the duties and tasks he took on at the time, we can understand him more, knowing that he was the man for this solidarity.

He called on his compatriots, including even those on the other side of the battle, to work for a national consensus and head towards the future, building a great national solidarity for a common and dear fatherland of Viet Nam.

In Sau Dan-Vo Van Kiet, the great national unity stems from the deep conviction that patriotism is no-one’s monopoly and this motherland belongs to all Vietnamese and, as such, all Vietnamese have the same rights and obligations to contribute to it.

Taking the same line with President Ho Chi Minh, he argued that national solidarity meant joining hearts and hands to build and defend the country, regardless of social classes, religions and even political views. We shall treasure the example of national solidarity that Sau Dan-Vo Van Kiet put before us as we gratefully keep forever in our minds all the sacrifices and losses this nation endured in the struggle for national independence and reunification. Today, we all the more understand the need for national solidarity and unity, to bring into full play its combined strength in the cause of national construction and defence. And the more we understand the meaning of national solidarity, the more we treasure Sau Dan’s-Vo Van Kiet’s thoughts on this issue.

Throughout the two wars of resistance against foreign invasion, he maintained his permanent presence in the heart of Nam Bo (Cochinchina), then also named as the bulwark of the motherland. He travelled from one province to another and conducted covert operations in Sai Gon (now Ho Chi Minh City), living under the protection of the people. He undertook many important missions and positions, leading the local people and military forces through the hardest of times, making numerous sacrifices and achieving glorious victories, thus contributing to the final victory of the whole nation.

I wish to mention here one of the biggest contributions he made after the signing of the 1973 Paris Peace Accord. Early that year, he was the Party Secretary of Political Commissar of Military Zone No. 9. Together with his Party Committee and the Military Zone Command, he and his Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Commander of the zone, Le Duc Anh, made a brave, strategic and responsible decision in full conformity with the practical situation of the time and the aspirations of the people and armed forces — that is he did not accept the ceasefire due to the violations of the Accord by the Sai Gon regime. Rather, they conducted staunch, active and successive offences on all fronts, in the rural and urban areas of the Military Zone No. 9, using the combined strength of the armed forces and people from all walks of life.

Under such an innovative decision, the people and armed forces of Military Zone No.9 thwarted the enemy’s plan to use hundreds of battalions to occupy the land. Thousands of the enemy’s military posts were destroyed. Their forces were severely ground down. A large number of people got liberated from the enemy’s grip. The liberation zone was extended, creating a new and important position and strength for Military Zone No.9 to join the nation to make the final victory in 1975, reunifying the motherland.

The cadres, Party members and people of Military Zone No.9 will never forget this historic decision and great victory, which were closely attached to the name of Sau Dan-Vo Van Kiet, then member of the Party Central Committee, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of the zone.

The Vo Van Kiet imprint in the cause of Doi moi (renewal)

In the time of peace, he continued to show his creativeness and decisiveness in pursuing the Party’s view, considering economic development as the central task. Many economic achievements made by our country in the recent years of doi moi (renewal) were the outcomes of the joint efforts of the entire Party, armed forces and people. Yet they were also attached to the name and life of this man who always stayed close to reality, daring to apply new ways of thinking and taking responsibility for encouraging and pursuing the new ways.

From his contributions in both thinking and action, to the eradication of the bureaucratic economic management mechanisms of the past and the planning and implementation of the policy of reform and renewal, important projects came into being such as the Tri An Hydropower Plant, recovery of the submerged Dong Thap Muoi plain, the development of the Long Xuyen quadrangle, the North-South 500 KV power line, the North Thang Long-Noi Bai Highway, the new Ho Chi Minh Highway, the Dung Quat Refinery, and so on.

At the same time, strong development was seen in such sectors as oil and gas, telecommunication, civil aviation, major State corporations, national universities, high-tech parks or Vietnamese cultural villages. They speak for his unparalleled devotion and endeavour in the implementation of the Party’s policies, leaving a deep imprint of Vo Van Kiet. They also forge the foundation for the economic, cultural and social future of this country.

He gave this nation the encouragement and devotion that emerged from his wholehearted belief in the country and people. Under his leadership, none of his decisions were made without consultation with experts, researchers and practical experiences from all walks of life. He was ever open and frank to everyone, particularly the youth. He encouraged the younger generations to bring into full play their talents and devotion. He appreciated and selected with full wisdom the advice and recommendations of Vietnamese expatriates and foreign experts.

Our achievements were only possible because of the outburst of talent and brainpower of generations of our citizens committed to the development path of the motherland. That path was, and still is, the path to democracy, the path that he pursued persistently to overcome difficulties and fulfill his mission.

It was, really, an extremely hard time for us, to handle so many sensitive matters and fierce pressures and competition, to have all the sanctions and blockades lifted to engage in proactive integration into the world, especially when our economy suffered from various shortcomings and weaknesses.

In his view, each country has its own strength and advantages. It is therefore necessary to tap into them correctly and bring into full play those resources to gain the most benefits for the nation while preserving our own independence and self-determination.

As such, when either serving as the Prime Minister or the Advisor to the Party Central Committee, he was always a man in search of new approaches, thus actively contributing to the formation of major policies of the Party.

Today, our products are present in almost all markets around the world. Our country has growing relations with all the major economies. We are a friend of all nations and a member of many important regional and international organisations. The ‘Vo Van Kiet imprint’ is deep on the path to bringing our country to a higher position in the world and to becoming a responsible, active and constructive member of the international community.

Caring for the people and the country

When he retired from the premiership, and even when he ceased to be the Advisor to the Party Central Committee, he still cared for the people and the country, following situations closely and making necessary recommendations to the leadership of the Party and State on key issues of the nation.

In his last years, Comrade Sau Dan-Vo Van Kiet devoted all his remaining strength and brainpower to helping address the issue of Party building. He spent much time recommending to the various National Congresses of the Party on renewal and reform of the Party, to make it ever stronger and worthy of its role as the pioneer of the working class as well as the nation as a whole, to match the confidence of the people.

From his own experiences, operating underground and protected by the people before the August Revolution in 1945 and then the two wars of resistance that followed as well as in the first decades of building and reforming the country in peace, he fully comprehended the blood and bone relationship between the people and the Party.

Communist Party of Viet Nam member Sau Dan-Vo Van Kiet once said to his comrades and companions that in the most dangerous moments, even when no grassroots agent remained, one could still recover if one had the people by one’s side. The people would bring about everything. That was and is the very root of the deep understanding of the Party’s strength once it is nurtured with the people’s trust. In the time of peace, when we focused on national construction and defence, he persistently underlined the task of building a strong Party, strong State, Fatherland Front and social organisations to best serve the nation. He repeatedly reminded us of President Ho Chi Minh’s teachings in the latter’s testament: when the resistance came to final victory, the first thing to do would be to strengthen the Party.

He has time and again urged his comrades to find the answers from the glorious history of the Party. What helped a Party, that had only 5,000 members, lead the nation to the success of the August Revolution? What helped the Party tap into the strength of the entire nation and prevail over those enemies that were the strongest forces of the time? And what led the Party to the cause of renewal and reform of the country, overcoming so many difficulties and hardships to reap the present fruits?

From his own experiences, Comrade Sau Dan-Vo Van Kiet always emphasised that democracy must be a goal and an important driving force to make our Party clean and strong in all aspects. The observation of democracy within the Party must be the primary task in the process of reforming and strengthening the Party, which would be the prerequisite to observing democracy in the society and bring into full play the strength of national solidarity and unity. It would thus renew and improve the political system so that our country could enjoy sustained growth in today’s world. That would also be the way to maintain and uplift the leadership role of our Party and a sharp weapon to combat corruption and other evils within the Party and society.

No-one could imagine that the last thing he wanted to do — but was unable to do — was to make a trip to the Netherlands to learn the experiences on water management to help our people.

The sorrows and respect for this man in me seems to multiply as I recall the years he travelled through the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta to find the answer to help his people co-exist with the floods and prosper in their fertile land without the fear of natural disasters. That search was an unending journey that took away his sleep.

A full year has passed and the country has overcome new challenges. Remembering him, taking his life as an example for myself, I would light an incense stick on his altar on his first death anniversary, praying that his soul could rest in peace as his fellow countrymen and comrades do their best to join hands to build a socialist Viet Nam with wealthy people and a strong country with an equitable, democratic and advanced society.

By Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung