Voice of authority

As the afternoon sun gradually sets on the fields of That Son region, the bell of My A pagoda, Chi Lang ward rings out in the peaceful space. For the Khmer people here, the pagoda is a spiritual place, a spiritual support, a place to place their faith in life. In that space, Venerable Chau Cat - Deputy Head of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in An Giang province, Abbot of My A pagoda is considered by the Khmer people as a "tall tree with great shade".

Mr. Ly Van Kho (second from right) and the police force propagate and mobilize local people to comply with the Party's guidelines and the State's policies and laws. Photo: DANH THANH

Having been attached to the temple since he was 7 years old, Venerable Chau Cat has devoted his whole life to the path of studying and practicing. Over the years, Venerable Chau Cat has diligently practiced, actively promoted, taught, and imparted the Buddha's teachings, guiding Buddhists to live according to the values of humanity and justice, becoming a shining example of the spirit of serving the Dharma and the community. With his prestige, Venerable Chau Cat has many times stood up to reconcile family conflicts and small disputes in community activities. Mr. CT, residing in Chi Lang ward, shared: "In the past, my wife and I often had conflicts and thought about divorce. Venerable Chau Cat advised and analyzed the justice according to the Buddha's teachings and the law, so everything has been smooth, and the couple's feelings are still maintained."

With his closeness, Venerable Chau Cat shared about religion and life. In many cases of conflicts about land, marriage or small disputes in the community, Khmer people came to the pagoda to listen to the Venerable explain. With just gentle but meaningful words, many large and small conflicts were resolved. With his contributions to grassroots reconciliation work, My A Pagoda has become a trusted address for people to confide their concerns. Most cases are resolved right at the grassroots level, not allowing complaints to go beyond the level and drag on. “Reconciliation is to maintain love and loyalty. Khmer people often believe in what monks say, so the monk always reminds Khmer people to put harmony first, avoid making small matters bigger,” Venerable Chau Cat shared.

Venerable Chau Cat exchanged information about the lives of Khmer people in Chi Lang ward with leaders of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions. Photo: DANH THANH

If Venerable Chau Cat is the spiritual support, Mr. Ly Van Kho - Head of the Front Work Committee of Tra Phot Hamlet, Giang Thanh Commune is considered the "bridge" of solidarity. Having been involved in Front work for many years, Mr. Kho understands the customs and practices of the Khmer people, is close and sincere with the people. Whenever there is a disagreement in the hamlet, Mr. Kho is always present. Sometimes he goes to each house to advise, sometimes he talks with the hamlet chief and propagates the law. Many conflicts have been successfully resolved by Mr. Kho thanks to his heart and patience. "The root of reconciliation is sincerity. Reconciliation must be based on reason and emotion. If we only talk about reason, it will be difficult for people to agree; but if we only talk about emotion, it will lack basis. We must reconcile both, so that they feel respected. When people understand each other and think about the common good, any conflict can be resolved," said Mr. Ly Van Kho. Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Giang Thanh Commune, Ly Pholly, commented: “Mr. Ly Van Kho is a bridge between the people and the government, helping to maintain security, order, and community cohesion. Many small conflicts were resolved promptly thanks to him, preventing complications from arising.”

The province currently has 449 prestigious people among ethnic minorities. In order to help this team improve their grassroots mediation skills, the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions has regularly trained and fostered their knowledge. Deputy Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions Danh Tha shared: "Practice shows that promoting the role of prestigious people in mediation contributes to strengthening social consensus. This is also an effective way to prevent and stop bad forces from taking advantage of internal conflicts and inciting division in the great national unity bloc."

FAMOUS CITY

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/tieng-noi-nguoi-co-uy-tin-a461609.html