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This Law provides for the obligation to join militia and self-defense forces; the organization, tasks and operations of militia and self-defense forces, regimes and policies for militia and self-defense forces and state management responsibilities for militia and self-defense forces. Article 2. Subjects of application

1. Vietnamese citizen, agencies and organizations.

2. Foreign organizations and individuals residing and operating in the territory of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam related to the organization and operation of militia and self-defense forces.

Article 3. Position and functions of militia and self-defense forces Militia and self-defense forces are mass armed forces not detached from

production and work and constitute a part of the people’s armed forces of

the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. They shall protect the Party, the administration, the lives and property of people and property of the State, act as core forces together with the entire people to fight enemies in their localities and workplaces when a war breaks out. These forces, if organized in communes, wards and townships (below referred collectively to as communes), are called militia; if organized in state agencies, political organizations, socio-political organizations, non-business units and economic organizations (below referred collectively to as agencies and organizations), are called self-defense forces.

Article 4. Composition of militia and self-defense forces

1. Militia and self-defense forces include the core militia and self-defense force and mass militia and self-defense force.

2. The core militia and self-defense forces comprise: a/ Mobile militia and self-defense force;

b/ On-site militia and self-defense force;

c/ Marine militia and self-defense force;

d/ Air defense, artillery, engineer, reconnaissance, communication, chemical warfare and medical militia and self-defense forces.

Article 5. Interpretation of terms

In this Law, the terms and phrases below are construed as follows: 1. Core militia and self-defense force means a force of citizens in the age group to perform the obligation to join militia and self-defense forces recruited to serve for a specified period in militia and self-defense units. 2. Mobile militia and self-defense force means a force within the core militia and self-defense force organized into mobile units ready to perform tasks in different geographical areas upon commands of competent authorities.

3. On-site militia and self-defense force means a force within the core militia and self-defense force organized and operating in hamlets, villages and street quarters (below collectively referred to as villages) and in

agencies and organizations to perform tasks on site, ready to reinforce the mobile militia and self-defense force.

4. Marine militia and self-defense force means a force within the core militia and self-defense force organized in coastal communes, island communes and in agencies and organizations with vessels operating at sea to perform tasks on Vietnam’s sea areas.

5. Standing militia and self-defense force means the core militia and selfdefense force standing ready for combat in key defense and security geographical areas.

6. Mass militia and self-defense force means the force consisting of citizens in the age group to perform the obligation to join militia and selfdefense forces who have been registered and managed to be ready to expand the forces and be mobilized upon commands of competent authorities.

7. Expansion of militia and self-defense forces means a measure for increasing the payroll and organization of militia and self-defense forces to meet the requirements of defense and security tasks upon commands of competent authorities.

Article 6. Principles on the organization and operation of militia and selfdefense forces

1. Militia and self-defense forces are placed under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam, the command of the President, the management and administration of the Government, directly under the leadership and direction of Party committees and local administrations at all levels; the uniform command of the Minister of National Defense and the direct command of commanders of local military agencies. 2. The organization and operation of militia and self-defense forces must abide by the Constitution and the laws; rely on the people and promote the aggregate strength of the entire people and the political system to perform their tasks.

3. The organization and payroll of militia and self-defense forces must be based on the requirements of defense and security tasks and linked with

their geographical areas and tasks of their production units or workplaces; ensure convenience for direction, management and command work and conformity with the socio-economic conditions of each locality.

Article 7. Oversight of the implementation of the law on militia and selfdefense forces

1. The National Assembly, National Assembly agencies, delegations of National Assembly deputies, National Assembly deputies, People’s

Councils and People’s Council deputies shall, within the ambit of their respective tasks and powers, oversee the implementation of the law on militia and self-defense forces.

2. The Vietnam Fatherland Front and its member organizations shall conduct propaganda and mobilize people of all strata to participate in

building militia and self-defense forces; and shall oversee operations of

militia and self-defense forces.

Article 8. Tasks of militia and self-defense forces

1. To stand ready for combat, to combat and render combat services to defend their localities and workplaces; to collaborate with border guard, navy and marine police units and other forces in defending the national sovereignty and border security and the sovereignty and sovereign rights on Vietnam’s sea areas.

2. To collaborate with People’s Army and People’s Public Security units and other forces in localities in participating in building the all-people defense and defense zones; in maintaining political security as well as social order and safety, in protecting the Party, the administration, the lives and property of people and the property of the State;

3. To perform the tasks of preventing and fighting, and overcoming consequences of, natural disasters and epidemics, search and rescue,

protecting forests and preventing and fighting forest fires and protecting

the environment and other civil defense tasks;

4. To conduct propaganda and mobilize people to implement the Party’s line and policies and the State’s laws on defense and security; to

participate in building up a comprehensively strong grassroots and in the

construction and socio-economic development of localities and establishments.

5. To study politics and law and attend military training and exercises. 6. To perform other tasks as prescribed by law.

Article 9. Age group to perform the obligation to join militia and selfdefense forces in peacetime

Vietnamese citizens aged between full 18 and full 45 for men and between full 18 and full 40 for women are obliged to join militia or self-defense forces; for volunteers, their maximum age may be 50 years for men and 45 years for women.

Article 10. Term of service in the core militia and self-defense force in peacetime

1. The term of service in the core militia and self-defense force is 4 years. 2. Based on the practical situation, the nature of tasks and work requirements, the term of service in the core militia and self-defense force may be prolonged for not more than 2 years for militiamen or for a longer

period for self-defense members and commanders of militia and self

defense units until they reach the age limits specified in Article 9 of this Law.

3. Chairpersons of commune-level People’s Committees and heads of agencies or organizations shall decide to prolong the term of service in the core militia and self-defense force under Clause 2 of this Article. Article 11. Criteria and selection for recruitment into the core militia and

self-defense force

1. Vietnamese citizens who fully satisfy the following criteria may be recruited into the core militia and self-defense force: a/ Having a clear personal record;

b/ Having properly observed the Party’s line and policies and the State’s

laws;

c/ Being physically fit to serve in militia and self-defense forces. 2. Those who fully meet the criteria specified in Clause 1 of this Article and are capable of operating at sea may be recruited into the marine militia and self-defense force.

3. Recruitment into the core militia and self-defense force is provided as follows:

a/ Ensuring publicity, democracy and equality;

b/ Annually, the military commands of districts, towns or provincial cities

(below collectively referred to as district level) shall direct and guide commune-level military commands, military commands of grassroots agencies and units or self-defense units in agencies or organizations without military commands in planning and carrying out the selection and recruitment of qualified citizens into the core militia and self-defense force in accordance with the situation of the geographical area, population and socio-economic conditions and the requirements of defense and security tasks in each locality or establishment;

c/ Chairpersons of commune-level People’s Committees or heads of agencies or organizations shall decide on the lists of core militiamen or self-defense members.

4. Reserve army men not yet enlisted into mobilization reserve units shall be arranged in militia or self-defense units.

5. The Minister of National Defense shall detail this Article.

Article 12. Postponement of, exemption from or termination ahead of time of the performance of the obligation to join the core militia and selfdefense force in peacetime.

1. To postpone the performance of the obligation to join the core militia and self-defense force in the following cases:

a/ Women who are pregnant or nursing a under-36-month child; b/ Being physically unfit as concluded by a commune- or higher-level

health establishment;

c/ Having the spouse who is an officer, professional army man, noncommissioned officer or a soldier currently serving in the People’s Army or People’s Public Security Force;

d/ Being the sole breadwinner in a poor household;

e/ Persons who are learning at general school, professional secondary school, vocational intermediate school, college, vocational college, university or academy.

2. To exempt from performing the obligation to join the core militia and self-defense force in the following cases:

a/ Spouses or children of fallen heroes; spouses or children of class-1 war invalids or diseased soldiers; spouses or children of orange agent victims who have lost their working capacity;

b/ Reserve army men already arranged in mobilization reserve units;

c/ Caretakers of those who have lost 81% or more of their working capacity.

3. If volunteering, those specified at Points c and d, Clause 1, and Point a, Clause 2 of this Article, may be considered and recruited into the core militia and self-defense force.

4. Core militiamen and self-defense members may be allowed to stop their service ahead of time in the following cases:

a/ Because of health decline as concluded by a commune- or higher-level health establishment, they are unable to complete their service in the core militia and self-defense force;

b/ Because of unexpected difficult familial circumstances, they have no

condition to complete their service in militia and self-defense forces. 5. Chairpersons of commune-level People’s Committees or heads of agencies or organizations may decide on the postponement of, exemption from or termination ahead of time of the performance of the obligation to join the core militia and self-defense force.

Article 13. Registration and management of militia and self-defense forces 1. In April every year, chairpersons of commune-level People’s Committees or heads of agencies or organizations shall organize first-time registration for citizens in the eligible age group to join militia and selfdefense forces.

2. Commune-level military commands and military commands of grassroots agencies and organizations shall make plans for the registration and management of the mass militia and self-defense force. 3. Before leaving their communes, core militiamen and self-defense members shall report to their direct commanders for management and mobilization when necessary.

4. When changing their places of residence or workplaces for 3 or more months, core militiamen and self-defense members shall report the change to the commune-level military commands of their places of residence or military commands of their grassroots agencies or organizations or the commanders of their self-defense units, in case there is no such military command; when arriving at their new places of residence or workplaces, they shall register themselves with the commune-level People’s Committees or their new agencies or organizations for performing the obligation to join militia and self-defense forces.

Article 14. Fulfillment of the obligatory service in the core militia and self-defense force in peacetime

1. Citizens who have fulfilled their obligatory service in the core militia and self-defense force shall be issued certificates of fulfillment of the obligatory service in the core militia and self-defense force by chairpersons of commune-level People’s Committees or heads of agencies or organizations.

2. Citizens who have fulfilled their obligatory service in the core militia and self-defense force but are still in the age group specified in Article 9 of

this Law shall be transferred to the mass militia and self-defense force or registered themselves as reserve army men in accordance with law. Article 15. Traditional day of militia and self-defense forces 1. March 28 every year is taken as the traditional day of militia and selfdefense forces.

2. The Minister of National Defense shall guide the form and scope of organization of the celebration of the traditional day of militia and selfdefense forces.

3. The People’s Committees at all levels and agencies and organizations shall direct and organize the celebration of the traditional day of militia and self-defense forces.

Article 16. Prohibited acts

1. To illegally organize, train and use militia and self-defense forces.