Burial of 103 remains of martyrs, volunteer soldiers and Vietnamese experts who died in Laos

On the morning of May 25, at Nghi Loc District Martyrs' Cemetery, the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province solemnly held a burial ceremony for the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who heroically fought and sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, and for the noble international duty in the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Attending the ceremony were Senior Lieutenant General Do Can - Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, Member of the National Steering Committee 515, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Government's Special Working Group; Colonel Hoang Tuan Hien - Deputy Director of the Policy Department, General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army; Colonel Cao Xuan Thang - Director of National Defense Insurance; Major General Le Tat Thang - Deputy Commander of Military Region IV; Major General Tran Minh Thanh - Director of Politics of Military Region IV, Deputy Head of the Standing Committee of the Steering Committee 515 of the Military Region; and members of the delegation.

On the side of Nghe An province, there were comrades Nguyen Van Thong - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Nguyen Nam Dinh - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; together with representatives of provincial departments, branches and sectors; representatives of the Party Committee, government and people of Nghi Loc district.

On the Lao PDR side, there were representatives of leaders of the provinces of Xieng Khouang; Vientiane; Xay Xom Bun,... and members of the delegation.

Delegates attending the ceremony. Photo: Thanh Cuong

With pure and loyal international sentiment, during the years of resistance, tens of thousands of Vietnamese volunteers and experts went to Laos to fight together against the common enemy, towards the goal of liberating the country, gaining independence, freedom for the nation and happiness for the people.

Comrade Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee spoke at the ceremony. Photo: Thanh Cuong

During the war, many Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts sacrificed their lives in Laos, contributing to the victory of the revolutionary cause of the two brotherly countries. The war ended more than 40 years ago, Vietnam and Laos have been completely unified and independent, but there are still thousands of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts left behind in Laos.

103The remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos were searched for and exhumed by the Nghe An Provincial Military Command's Recovering Team, regardless of the difficulties and hardships, to bring back to their homeland for burial. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Over the past 30 years, the Government's Special Task Force, the Ministry of National Defense, the IV Military Region Command and Nghe An province have closely coordinated with the provinces of Xieng Khouang, Vientiane and Xay Som Bun of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to search for and recover martyrs' remains.

During that process, more than 12,000 remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos were collected and brought back to Vietnam for burial at the Vietnam - Laos International Martyrs' Cemetery, Do Luong District Martyrs' Cemetery and Nghi Loc District Martyrs' Cemetery. In the dry season of 2021 - 2022, 103 remains of martyrs were collected and brought back to Vietnam for burial.

The delegation of Steering Committee 515, Vietnam People's Army offered incense to the martyrs of volunteer soldiers and Vietnamese experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos. Photo: Thanh Cuong

Representatives of Nghe An province's leaders and departments and agencies offered incense to Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos. Photo: Thanh Cuong

At exactly 7:00 a.m., in a solemn and respectful atmosphere, delegates and a large number of people respectfully offered wreaths, lit incense sticks in memory, and expressed their deep gratitude to the martyrs who did not hesitate to sacrifice their blood and bones for the cause of liberation for the Lao people.

The heroic deeds of the martyrs have contributed to glorifying and adding color to the golden history of the two nations, further strengthening the loyal sentiments, solidarity and special friendship between Vietnam and Laos.

Photo: Thanh Cuong

The search and recovery of the remains of 103 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos has received the attention of the Party Committee, government, armed forces, and people of Lao ethnic groups in general, and the three provinces of Xieng Khouang, Vientiane, and Xay Xom Bun in particular. The Nghe An Province Collection Team has not been afraid of difficulties and hardships in searching, recovering, and bringing the remains back to their homeland for burial.

The eulogy read by comrade Bui Dinh Long at the ceremony respectfully paid tribute to and recorded the heroic feats of the martyrs and stated: The Party Committee and people of Nghe An vow to promote the fine traditions of their homeland and country, forever remember the heroic fighting spirit and noble sacrifice of the heroic martyrs, strive to successfully achieve the goals of socio-economic development, national defense and security, and bring the homeland to rapid and sustainable development,...

A moment of silence to commemorate the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos. Photo: Thanh Cuong

The ceremony to receive and move the remains of martyrs and volunteer soldiers took place solemnly and dignifiedly, demonstrating the traditional morality of "When drinking water, remember its source" and gratitude, respect and appreciation for the heroic martyrs.

Previously, on May 24, after receiving the remains of 103 Vietnamese martyrs and experts who died in Laos, the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs coordinated with the Nghi Loc District Medical Center and the Collection Team, the Provincial Military Command to collect biological samples for DNA identification. All biological samples will be handed over by the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine for GEN identification and put into the GEN bank for DNA identification. Thereby, information about the names, hometowns and work units of the martyrs will be determined.