Comrade Phan Dinh Lai - First Party Cell Secretary of Nghia Dan district

Comrade Phan Dinh Lai was born in 1905 in Tho Loc village, Cu Lam commune (now Nghia Khanh commune), Nghia Dan district, Nghe An province. During his activities, he also had other aliases such as Bao, Huong Bao.⁽¹⁾. Born into a wealthy family, Comrade Lai was allowed to attend classes in Chinese and Vietnamese until he was 20 years old. His father was a village chief but had a patriotic spirit of fighting against the French, so his house was a meeting place for many patriotic scholars and scholars. Therefore, from a young age, he was soon exposed to the progressive patriotic thoughts and literature of Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chau Trinh. In 1925 - 1926, Comrade Phan Dinh Lai gathered and participated in activities, exchanging books and newspapers with a number of patriotic young people with the same aspirations in Tho Loc and Cu Lam.

In early 1929, after returning from training in Thailand, comrade Vo Nguyen Hien⁽²⁾, members of the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association in Dien Chau went to Nghia Dan to contact the patriotic youth group here and established the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association in Tho Loc, consisting of 4 comrades: Phan Dinh Lai, Nguyen Dinh Thac, Phan Dinh Tai and Pham Ngoc Lien. Immediately after its establishment, comrade Phan Dinh Lai and the members of the association proactively carried out propaganda work, enlightening the people, especially the youth, about patriotism and revolution. In addition, implementing the policy of the Vietnam Youth Association of Nghe An province, the comrades also mobilized and contributed to building a Plowing Camp following the model of a Plowing Camp in Thailand. Although the Plowing Camp in Xom Lau (Tho Loc) did not exist for long, it was a place for the youth members of Nghi Loc, Dien Chau, Hung Nguyen... to live and work together, build economic potential, open a forge, cast weapons, and build a long-term base for the revolution.

After the Communist Party of Vietnam was born, in March 1930, the Provisional Central Bureau in Central Vietnam appointed two Provisional Executive Committees of the Communist Party of Vietnam in Nghe An, namely the Vinh Provincial Party Committee and the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee. Under the leadership of the Central Party Committee and the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee, the people of the districts rose up to fight, opening the revolutionary climax of 1930-1931. In the boiling atmosphere of the revolution, comrades Phan Dinh Lai and Pham Ngoc Lien were trusted by the Tho Loc Youth Party Cell to be sent as envoys to the lowlands to contact the Party organization. At the end of September 1930, after many difficulties and dangers, the two comrades met comrade Nguyen Huu Binh.⁽³⁾, an official of Nghe An Provincial Party Committee was assigned to be in charge of the Dien Chau movement. After discussing the policy, comrade Phan Dinh Lai and Pham Ngoc Lien received instructions and leaflets and documents from the Party. The comrades distributed leaflets and propaganda to build the movement in Nghia Dan.

By early October 1930, the Soviet government had been established in some places in the two provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh. To prevent the revolutionary wave from spreading more and more throughout the country and Nghe Tinh, the French colonialists organized white terror to suppress the revolutionary movement of the people, in order to crush the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement. In that situation, to avoid the enemy's terror and pursuit and to maintain and develop the Party's base, the Party Central Committee and the Central Region Party Committee directed the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee to expand the Party's area of ​​operation to the western part of Nghe An. The Nghe An Provincial Party Committee sent comrade Vo Nguyen Hien and comrade Vo Thuoc to Nghia Dan district to build the base. Comrade Vo Nguyen Hien and Vo Thuoc returned to Tho Loc and held a meeting with representatives of outstanding youths of Tho Loc and Cu Lam. The meeting agreed to establish a combined Tho Loc - Cu Lam Party cell to promptly lead the local revolutionary movement. Comrade Phan Dinh Lai was elected Secretary, in charge of the whole. It can be said that the Tho Loc - Cu Lam merged Party cell was one of the first Party cells in the mountainous districts of Nghe An and comrade Phan Dinh Lai officially became a communist soldier, the first Party cell Secretary in Nghia Dan.

After its establishment, comrade Phan Dinh Lai and the Tho Loc - Cu Lam merged Party Cell promoted the work of propaganda, enlightenment, and mobilization of the masses. The Party Cell assigned Party members to take charge of and build movements in other communes such as Vinh Lai, Yen Hoa, Tri Chi, etc. Thanks to that, in a short time, the number of Party members in Nghia Dan increased day by day. In January 1931, implementing the direction of superiors to strengthen the leadership role of the Party in the new period, comrades Phan Dinh Lai and Vo Thuoc convened a meeting and separated the merged Party Cell into two independent Party Cells: Cu Lam Party Cell and Tho Loc Party Cell. With the trust of the organization, comrade Phan Dinh Lai was elected Secretary of Tho Loc Party Cell. The formation of the two new Party Cells affirmed the great role and unceasing efforts of comrade Phan Dinh Lai in the local revolutionary movement. This event marked a new development step in the history of the struggle of the whole district, contributing to promoting the formation of a number of other Party cells such as: Yen Hoa, Tri Chi, Sen, Se, etc. as well as the establishment of the Provisional District Party Committee of Nghia Dan district in February 1931.

The Provisional District Party Committee of Nghia Dan district was established, the revolutionary movement of Nghia Dan had new changes in harmony with the struggles in the plains. Implementing the general policy of the District Party Committee, comrade Phan Dinh Lai and the Tho Loc Party Cell met and established the Red Farmers' Association to further strengthen the solidarity of the people in the village. The Party Cell and the Farmers' Association carried out many activities of distributing leaflets, holding rallies, giving speeches, and mobilizing the masses to participate in the struggle against high taxes and terrorism. Thanks to that, the role of the Red Farmers' Association was increasingly enhanced, nearly 80% of the people in Tho Loc village enthusiastically joined the association, standing up to participate in the struggles. Faced with the strength of the masses, the local authorities in Tho Loc, although not completely disintegrated, huddled together and held their ground, not daring to touch the people. Although it only existed for a short time, the Party Cell, through the Red Peasant Association, openly operated, leading the people to build a new and meaningful life such as: organizing classes to learn the national language, campaigning against superstition, reducing festivals and sacrifices, borrowing rice from landlords to give to the poor...

From June 1931, under the direct command of Nghia Hung Duytsken agent and Nghia Dan district chief Nguyen Xuan Can, the district garrison soldiers went to villages with strong fighting movements such as Tho Loc, Cu Lam, Yen Hoa, Tri Chi... The enemy searched day and night, arresting cadres, party members and revolutionary masses. From August onwards, after the enemy's sweeps, the revolutionary bases were broken, most of the provisional district committee members, branch committee members and party members, although fighting bravely, were gradually caught in the enemy's net. The revolutionary movement in Tho Loc in particular and Nghia Dan in general began to subside. In the unfavorable situation, comrade Phan Dinh Lai and some of his comrades withdrew into secret activities.

In early 1934, with the aid of the “Indochina Aid Department” in Thailand, comrade Vo Nguyen Hien once again went to Nghia Dan and contacted comrade Phan Dinh Lai. The comrades gathered party members who were in secret waiting for the right time here and consolidated the party cells. The Tho Loc Party Cell had comrade Phan Dinh Lai as Secretary. After the Tho Loc and Cu Lam Party Cells were consolidated, cadres and party members in other Party cells in the district after the revolutionary peak of 1930-1931 or just released from prison, one after another, made contact and established party cells such as the Yen Hoa Party Cell, the Tri Chi Party Cell, etc.

By mid-1934, on the basis of many restored and consolidated Party cells, comrade Vo Nguyen Hien was assigned by the Provincial Party Committee to organize a conference to unify Party organizations in Nghia Dan. The meeting took place in Tho Loc with delegates representing Nghia Dan Party cells agreeing to establish a new Party Executive Committee to promptly lead the Nghia Dan revolutionary movement in the new historical context. The District Party Executive Committee consisted of 5 comrades with comrade Phan Dinh Lai as Secretary in charge.

Immediately after the reorganization, comrade Phan Dinh Lai received instructions from the Provincial Party Committee, assigning district Party Committee members to take charge of the grassroots, focusing on leading the struggle movement in both the countryside and the plantations. Thanks to that, the party organization system and the struggle movement of the masses in Nghia Dan district were restored and began to have new developments.

In September 1934, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee issued a directive to organize activities to celebrate the Nghe Tinh Soviet Day in localities to arouse the fighting spirit of the masses. Receiving the directive and leaflets from the Provincial Party Committee, comrade Phan Dinh Lai directed the printing team of the district Party Committee to operate at full capacity. Documents and leaflets were assigned to Party cells to distribute in crowded places such as shops in Hieu market area, Bai market, plantations, village roads, military camps, etc.

During the 1936-1939 democratic revolutionary movement, comrade Phan Dinh Lai continued to lead the Party Committee to lead the people's struggle for freedom, democracy, food, clothing, peace, and to maintain their strength. In October 1936, the District Party Committee and the District Party Committee's Action Committee organized the widespread distribution of leaflets throughout the district. Responding to the call, people in villages and communes continuously organized rallies, discussed aspirations, collected signatures from the people and submitted demands in preparation for the Indochina Congress. Under the direction of comrade Phan Dinh Lai and the District Party Committee, a legal, public and semi-public struggle movement demanding democratic rights for the people, from farmers, workers to small traders, small owners, and religious leaders, was launched vigorously and uniformly. Thanks to that, the Indochina Congress movement in Nghia Dan became one of the strong centers of the democratic movement led by the Party in Nghe An at that time.

Fearing the development of the Nghia Dan revolution, the Nghe An province governor ordered the French station chief and agent in Phu Quy and the Nghia Dan district chief to send soldiers to sweep and arrest in the localities. At the end of 1937, the enemy suddenly searched and arrested 9 district committee members and key cadres of the communes. Comrade Phan Dinh Lai was arrested by the enemy and imprisoned in Vinh prison. Despite being tortured with all kinds of physical abuse, he still maintained his spirit. In May 1938, unable to get anything out of him, the Southern Court of Nghe An province issued Judgment No. 07 dated May 3, 1938, sentencing him to 2 months in prison and 2 months of house arrest.⁽⁴⁾.

In August 1938, comrade Phan Dinh Lai was released. After being released from prison, he continued to establish contacts and rebuild revolutionary bases. To overcome the situation of information being blocked by the enemy, comrade Phan Dinh Lai organized a secret meeting with comrades Chu Hue, Nguyen Dinh Thac, and Tran Ngoc Can in Tho Loc. The comrades unanimously decided to publish the Lien Hiep newspaper as the mouthpiece of the District Party Committee to widely propagate and disseminate the Party's new policies to the people. However, his activities could not escape the dense system of secret agents in Nghia Dan. At the end of 1939, he was once again arrested by the enemy. Commenting on comrade Phan Dinh Lai as "a dangerous character"⁽⁵⁾On June 16, 1940, the French colonialists and their puppet government sentenced him to 3 years in prison and exiled him to Dak Lay, Dak To (Kon Tum).

In June 1945, after being released from prison, comrade Phan Dinh Lai continued to participate in the Viet Minh Nghia Dan Movement Committee to lead the struggle movement throughout the district. At 11:00 a.m. on August 18, 1945, comrade Phan Dinh Lai and Tran Mat directly commanded a demonstration of more than 500 people from Tho Loc, Cu Lam, Vinh Lai communes, etc., marching to the district office to shout slogans, give speeches, and march to demonstrate their power. The demonstration caused the local lackey mandarin system to become confused and disillusioned, contributing to the victory of the uprising to seize power by the people of Nghia Dan on August 22, 1945.

In March 1946, with his great contributions to the revolutionary movement in his hometown, comrade Phan Dinh Lai was elected as Secretary of the District Party Committee at the First Congress of the Nghia Dan District Party Committee. Later, due to his old age, he retired and recuperated in his hometown.

Comrade Phan Dinh Lai's entire life was one of tireless research, sacrifice, and struggle for the revolutionary cause, for a free, peaceful, and prosperous life for the people of Nghia Dan. The revolutionary spirit of comrade Phan Dinh Lai - the first Party Cell Secretary of Nghia Dan district is an example for generations of young soldiers to follow:

“The hero meets with hardships
Because of the brutality of Nghia Dan
Firmly sacrifice with society
Unite the Southwest
Go to school to fight more enthusiastically
Determined to wipe out the brutality⁽⁶⁾.

Note:
(1) (4) (5) Prison records of French Secret Police kept in the Archives of the XVNT Museum
(2) Comrade Vo Nguyen Hien (also known as Vo Thien Ke, Vo Khac Dao, and Chat Ke) was born in 1890 in Hau Luat village, Dien Chau, Nghe An.
(3) Comrade Nguyen Huu Binh (alias Binh Dinh) is from Tri Le, Anh Son, Nghe An.
(6) LSDB Nghia Dan district, National Political Publishing House 2012, p.68