Journey to Con Dao: Final Part - People from Nghe An in Con Dao

(Baonghean)Con Dao, a sacred land of our Fatherland, has left its mark on the glorious and indomitable history of revolutionaries who fought against the enemy. Today, Con Dao is rapidly transforming, becoming a "green" land for aspirations of peaceful life... Contributing to this change are thousands of people from Nghe An province. Following the revolutionary spirit of the late General Secretary Le Hong Phong, generations of people from Nghe An have always strived wholeheartedly for the development of the heroic Con Dao…

A view of Con Dao Island.

Comrade Le Hong Phong was chosen by the Party and President Ho Chi Minh to be sent to other countries for training to serve the country. In 1936, Le Hong Phong went to China, under the name of the Communist International, and together with the Party organization, convened a Central Committee meeting, marking the beginning of a new era of the Vietnamese revolution, the era of the United Democratic Front. During this period, Comrade Le Hong Phong assumed the role of General Secretary of the Party. At the end of 1937, Le Hong Phong returned to Vietnam and worked in Saigon - Cholon. He was arrested by the French colonialists on June 22, 1939, and subjected to brutal torture, but they could not extract any information from him. They then exiled Le Hong Phong to Con Dao Island, a "hell on earth."

In Con Dao, Le Hong Phong was imprisoned in the Salt Department's cell. The enemy's goal was to isolate Le Hong Phong from the political prisoner organization in Con Dao. However, through the system of forced labor and kitchen work among political prisoners, the Party organization in Con Dao managed to contact Comrade Le Hong Phong. During his imprisonment in Con Dao, he introduced the achievements of socialist construction in the Soviet Union to strengthen everyone's belief in ultimate victory. He also wrote poems about the prospect of a liberated country, affirming the victory of the revolution. Therefore, the harshness of the prison, known as "hell on earth," in Con Dao was almost erased from the minds of the revolutionary fighters.

To prevent Comrade Le Hong Phong from leading and influencing the country, the island's governor ordered him imprisoned in a dark cell and subjected to brutal beatings. Facing these savage and cruel tortures, Comrade Le Hong Phong died at noon on September 6, 1942. In his final moments, Comrade Le Hong Phong entrusted his beloved comrades imprisoned in Con Dao prison with a heartfelt message to the Party: “Farewell to all comrades. Please tell the Party that, until the very last moment, Le Hong Phong still believes in the glorious victory of the revolution.” The heroic and indomitable example of Le Hong Phong has inspired generations of Vietnamese people in general, and those from Nghe An in particular, to strive to study, work, and contribute to the nation.

Comrade Hoang Nghia Doan, currently a Standing Committee member and Chairman of the Party's Inspection Committee of the Ba Ria - Vung Tau Provincial Party Committee, is also a native of Hung Nguyen district and has spent considerable time working in Con Dao. In the 1990s, he held the positions of Deputy Commander and Commander of the Con Dao armed forces. Later, he served as Head of the Con Dao Construction Committee, Vice Chairman and Chairman of the District People's Committee, and Secretary of the Con Dao District Party Committee. Over 20 years of service in Con Dao, Comrade Hoang Nghia Doan, along with other sons and daughters of Nghe An province, has contributed significantly to shaping the Con Dao landscape as it is today. Sharing his thoughts with us, Comrade Hoang Nghia Doan affirmed: “The years I spent working in Con Dao truly brought me many valuable lessons, both ideologically and emotionally. This place is my second home, and I am proud to have inherited the noble qualities of the heroic martyrs, including Comrade Le Hong Phong. If you have read the history of Con Dao and seen the heroic spirit and courage of the revolutionary soldiers who were captured and tortured by the enemy, then setting foot on the island, visiting Hang Duong Cemetery, touring the Con Dao prison complex, and hearing more tragic stories, you will feel even more compelled to strive harder…”

Generations of people from Nghe An living and working in Con Dao have preserved the revolutionary traditions of their homeland, along with the indomitable spirit of this heroic island district. Comrade Nguyen Van Tai, originally from Thanh Giang commune, Thanh Chuong district, currently the Head of the Propaganda Department of the Con Dao District Party Committee, has worked in Con Dao for 37 years. During that time, his family has seen three generations living on this heroic island district. “We are always conscious of striving to work and contribute to the development of Con Dao, to be worthy of the sacrifices made by our ancestors in fighting and defending the country. For people like us, children of the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh, we must further promote the fine qualities of the people of Nghe An,” Comrade Nguyen Van Tai shared.

In this new era, Con Dao has welcomed more young people from Nghe An province. Among them is Hoang Nghia Thanh, originally from Hung Trung commune, Hung Nguyen district. Born in 1990, raised in Le Hong Phong commune, and having studied at a university in Hanoi, Thanh had the "opportunity" to come to Con Dao in early 2012. After more than two years working at the Propaganda Department of the Con Dao District Party Committee, gaining a thorough understanding of the history and landmarks of this heroic small island, he has grown to love his work and wants to dedicate himself to this land. Thanh said: "Although far from my family and the mainland working in Con Dao, I feel the warmth of the people here. Moreover, in every task assigned to us, young people like us are even more conscious of striving to complete it well. This is not only the duty of a civil servant but also, more profoundly, a way to repay the gratitude to the generations of ancestors who sacrificed themselves on Con Dao and in other regions for national independence and peace."

Bidding farewell to Con Dao as the sunset casts a rosy glow, looking back from the ship's deck, I realize the island truly stands firm and steadfast. There, with the contributions of people from all over the country, are the beloved sons and daughters of Uncle Ho's homeland.

Nguyen Nguyen