Martyr Tran Duy Pha - a steadfast Soviet soldier of Nghe Tinh, his hometown Anh Son

Linh Son homeland is an area located in the east, 18 km from the district center, bordering Tao Son commune to the north, Cao Son and Khai Son communes to the west, Thanh Nho commune (Thanh Chuong district) to the south, and Nam Son commune (Do Luong district) to the east. The people here are industrious and creative in production, have a tradition of studiousness and patriotism. This is also the place where the first Party cell of Anh Son district was established, one of the first cells in Nghe An.

In 1925, the “Secret Friendship Association” consisting of a number of patriotic youths enlightened by the patriotic poems of Phan Boi Chau such as: Hoang Khac Bat, Cao Xuan Khoach, Phan Thai At, Nguyen Van Bac… bought the house of a French forestry officer in Lang Dien village (now Duc Son commune) and brought it to Duong Xuan village as the association’s headquarters. After the house was completed, realizing that most of the members were from Duong Xuan and Yen Linh villages, the association decided to use the combined names of the two villages to name the store: Yen Xuan Store⁽¹⁾In 1926, the association contacted the Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association. The Youth Organization sent comrade Duong Dinh Thuy to build a base, gather enlightened progressive people, and establish the first Vietnam Revolutionary Youth Association cell in Anh Son at Hieu Yen Xuan.⁽²⁾After its establishment, the Sub-group carried out various forms of development such as: propaganda, mobilization and recruitment of more members with local patriotic spirit.

Realizing that Tran Duy Pha was a straightforward, upright, patriotic person, the comrades in the Youth group in Yen Linh mobilized and admitted him into the organization. From then on, comrade Tran Duy Pha enthusiastically participated in meetings with patriots, organized groups to study the national language with the members, and propagated patriotism by reading newspapers, lecturing on poetry and literature, and progressive books and newspapers at village communal houses: Yen Linh, Duong Xuan... In addition, comrade Tran Duy Pha also worked with the Association to mobilize people to build conventions and village rules, rectify good customs and traditions in the commune, dig ditches, repair roads, and eliminate superstitions... Thanks to that, the Youth Association's bases were strongly built in the two years of 1928-1929 and the Yen Xuan Office became the contact point of the Youth organization in Anh Son.

In September 1929, the revolutionary movement in Anh Son developed strongly, comradeNguyen Phong Sac- The Central Party Committee member, in charge of the Central Region Party Committee, came here and convened a secret conference and announced the establishment of the Indochinese Communist Party Branch led by comradePhan Thai Atas Secretary. This was the first communist cell of Linh Son commune and also the first cell of Anh Son district, and at the same time one of the first four cells of Nghe An province and Central Region Party Committee. After its establishment, the cell mobilized the establishment of mass organizations such as the Red Farmers' Association, Women's Liberation Association, Communist Youth Union, Student Association, Support Association... In November 1929, also at Hieu Yen Xuan, the Nghe An General Farmers' Association was established, publishing the newspaper "Dan Cay" as its mouthpiece. Comrade Tran Duy Pha, an active member of the Youth Sub-group, was admitted to the Indochina Communist Party Cell, directly participating in the local Red Farmers' Association organization. Under the leadership of the Party cell and the Red Farmers' Association organization, comrade Tran Duy Pha participated in many patriotic activities in the locality such as: distributing leaflets calling on farmers to protest against working without wages, demanding equal distribution of the village's public land to the poor; called on people to join mass associations to fight for rights: abolishing taxes, opposing forced labor, conscription, freedom of association, freedom of speech... In early 1930, comrade Tran Duy Pha, with his active activities, was trusted by the Executive Committee of the Farmers' Association to attend the Provincial Association's Congress of Delegates.⁽³⁾.

After the Communist Party of Vietnam was born, in March 1930, the Provisional Central Branch 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. At the end of March 1930, under the leadership of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee's representative, the Anh Son Provisional Party Committee was established with comrade Tran Du as Secretary. Immediately after its establishment, the Anh Son Party Committee assigned party members to each commune and village to promote propaganda and recruit more party members. Along with the establishment of Party cells, mass organizations such as the Red Farmers' Association, Youth, Women's Association, etc. were maintained and developed. Comrade Tran Duy Pha continued to work in the local Red Farmers' Association.

In May 1930, news of the struggle movement of workers and peasants in Vinh - Ben Thuy and surrounding areas rose, contributing to encouraging the revolutionary spirit of the people of Anh Son in general and the people of Yen Linh in particular. Responding to the call "Follow the example of sacrifice of Nghe An farmers" (on May 1) of the Central Region Party Committee, on May 28, 1930, the Anh Son Party Committee convened a meeting with the participation of the General Committee Secretaries. The meeting decided to take June 1, 1930 as the day of general demonstration of the people of Anh Son.

Immediately after grasping the policy of the Government Committee, comrade Tran Duy Pha and comrades in the Party cell and the local Red Peasant Association actively called on and mobilized people to participate, and at the same time urgently prepared all aspects for the demonstration demanding tax reduction, tax deferral, and opposing the enemy's terrorist policy on a government-wide scale.

On the night of June 1, 1930, the red hammer and sickle flag was hung by the members of the Farmers' Association on the roofs of village communal houses and treetops. At dawn on June 2, 1930, under the command and guidance of comrade Tran Duy Pha and other party members, a large number of Yen Linh people marched to the gathering place with the people of the villages in Dang Son and Lang Dien communes. After listening to the party members' speeches, the masses immediately shouted the slogans of struggle:

- Postpone land tax, abolish poll tax, market tax, and ferry tax!

- Compensation for the families of soldiers Phan Than and Nguyen Duu!

- Increase wages and reduce working hours for workers!

- Release those arrested in the Ben Thuy protest!

Next, comrade Tran Duy Pha and comrades in the Farmers' Association of the villages were assigned to continue guiding the people to form neat ranks, drums beating, flags waving, marching along Highway 7 towards Anh Son Palace in Do Luong town. Faced with the stormy momentum of the protesters, the coolies sent did not dare to move or make any move to stop them.

Hearing that the protesters were swarming towards Luong market, the prefect Anh Son was so frightened that he did not have time to put on his ao dai and wear his ivory badge, but hurriedly went out with a number of his entourage to meet the masses. As soon as he saw the prefect appear, comrade Tran Duy Pha and the Party members raised their hands to signal, and immediately the protesters surrounded him, and at the same time, a representative stood up to present his demands. He was forced to write on the people's petition:"Dang Lang Nhi, the people's petition and collection of taxes, the treasury: the tenth month, the return and replenishment of the account"⁽⁴⁾.After the District Chief read the content, the people immediately shouted slogans of protest..Faced with the power of the masses, the prefect Anh Son had to bow his head and re-approve the petition:"Anh Son district, people begged for taxes, the bank: the tenth month, the return and replenishment of the books"⁽⁵⁾The demonstration on June 2, 1930 of the people of Anh Son ended in victory. Comrade Tran Duy Pha and other party members and members of the Farmers' Association then led the demonstration groups of the villages to divide into groups to march and demonstrate their strength before withdrawing.

After this demonstration, the Party cell base also developed strongly, mass organizations spread more widely in the villages, and the belief in the strength and fighting will of the people was further fostered.

Faced with the increasingly fierce struggle of the people of Nghe Tinh in general, and the people of Anh Son in particular, in late August and early September 1930, the French colonialists sent many new units of soldiers from various places to Nghe Tinh in an attempt to suppress the movement. In Anh Son, the French colonialists and their henchmen conducted raids on an increasingly large scale. Having been tipped off that comrade Tran Duy Pha was a typical cadre of the Red Peasant Association, they proceeded to monitor and hunt him down. In August 1930, he was captured by the enemy. During his imprisonment, although the enemy used many insidious tricks such as torture, seduction, and deception, comrade Tran Duy Pha always maintained his integrity, did not confess, and remained loyal to the Party and the revolution. After a period of imprisonment and torture, unable to subdue the will of the staunch communist Tran Duy Pha, on December 13, 1930, the Southern Court of Nghe An Province sentenced him to 9 years of hard labor and 9 years of house arrest under Verdict No. 183.

After that, he was exiled by the enemy to Kon Tum prison. Here, to crush the fighting spirit of generations of political prisoners, the French colonialists implemented many brutal repressive policies. However, the enemy's cunning and cruelty, and the beatings of the enemy could not subdue the steadfast revolutionary spirit, the steadfast and indomitable will of the communist soldiers, including comrade Tran Duy Pha. To fight against the harsh regime in the colonial prison, comrade Tran Duy Pha and his fellow prisoners stood up and turned the prison into a revolutionary school, participating in the struggle in forms such as: riots, hunger strikes... On May 7, 1937, comrade Tran Duy Pha sacrificed his life in Kon Tum.⁽⁶⁾.

The revolutionary life of martyr Tran Duy Pha has contributed to affirming that: no matter what the circumstances, the spirit of the communists of Nghe Tinh homeland is always maintained, remaining loyal to the Party until the last breath. With his contributions to the local revolutionary movement, comrade Tran Duy Pha was posthumously awarded the Certificate of National Merit by the State in 2011 and his name was solemnly engraved on the stone stele of the Nghe Tinh Soviet Martyrs 1930 - 1931 at the Memorial House of the Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum as a gratitude of today's generation for his contributions and sacrifices for the independence and freedom of the country./.

Note:
(1) On January 16, 1988, the Ministry of Culture and Information issued Decision No. 1288-QD/VH recognizing Yen Xuan School as a "Historical and Cultural Relic".
(2) According to the Records of Ranking of Hieu Yen Xuan relics kept at the XVNT Museum Warehouse.
(3) The French Secret Service file on comrade Tran Duy Pha kept at the Ministry of Public Security has information about him as: "Anh Son District Secretary, representative of the Provincial Agricultural Association".
(4) Meaning: The people of Dang Son and Lang Dien communes request to postpone tax collection and pay in full by October.
(5) Meaning: The people of Anh Son district ask for a tax deferral, and promise to pay in full by October.
(6) French secret police files, kept at the KKBQ Archives, XVNT Museum.