Nghe An performs well in ensuring the task of searching for and collecting martyrs' remains.

On the afternoon of March 15, Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province held a Conference to summarize the implementation of the Prime Minister's Decisions on regimes, policies and assurance work for organizations and individuals performing the task of searching for and collecting martyrs' remains.

Comrades: Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province and Colonel Nguyen Ky Hong - Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command, Head of Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province chaired the conference... Attending the conference were representatives of the leaders of Military Region 4; departments, branches, sectors and localities in the province.

During the resistance wars, wars to defend the fatherland and international missions, Nghe An mobilized over 610,000 people to join the army, including over 26,000 soldiers participating in the resistance war against France; nearly 80,000 soldiers participating in the resistance war against the US; over 32,000 concentrated militia; over 43,000 youth volunteers; 220,000 people participating in frontline laborers; over 68,000 soldiers participating in the war to defend the fatherland, performing international missions to help Laos and Cambodia.

After the wars, Nghe An had more than 45,000 martyrs. The number of martyrs' graves currently buried in the area is 25,095. From 1984 to present, the Collection Team, the Provincial Military Command has searched for and collected 13,099 martyrs (in Nghe An province, there are 471 martyrs' remains; in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, there are 12,628 martyrs' remains). It is expected that the number of martyrs' remains that need to be searched for and collected from now until 2030 and the following years will be about 500 - 700 martyrs' remains.

In recent years, the leadership and direction of the implementation of regimes, policies and assurance work for organizations and individuals as stipulated in Decision 75/2013/QD-TTg dated December 6, 2013 and Decision No. 35/2017/QD-TTg dated July 25, 2017 of the Prime Minister have been closely and seriously directed and implemented by leaders and commanders of agencies, units, and the Provincial Steering Committee 515. The implementation process has been ensured to be in accordance with regulations, strict and accurate.

The results achieved demonstrate the high political responsibility, efforts and endeavors of relevant levels, sectors, units and localities in performing tasks and coordinating the search for martyrs' remains in each dry season, at the same time, affirming the profound political and social significance of the Party, State and Government; contributing to strengthening social security and stabilizing the situation locally, domestically and internationally.

At the conference, the delegates also analyzed and pointed out the difficulties and shortcomings in the process of implementing the work policies and regimes to ensure the organizations and individuals performing the task of searching and collecting martyrs' remains; proposed adjustments and supplements to the salary, food allowance, and allowance regime for individuals directly performing the task of searching and collecting martyrs' remains; health allowance, regional allowance, responsibility allowance according to salary coefficient... family support policies for those on the payroll of domestic and foreign search and collection teams to ensure stability and longevity...

The Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province has also set out key directions and tasks in the coming time, which are: Continuing to thoroughly grasp and seriously implement Directive No. 24-CT/TW dated March 15, 2013 of the Politburo; Decision No. 75/2013/QD-TTg dated December 6, 2013 and Decision No. 35/2017/QD-TTg dated July 25, 2017 of the Prime Minister on regimes, policies and assurance work for organizations and individuals performing the task of searching for and collecting martyrs' remains.

The process of full and synchronous implementation of all aspects of funding, means, and logistics and technical equipment; organizing and allocating funds according to requirements and tasks, ensuring seriousness and strictness; proactively and promptly resolving arising problems, avoiding errors and negativity.

Also at the conference, the Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province awarded Certificates of Merit from the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee to 4 collectives and 6 individuals who had outstanding achievements in implementing Decision No. 75/2013/QD-TTg dated December 6, 2013 and Decision No. 35/2017/QD-TTg dated July 25, 2017 of the Prime Minister on regimes, policies and guarantees for organizations and individuals performing the task of searching for and collecting martyrs' remains.

In the 2023 - 2024 dry season, the Martyrs' Remains Collection Team of the Nghe An Provincial Military Command was assigned the task of searching for and collecting the graves of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos in the three provinces of Xieng Khouang, Xay Xom Bun and Vientiane.

Although the work of surveying, searching and collecting martyrs' remains encountered many difficulties due to the harsh climate and weather, the martyrs' graves were mainly located in high mountains, caves, deep forests, areas previously targeted by enemy attacks, the amount of bombs and mines left behind was large; information about martyrs' graves was increasingly scarce and scattered across the area; the complex terrain had many changes, and roads were very difficult to travel...

With the attention, direction and facilitation of the Steering Committee 515 at all levels and the Party committees, authorities, armed forces and people of the three provinces of Xieng Khouang, Xay Xom Bun and Vientiane (Laos), the team's officers and employees have overcome difficulties and successfully completed their assigned tasks.

Up to now, after more than 5 months of surveying, searching, and collecting martyrs' remains in the 2023 - 2024 dry season, the Martyrs' Remains Collection Team of Nghe An Provincial Military Command has searched for and collected 61 remains of Vietnamese martyrs and experts who died in Laos.

Of which, Xieng Khouang province collected 55 martyrs' remains; Xay Xom Bun province collected 04 martyrs' remains; Vientiane province collected 02 martyrs' remains. Currently, the martyrs' remains are being brought by the team to worship at the unit's barracks in Phon Xa Van town, Xieng Khouang province (Laos).

The martyrs' remains were found at a depth of 0.8 to 1.5 meters, with many broken bones and teeth, carefully wrapped in hammocks and many relics such as: buttons, belts, shoes, personal medicine bags, scarves, Vietnamese lighters, flasks, rice bowls...

Identifying the task of searching for and collecting martyrs' remains as a particularly important task, showing deep gratitude to the heroic martyrs, those who fought and sacrificed for the task of building and protecting the Fatherland and performing noble international duties, officers and employees of the Martyrs' Remains Collection Team of Nghe An Provincial Military Command regularly thoroughly grasp the importance of this task of special significance, strictly comply with the instructions of commanders at all levels; raise awareness, responsibility and ensure safety in all aspects during the implementation of the task. Closely coordinate with the Special Working Group of Lao Friends from the province to the grassroots, do a good job of foreign affairs and mass mobilization; propagate and mobilize Lao people to provide information about martyrs' graves, thereby proactively grasping, surveying, verifying, ensuring accurate information sources to include in the collection plan in the coming time.

With the highest determination, they have been eating in tents and sleeping in the forest day and night to search for, collect and repatriate the remains of heroic martyrs to the Fatherland of Vietnam. The officers and staff of the Remains Collection Team of Vietnamese Volunteer Soldiers and Experts who died in Laos are striving to compete for the highest achievements to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Remains Collection Team (April 18, 1984 - April 18, 2024).