Ru Am Cave and Lang Tru Banyan Tree: Revolutionary Historical Relic

(Baonghean)Ru Am Cave (Nghia Duc Commune) and Tru Village Banyan Tree (Nghia Khanh Commune) are two locations marking historical events of the Party Committee and people of Nghia Dan District during the revolutionary period of 1930 - 1945. On August 20, 2012, the Provincial People's Committee issued a decision to recognize Tru Village Banyan Tree and Ru Am Cave as historical revolutionary relics, responding to the long-standing desire of the people of Nghia Dan District in general and the people of Nghia Khanh and Nghia Duc communes in particular.

Ru Am Cave - where the first Party cell of Nghia Dan district was established

From the end of 1929 to the beginning of April 1930, from the momentum of the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement in the lowland districts, in Nghia Dan district, the struggle movement of plantation workers and the peasant movement took place vigorously. In that situation, 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. To implement this policy, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee sent comrade Vo Nguyen Hien and comrade Vo Thuoc to Nghia Dan district to build a base. At that time, Nghia Khanh commune consisted of 3 villages: Vinh Lai village (Met hamlet), Tho Loc village and Cu Lam village (Tru hamlet). This place was home to rubber and coffee plantations of the French colonialists with thousands of workers and plantation workers. Comrade Vo Nguyen Hien and comrade Vo Thuoc chose Nghia Khanh (now Nghia Duc commune, Nghia Dan district) as the place to build and develop the Party organization. At that time, Ru Am cave was a secluded place, surrounded by many hills and dense trees. In particular, behind the cave there was a large lake, which was the place where local people got water for daily activities. In front of the cave there was a temple to worship the local god. Local people often came to worship here, which was very convenient for the organization's secret operations.

In mid-October 1930, at Ru Am cave, a conference was held to establish a combined Party cell consisting of Tho Loc and Cu Lam villages. In addition to the above content, the conference agreed to take propaganda and mass mobilization activities in all forms, thereby launching and leading the masses to fight against imperialism along with feudalism, implementing land for the tillers, and at the same time emphasizing the focus on recruiting new Party members for the Party cell. From Ru Am cave, a number of Directives and Resolutions of the Party Central Committee, Central Region Party Committee, Nghe An Provincial Party Committee were secretly deployed by Cu Lam and Tho Loc Party cells to communes throughout Nghia Dan district.

To strengthen the Party's leadership role in the new period and implement the direction of the superiors, in January 1931, comrades Phan Dinh Lai and Vo Thuoc convened a secret meeting at Ru Am cave to separate Cu Lam and Tho Loc branches into two branches, marking a new development step in the history of the struggle of the entire district, contributing to promoting the formation of a number of other branches in the district such as: Yen Hoa, Tri Chi, Sen, Se, .. and the establishment of the Provisional District Party Committee of Nghia Dan district in February 1931.

On May 1, 1939, on the occasion of International Labor Day, at Ru Am cave, Nghia Dan District Party Committee organized a rally to demonstrate the revolutionary spirit of farmers and working class in Phu Quy area. This rally attracted a large number of people from neighboring areas such as Tho Loc, Cu Lam, Sen, Se... to participate with banners, red flags with hammer and sickle... demanding freedom, democracy, food and peace.

Tru Village Banyan Tree - where Nghia Dan people rose up to seize power

On May 19, 1945, the Nghe Tinh Inter-Provincial Viet Minh Mobilization Committee was established. After its establishment, the Inter-Provincial Viet Minh Front called for: “All citizens, regardless of class or religion, should boldly join the Viet Minh ranks to eliminate Japanese fascists, the number one enemy of our country at the moment, and destroy the plot to restore the French imperialists’ government…”. Responding to that call, under the direction of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee, in mid-June 1945, in Bau hamlet, Nghia Khanh commune, the Nghia Dan district Viet Minh Front was established, then decided: Mobilize the masses to rise up to resist Japan to save the country, prepare for the opportunity to revolt and seize power.



Banyan tree of Tru Village. Photo: Manh Ha

On August 15, 1945, the uprising order of the inter-provincial Viet Minh reached Nghia Dan district. The front immediately organized a conference to disseminate the uprising order and establish the district uprising committee. On the morning of August 22, 1945, under the leadership and organization of the Nghia Dan district uprising committee, thousands of people from three ethnic groups: Kinh, Thai and Tho of the communes of Cu Lam, Ha Suu, Thach Khe, Nghia Hung... and a large number of workers in rubber and coffee plantations in Phu Quy area brought primitive weapons such as flintlock guns, sticks, hoes, shovels, spears... gathered at the Lang Tru banyan tree (Vinh Lai) raised high the red flag with yellow star, shouted revolutionary slogans, loudly organized demonstrations to demonstrate power, marched to the center of Nghia Dan district, and took power into the hands of the people. Since then, August 22 has become the traditional day of the Party Committee and people of Nghia Dan district, the Banyan tree of Tru village has become a typical historical relic of the Party Committee and people of Nghia Dan district.

To contribute to preserving traditional revolutionary values, educating the tradition of loving the homeland, and showing gratitude to those who have contributed, since 2008, the Party Committee, government and people of Nghia Khanh and Nghia Duc communes have chosen August 22 as the traditional day of the commune. The annual festival "Tru Village Banyan Tree and Ru Am Cave" has the participation of a large number of ethnic people of Nghia Khanh commune and neighboring areas in a bustling and jubilant atmosphere. At this festival, with sincerity, the Party Committee and people have organized many meaningful and practical activities such as: rallies, offering flowers and incense at the commune's martyrs' memorial, Tru Village Banyan Tree and Ru Am Cave. Besides spiritual and cultural activities, people can also participate in recreational activities such as camping, performing arts, sports, etc.

Thanh Thuy