Assign Do Luong district to build Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele: A highly feasible plan!

Morning of June 20,Meeting to discuss the implementation plan of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele projectorganized by the Provincial People's Committee, reaching a consensus to report to the Party Committee of the Provincial People's Committee, submit to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee for comments, and assign the People's Committee of Do Luong district to be the investor. This is truly a highly feasible plan. Nghe An Newspaper would like to summarize some opinions at the meeting and opinions of those interested in this content.

Comrade Bui Dinh Long - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee:

“Do Luong district is the optimal choice”

The need for investment in the project is no longer a matter of debate. Assigning the Provincial Youth Union, the Department of Culture and Sports, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs... as the investor is correct. But at this point, this project must be implemented and must be implemented quickly. Considering it comprehensively, if assigned to the Provincial Youth Union or other sectors as the investor, it will be difficult to implement it quickly.

Do Luong district is the locality where the project is located. When the project is completed, in addition to comforting the souls and relatives of the 98 deceased, this will be a historical, spiritual and tourist destination of Do Luong district. Before the meeting, I also thought a lot about which unit to assign to so that it would be convenient to call for socialized capital to implement together with the budget; besides, I thought about preserving and promoting the value later. After consideration, I found that assigning Do Luong district as the investor is appropriate and the optimal choice.

Therefore, with the consensus of the sectors, after this meeting, the Provincial People's Committee Office was assigned to coordinate with Do Luong district to issue a document reporting to the Provincial People's Committee Party Committee, and submit to the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee a plan to assign Do Luong district as the investor. The Provincial Youth Union, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs are responsible for coordinating with the investor to implement. The report needs to clearly state 3 options, which are the Testimony Stele, the Memorial Stele House or the Memorial, with a cost estimate for each option; at the same time, it must be completed this week to report to the Party Committee, and submit to the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee for comments. Strive to be able to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the project by January 3, 2024."

Comrade Bui Duy Dong - Secretary of Do Luong District Party Committee:

"Do Luong is ready to take on the task"

The construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele is necessary, meeting the long-standing expectations of the relatives of the deceased and of society; and was approved by the Provincial Party Committee in 2018. Therefore, the Party Committee and the government of Do Luong district are ready to take responsibility for the construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele if assigned the task by the Provincial People's Committee.

However, the construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert memorial stele was previously assigned by the Provincial People's Committee to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. Furthermore, the construction of this project is related to land use, public investment... Therefore, if the Provincial People's Committee transfers it to Do Luong district, it is necessary to ensure the prescribed procedures. After the meeting, there will be a conclusion, a report to the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee for comments, and a document assigning tasks... Do Luong district is ready to receive the tasks assigned by the province, considering this a political task to strive to complete."

Mr. Dang Anh Dung - Former Standing Deputy Secretary of Thanh Chuong District Party Committee:

"The project will be a spiritual and historical destination"

After the victory of April 30, 1975, the country was reunited, the joy of unification did not last long, the country had to face countless hardships and challenges. The consequences of the war were severe in many aspects, the country was embargoed. "Floods in the North, floods in the South, blood soaked the border", hunger and poverty surrounded, the economic and social crisis was severe, from the Central to the grassroots level, people were confused with the centralized management mechanism, bureaucracy, subsidies... All values ​​were "converted" to the value of a kilo of rice!

Party congresses at all levels during this period determined: Agriculture is the leading front, irrigation is given the number one position to solve the problem of food shortage. Nghe Tinh at that time took the lead with the slogan: "Change the sky, change the land, rearrange the country". Tens of thousands of people gathered at large irrigation construction sites such as Vuc Mau, Sao River, Nghen River, Ke Go, Vach Bac... Although manual labor, they left behind sustainable works with many meanings. Besides those great successes, on January 3, 1978, a terrible accident occurred at Hiep Hoa sluice, with 102 people sacrificed, 156 injured. The whole of Nghe Tinh was immersed in grief and mourning. There were meetings from the Central, provincial, district, and commune levels to discuss how to deal with the consequences.

The Provincial People's Committee has decided to "Recognize those who sacrificed their lives in the construction of the Nghe Tinh Soviet homeland on January 3, 1978". The history of the Provincial Party Committee also recorded this tragic event in detail. Every month, the province has had a policy of supporting families with people who sacrificed their lives (after several adjustments, it is now 540,000 VND/month/relative). The trial of this case was unprecedented because when the indictment was read, the presiding judge, the defendants, and the people all burst into tears.

The incident happened 45 years ago, but "the blood of the brothers and sisters was not in vain". The Lam River water from Do Luong bara turns to Hiep Hoa and still irrigates 37,000 hectares of rice fields in Do Luong, Yen Thanh, Dien Chau, and Quynh Luu districts. Yet where the accident occurred, there is only a small temple built precariously on a cliff to burn incense on the full moon and first day of the lunar month. At many meetings with People's Council delegates at all levels, many voters earnestly requested the State to recognize the martyrs as martyrs, because they were young volunteers, doing their duty at the call of the Party and the State, their labor was a contribution and not paid; to establish a memorial where they sacrificed; to have policies to support the victims or their relatives who now have to live alone, in poverty..., not to let them "fall behind".

Up to now, through Nghe An Newspaper, it is known that the Provincial People's Committee has agreed on the plan to assign Do Luong district as the investor, and will submit a report to the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee for comments, to resolutely complete the construction of the Hiep Hoa culvert event memorial. Although it is late, this is a work that is highly supported by the people. The tragic story of the past is history. The Hiep Hoa culvert event memorial is a deep gratitude and affection of the cadres and people of the province to those who sacrificed for the prosperity of the homeland. It is a spiritual address. If properly invested, this spiritual address will become a historical tourist destination of Do Luong district, of Nghe An province in the future. Therefore, I personally think that the plan to assign Do Luong district is highly feasible. Assigning it to Do Luong district will be convenient in the implementation process, and in the work of preserving and promoting the value of the relic in the future.

Veteran Nguyen Ba Binh - Ho Chi Minh City:

“I am very happy, very touched”

As the person who submitted a petition to the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee, and the newspaper's editorial office, when reading the information in Nghe An newspaper in recent days, especially the news reporting the conclusion of the Provincial People's Committee on June 20, I was extremely happy and deeply moved. Thinking that the souls of the departed and the hearts of the people left behind were peaceful and light. For so many years, I have longed, hoped, and waited. There were times when I hoped, and there were times when I was frustrated and wanted to give up. Now it has been resolved.

Looking back to the past, because they wanted to escape poverty, tens of thousands of young men and women followed the call of the Party and the State, regardless of wind and rain, hardship, deprivation... volunteering to work together day and night to bring cool water from the Lam River to hundreds of thousands of hectares of rice fields, serving the cause of building a "more beautiful, more dignified" country as Uncle Ho wished. This was a job for the people, for the country, for the homeland. Unfortunately, some of them were unable to return due to accidents. Their sacrifices deserve to be respected.

Therefore, although late, but with the conclusion of the provincial People's Committee leaders, with the promise of the Do Luong district leaders, it will certainly make the souls of the deceased, their relatives, and society truly feel warm. Personally, I would like to send my sincere thanks through the Newspaper, hoping that one day soon, this long-standing wish will become a reality.

I know that the construction of the project will use capital from the budget and socialization, so I would like to suggest that it is necessary to widely disseminate information to mobilize contributions from Nghe An people far from home. I live in Ho Chi Minh City, and I know that there are many Nghe An people here, and many of them are really interested in building a memorial for those who died in the accident on January 3, 1978 at the Hiep Hoa culvert project. I believe that if the province is interested and calls for help, Nghe An people far from home will join hands...

Nhat Lan