Early re-issuance of the Certificate of Merit to 7 martyrs in Tan Ky

(Baonghean) - Over the decades, their certificates of merit have been lost or are no longer intact and the martyrs' relatives are waiting for the authorities to reissue them.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hanh, a cultural - policy - labor - invalids and social affairs officer of Nghia Hoan commune (Tan Ky), Nghia Hoan has 72 martyrs who died in the two resistance wars against the US and France, whose names have been engraved on the stele at the martyrs' memorial of the commune. However, up to now, there are still 9 martyrs who have not been granted a certificate of national merit, or were previously granted a certificate of national merit but after decades, their relatives have not been able to keep the certificate.

Every year, the local government reviews the list of martyrs who have not been granted a Certificate of Merit by the Fatherland and martyrs who have been granted a certificate but it is damaged or torn and now requests a replacement to submit a file to the district, but up to now, the above martyrs have not been granted a new or replaced Certificate of Merit by the Fatherland.

They are martyrs: Lo Van Thai, Duong Quoc Chinh, Tang Van Thuoi, Nguyen Van Luyen, Vuong Van Luan, Nguyen Van Hang, Cao Minh Quang, Dam Xuan Trinh, Chu Van Ky.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ho (right), son of martyr Nguyen Van Hang. Photo: QL

Visit the family of martyr Lo Van Thai in Tham hamlet, Nghia Hoan commune (Tan Ky) - 1 of 9 martyrs who currently do not have a certificate of merit from the Fatherland. Martyr Lo Van Thai (born 1947), enlisted in February 1965, died on February 15, 1968 at the Southern front.

When he died, he was not married, so he had no wife or children. Now his parents have both passed away, and his family only has his sister-in-law, Ms. Lo Thi Lan, who is enjoying the regime of worshiping martyr Lo Van Thai. Ms. Lan shared: “When I became a daughter-in-law in the family, Mr. Lo Van Thai had already died, so I did not know his face, nor did I see his certificate of national merit. Now my parents-in-law and my husband have both passed away, and I am old and weak, so I really hope that the relevant authorities will soon reissue the certificate of national merit to Mr. Lo Van Thai.”

Mr. Lo Van Kinh (born in 1947) in Tham hamlet, Nghia Hoan commune said: "I enlisted in the army in May 1965, and Lo Van Thai enlisted about 3-4 months before me. We both went to the southern battlefield but in different units. Then we heard that Thai had died."

As for martyr Nguyen Van Hang in Nghia Hoan commune, he was previously awarded a certificate of merit from the Fatherland but it was damaged. His son submitted the old certificate to request a new one for his father, but to this day, after 48 years, it has not been reissued. Martyr Nguyen Van Hang enlisted in June 1951 in the temporary border area in Vinh Linh district (Quang Tri), and died on March 1, 1955.

Mr. Nguyen Van Ho - the son of the martyr said: "Around 1959, when I was 10 years old, I saw my father's certificate of merit in the house; in 1966, the family migrated to Nghia Phuc commune (Tan Ky), so my father's certificate of merit was torn and damaged. In 1969, I brought the old certificate (certificate number 474b) to the Nghe An province's Department of War Invalids and Social Affairs to request a reissue of the certificate. Since then, 48 years have passed and my family has not yet received a reissue of my father's certificate of merit.

Although we have not received the Certificate of Merit from the Fatherland, thanks to the attention of the Party and the State, my family has received full policies for families of martyrs. However, we are still worried about not receiving the Certificate of Merit from the Fatherland, recognizing my father's contributions.

Copy of Certificate of Martyr Nguyen Van Hang's family. Photo: QL

Talking to us about this issue, Ms. Cao Thi Thu Hien - Deputy Head of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Tan Ky district said: "The Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of the district annually reviews the list of martyrs in the communes, grasps the need to issue new, change, and reissue the Certificate of Merit of the Fatherland to submit to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. For the 9 cases of Nghia Hoan commune, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of the district has reviewed the data and reported to the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs".

Inquiring at the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs about the above issue, Ms. Nguyen Thi Van Anh - Deputy Head of the Department of Meritorious People said: "After reviewing the martyrs' records of 9 cases of Nghia Hoan commune (Tan Ky), there are 2 martyrs whose names are not in the records of the Department of Meritorious People - Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Nghe An, namely martyrs Duong Van Luan and Chu Van Ky; the remaining 7 cases have all been granted a certificate of merit with the certificate number and specific certificate granting decision.

For the 2 cases of martyrs whose records are not kept at the Department of Meritorious People, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs will assign the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Tan Ky district to verify, if qualified, will guide the issuance of certificates according to Circular No. 16/2014/TT-BLDTBXH (for martyrs whose records are no longer kept). As for the 7 martyrs who have certificates of merit from the Fatherland but whose relatives are currently unable to keep them, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs of Nghe An will submit them to the Department of Meritorious People to reissue the certificates in 2017.

It is thought that the local government of Tan Ky district and the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs should soon coordinate to thoroughly resolve the issue of granting and re-granting certificates of merit to the above martyrs of Nghia Hoan commune (Tan Ky) to fully recognize the great contributions and heroic sacrifices of the martyrs for the cause of fighting against the French and Americans to protect the Fatherland./.

Quynh Lan