New vitality in the revolutionary countryside

(Baonghean) - In the golden autumn sunshine, we returned to Hanh Lam (Thanh Chuong) - the upper source of the Giang River, a land where the names of mountains, villages, and people... have gone down in history. Through the story of Mr. Le Dinh Doan (78 years old, in hamlet 8) - the grandson of martyr Le Thang - who sacrificed his life during the enemy's suppression at the communal house of Thuong village in the past, the glorious past struggles of the people of Hanh Lam, Cat Ngan... in the past, were brought back to life in every story. According to Mr. Doan, in the 1920s, with the consent of the colonial and feudal government, Nguyen Truong Vien (Ky Vien) came here to open a plantation, recruiting workers to exploit limestone and phosphate ore. Vien tried his best to take over the land around Yen Son cliff, expanding the plantation; Blocking roads, not allowing people to travel, arbitrarily suffocating the people's right to live... Under the direction of Thanh Chuong District Party Committee (established on March 20, 1930), Cat Ngan General Committee and Hanh Lam Party Cell directly led the people in the area to rise up and fight. On the morning of May 1, 1930, after gathering and rallying on International Labor Day at Ha village communal house, nearly 3,000 farmers from Hanh Lam and La Mac villages... divided into 2 groups to advance to Ky Vien plantation. "People from everywhere came with sticks, machetes, hoes and rakes; foresters also brought hammers and axes to join in; whoever had anything used it, together burning down houses, warehouses, and barns; Ky Vien fled, mines exploded, smoke and fire filled the sky" - said Mr. Doan.

In just a moment, the plantation of the landlord and capitalist was devastated. A few days later, the French sent troops from everywhere to fill the communal house of Thuong village. The people surrounded him for several days. Party member Nguyen Uy once pulled on his shirt, opened his chest, and shouted loudly at the enemy soldiers, "shoot here." The enemy opened fire to break the siege, then got into a boat and fled. The suppression killed 17 people, including Mr. Doan's grandfather. 18 people were injured, blood stained the village streets, but the people still did not retreat. Mr. Doan said: "My mother was from another village and married here. She also participated in the demonstration, but only when someone came to report that "Mr. Thang was shot by the French" did she know that her father also participated in the struggle at the communal house of Thuong village."

A corner of Ro town (Vo Liet commune - Thanh Chuong) today.

Today, coming to Hanh Lam, the old countryside has changed a lot, the asphalt road leading from Ho Chi Minh road through Yen Son pass to the hamlets, bustling with joyful atmosphere. The land of the old Ky Vien plantation, partly under the management of the current Re-education Camp No. 6 (Ministry of Public Security). Len Thuong, Len Ha... are still there, towering and majestic among the vast green fields of sugarcane and corn. The vestiges of Ky Vien lime kiln are now a lush banana garden on the road to hamlet 6. The ancient Thuong communal house, where the blood of those who sacrificed themselves for the country that year was soaked, has become a national historical site, a place to educate revolutionary traditions for many generations. The people of Hanh Lam are working hard to build their homeland, establishing more raw material areas for paper and industrial tea; 16 farms with high income; asphalt and concrete roads are being extended; 3 schools meeting national standards, many cultural and sports facilities are being built according to new rural standards.

We went to Vo Liet - the old district headquarters, to meet Mr. Phan To Duc (98 years old, 76 years in the party, from Kim Tien hamlet), who had participated in the demonstration in Ro, 85 years ago. Although he was old and weak, he was still clear-headed, enthusiastically turning the pages of memories about the heroic struggle that year.

Today, when coming to Ro, there are no traces of the feudal district office, Ro market is still there, right in the middle of the market, in front of the old post office (the location of the old district office) stands a large monument, reminding everyone of the heroic struggle of the Thanh Chuong people that once took place here. Ro is gradually rising to become the service and commercial center of the region with beautiful roads, high-rise buildings, and shops close together. Ro is in the planning to develop into a town, a new appearance, a new stature has covered the space of the old Ro. The historic ferry that used to be the main traffic point, connecting the river and road, has now been replaced by the modern Ro bridge connecting National Highway 46 and Ho Chi Minh road. Vo Liet communal house still stands tall in the middle of the field, where the drums were beaten in 1930 with the hammer and sickle flag fluttering, urging the struggle, forever the pride of the revolutionary homeland.

Thanh Chuong is striving to rise up, overcome difficulties, take advantage of potentials and advantages for comprehensive development. The average annual economic growth rate is 13.5%. In agriculture, the most notable achievements are the land consolidation, the initial formation of raw material areas associated with processing and consumption of products (10,000 hectares of raw material forests, 4,952 hectares of tea, 2,600 hectares of industrial cassava); annual food production reaches over 100,000 tons. The traffic system has been invested in and built, connecting the center with the difficult areas of the district. In addition to major roads such as Ho Chi Minh Road, National Highway 46, provincial and district roads have been asphalted, making Thanh Chuong the district with the longest kilometers of asphalt road in the province. A number of large bridges (Ro Bridge, Dung Bridge, Rang Bridge) have been built, connecting the two banks of the Lam River, opening up new potentials. In education and training, the tradition of studiousness is being promoted. In recent years, the number of excellent students at the provincial level, students admitted to universities, and valedictorians is always at the top of the province...

Looking back at the days when "Kia Ben Thuy stood up first/ No Thanh Chuong followed behind", the people of the heroic Soviet homeland feel more proud and try harder on the path of innovation.

Huy Thu