Praying for the dead, handing over the remains of 14 martyrs of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts

The remains were searched for and gathered by Team K52 (Gia Lai Provincial Military Command) during the 2024-2025 dry season in the Northeastern provinces of the Kingdom of Cambodia to be brought to rest in the beloved Motherland of Vietnam.

Preah Vihear provincial leaders welcomed the delegation of Gia Lai Provincial Task Force. Photo: D.B

Attending the ceremony, on behalf of Gia Lai province, there were comrade Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich - Provincial Party Committee member, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Provincial Specialized Committee, and members of the Gia Lai Provincial Specialized Committee.

On the Preah Vihear provincial leadership side, there were: Kim Rut Thi - Provincial Governor; Brak So Vann - Chairman of the Council; Yong Kim Hien - Deputy Provincial Governor, Head of the Provincial Specialized Committee, and leaders of the Military Region 4 Command (Royal Cambodian Army).

On the side of Ratanakiri province leaders, there was Mr. Ma Vi Chat - Deputy Governor, Head of Ratanakiri Provincial Specialized Committee.

Gia Lai Provincial Steering Committee offers incense to commemorate martyrs. Photo: D.B

The requiem ceremony for the remains of 14 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died during the war in Cambodia (including 8 remains in Ratanakiri province and 6 remains in Preah Vihear province) was held according to Buddhist rituals and Cambodian customs and practices, by the Gia Lai Provincial Task Force in coordination with the Task Force of Ratanakiri and Preah Vihear provinces.

The farewell ceremony for the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts returning home took place in a solemn atmosphere, expressing the deep gratitude of the government, the Task Force, the armed forces and the people of Ratanakiri and Preah Vihear provinces for the noble sacrifice of the martyrs. At the farewell ceremony and handover of the remains of 14 martyrs, the Task Force of Gia Lai province respectfully offered flowers and incense to commemorate the heroic martyrs.

Requiem for 6 martyrs in Preah Vihear province. Photo: D.B

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich emphasized: Under the leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam and beloved Uncle Ho, the Vietnamese people have successfully completed the cause of national liberation and fulfilled their noble international obligations. During the long and arduous years, generations of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts have stood shoulder to shoulder with the armed forces and the Cambodian people to bravely fight, sacrifice, defeat the Pol Pot gang, regain independence and freedom for the country of Pagoda-Cambodia to survive and develop to this day. That noble sacrifice has contributed to enhancing the solidarity, friendship and brotherhood between the two peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia.

Preah Vihear provincial leaders see off martyrs returning home. Photo: D.B.

Since 2001, the Provincial Task Force has coordinated with the Ratanakiri and Preah Vihear Provincial Task Force to collect 1,076 martyrs' remains (including 548 remains in Ratanakiri province and 528 remains in Preah Vihear province).

Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich emotionally shared: “The war has ended, but the pain of comrades, teammates, friends and families still lingers in our hearts. When our teammates, comrades and relatives fought bravely and sacrificed, their remains still lie in Cambodia, undiscovered. The Party, State, Government, armed forces and people of Vietnam and Cambodia have had many policies and solutions to search for, collect and bring the remains back to the country. Before the souls of the martyrs, we vow to do our best to serve the Fatherland; to maintain, cultivate and promote the fine traditions of Vietnam and Cambodia. We welcome and bring the remains of the martyrs back to our beloved Vietnam. We pray that the souls of the martyrs will rest in peace; the great contributions of the heroic martyrs will be forever remembered by the Fatherland."

The Specialized Committees of Gia Lai and Preah Vihear provinces bid farewell to the martyrs returning home. Photo: D.B.

Speaking at the ceremony to send off and hand over the remains of 6 martyrs, Mr. Kim Rut Thi - Governor of Preah Vihear province - affirmed: Since ancient times, our ancestors have left behind 2 very meaningful proverbs: First is "A good friend is someone who knows how to help each other in times of trouble" and "When drinking water, remember the source", to educate the younger generation about gratitude towards the previous generation. The work of searching for and collecting the remains of martyrs has contributed to strengthening the solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia in general and between Gia Lai and Preah Vihear provinces in particular, despite the great geographical distance.

“The cadres, civil servants, agencies, departments, organizations, armed forces and all people of Preah Vihear province would like to express our deepest condolences to the heroic martyrs, volunteer soldiers and Vietnamese experts who sacrificed their lives on the Cambodian front. Through this, I would also like to send my deepest condolences to the country and people of Vietnam, pray for the souls of the heroic martyrs to rest in eternal peace, and wish the martyrs a safe journey home and a quick return to their beloved Fatherland" - Governor Kim Rut Thi emotionally shared.

Mr. Ma Vi Chat - Deputy Governor, Head of the Specialized Committee of Ratanakiri province expressed his infinite gratitude for the great contributions of the heroic martyrs of the volunteer army and Vietnamese experts, who sacrificed their blood and bones to overthrow the Pol Pot genocidal regime, bringing opportunities for revival and development to the people and country of Cambodia. He respectfully bowed and prayed for the souls of the 8 martyrs searched for and gathered by Team K52 during the dry season of 2024-2025 in Ratanakiri province to rest in eternal peace, and wished that the remains of the martyrs would soon be brought back to the beloved Fatherland of Vietnam.

Students of Ratanakiri province wave goodbye to martyrs. Photo: D.B

“In response to that great service, we promise to do our utmost to preserve and further promote the solidarity, friendship and close cooperation between the Governments and Peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia, contributing to the further development and prosperity of the two countries. In that spirit, the Ratanakiri Provincial Task Force will continue to cooperate closely with the Gia Lai Provincial Task Force and relevant agencies in the work of searching for, collecting and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts back to the country."

With open arms, the Fatherland of Vietnam welcomes its outstanding children who have fulfilled their noble international duties to rest in peace in the bosom of Mother Earth. The blood of the martyrs has colored the national flags of the two countries, lasting forever, and at the same time writing an epic of solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia.

Along the roads of Ratanakiri and Preah Vihear provinces, many people were present to see off the Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Cambodia. Holding the flags of Vietnam and Cambodia, they waved goodbye, expressing the respect and deep gratitude of today's generation for the noble sacrifice of the heroic martyrs.

Previously, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich presented gifts to the functional forces on duty at Ozadao International Border Gate (Kingdom of Cambodia).

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/cau-sieu-ban-giao-14-hai-cot-liet-si-quan-tinh-nguyen-va-chuyen-gia-viet-nam-post323036.html