The journey of two Algerian sons to find their father's birthplace in Vietnam

On March 8, 1974, journalist Mahmoud Maidat (Algerian Television) died in a plane crash while accompanying President Houari Boumediene (1932-1978) on a visit to Vietnam. More than half a century later, his two daughters returned to the land where their father fell, continuing the journey of Vietnam-Algeria friendship.

Half a lifetime to see father again

On the day their father died, Badia Maidat (born in 1966) and Siham Maidat (born in 1972) were still too young to understand what loss meant. The images of their father in their memories were short but warm moments. For his noble ideals, he had to leave his family, his motherland Algeria to carry out a mission in the faraway country of Vietnam. Who would have thought that this departure would become a permanent separation.

As time passed, the two sisters grew up with a void that nothing could fill. Their father, journalist Mahmoud Maidat, gradually became a part of history, of books and stories, but never a complete memory in their adult years. It was not until 2023, when they first set foot in Vietnam... the moment standing before their father's grave, after more than half their lives, that the two women felt like they had "met" their father again.

At that moment, a miracle happened. According to Ms. Siham Maidat, while offering incense at the memorial site for Vietnamese-Algerian officials and reporters who died in Soc Son, a butterfly suddenly flew over and quietly landed on the tombstone.

In the Vietnamese mind, butterflies appearing at special moments are often seen as the souls of the deceased returning. The two sisters were silent, their eyes filled with tears - could it be that their father was still here, watching over them, silently holding his two little daughters from that day?

At the same time, a ray of sunlight penetrated the tree canopy, shining directly on the memorial. The light was not too bright, but strangely warm, like an invisible connection between the father far away and the children who always longed for love. In that moment, they not only felt the presence of their father, but also saw more clearly the sacred bond between him and the land that had embraced him in the last years of his life.

It can be said that Vietnam is not only the place where their father fell, but also the land that solemnly engraved his name, preserving the story of the brave reporter, and then telling it to his most beloved ones.

Ms. Siham Maidat (left) and Ms. Badia Maidat were interviewed by the Vietnamese press. (Photo: Pham Truong)

Love the land with the blood and bones of my father

This is not the first trip to Vietnam for Badia Maidat and her sister to remember their father.

In 2023, from the first time they set foot in the Southeast Asian country, a sense of familiarity arose in the minds of two women from the North African country. When the plane landed at Noi Bai airport, they did not feel strange or bewildered. On the contrary, the scenery of Hanoi , the streets, and the people here seemed to have appeared in the memories of the two Algerians a long time ago.

“ Everything feels familiar. It feels as if we have lived here before, met these people before ,” Ms. Siham Maidat emotionally shared.

For those who have never experienced it, it is difficult to describe the closeness that the two sisters felt. It was not just a momentary surprise, but an invisible connection, as if this land had become a part of their souls without them knowing. Vietnam was not only the place where their father had sacrificed, but also a part of their flesh and blood, an inseparable memory of their family on the other side of the Earth.

Those trips, like returning home, helped the Badia Maidat sisters realize one thing: Vietnam is not only the place where their father died, but also a part of their family. This is not just a destination, but a second homeland - a place with people who consider them as their own flesh and blood, a place that holds emotional memories, and a place where their father always welcomes them with open arms...

On March 7, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated with the Algerian Embassy in Vietnam to visit and offer incense to commemorate Vietnamese and Algerian officials and journalists who died in the plane crash in Mai Dinh commune, Soc Son district, Hanoi.

Mr. Redha Oucher, Chargé d'Affaires of the Algerian Embassy in Vietnam, affirmed that the incident on March 8, 1974 was a tragic accident but also a highly symbolic event, where the blood of officials and reporters of the two countries merged into one, demonstrating the common destiny of the Vietnamese people and the brotherly Algerian people.

"This stele is a strong bridge in the history of traditional relations, recalling the friendship between Vietnam and Algeria; demonstrating the spirit of solidarity in the struggle against colonialism and for independence of the two nations," Chargé d'Affaires Redha Oucher emphasized.

Legacy for posterity

As one of 15 journalists and technicians accompanying then Algerian President Houari Boumediene on his historic visit to Vietnam, Mahmoud Maidat was not only a reporter, but also a witness to the friendship between the two nations.

In March 1974, Vietnam was the last stop on President Boumediene’s Asian tour. Wishing to capture important moments and spread the spirit of solidarity to the Algerian public, he was on board that fateful plane. Despite the unfortunate accident, his sacrifice has become a symbol of friendship between the two countries.

According to Siham Maidat, Mahmoud Maidat was part of the pioneering generation of journalists in Algeria after independence, who laid the foundations for modern journalism. At that time, the press was not only a means of reporting news, but also played an important role in nation-building, shaping national identity and affirming Algeria's voice in the international arena. Journalists like Mahmoud Maidat paved the way for Algerian journalism to develop in a professional, upright and committed manner.

After the sacrifice of journalists in Vietnam, Algeria launched a famous program called "Lights in Everywhere " . The program not only showcased the richness and diversity of Algeria's regions but also indirectly demonstrated the spirit of journalists who devoted themselves to their cause. The appearance of the program right after the Algerian journalists sacrificed their lives in Vietnam became an affirmation: Their contributions will never be forgotten.

“ My father belonged to the first generation of journalists after independence, who laid the foundations and created a new wave in the Algerian press revolution. They were pioneers, pillars that paved the way for the next generation. And I am proud of that ,” Siham Maidat shared.

More than half a century has passed, but the legacy left by martyr and journalist Mahmoud Maidat and his colleagues remains valuable. It is a legacy not only for Algerian journalism, but also part of the history of Algeria-Vietnam relations, a relationship that was built on shared hardships, silent sacrifices and stories that have never been forgotten.

Sisters Badia Maidat and Siham Maidat and representatives of the Algerian Embassy in Vietnam offered incense at the Memorial. (Photo: Thu Giang)

Sustainable bonding

According to Ms. Siham Maidat, Vietnam and Algeria share a common history of fighting for independence. From the war against French colonialism to the sacrifices in the journey to maintain national sovereignty , our two countries have always shared a strong spirit of solidarity and an indomitable will to not yield to any force.

For the two sisters, the memory of the heroic years of struggle is not only the history of Vietnam or Algeria, but also the common story of the oppressed people who never bowed their knees. Vietnam's victory at Dien Bien Phu became a torch to light up Algeria's path of struggle, giving strength to the people of the North African country to rise up in the November 1954 Revolution, overthrowing the yoke of French colonialism. It was the indomitable spirit of Vietnam that deeply inspired Algeria, and later, when Vietnam continued its resistance war against the US, the Algerian people also continuously supported and stood side by side with the Vietnamese people.

Ms. Siham Maidat emphasized: "Freedom does not come by itself. We must stand up to win it and fight for it. And that struggle never ends but must be continued through each generation." And that is also the reason why the Vietnam-Algeria relationship does not stop at historical similarities, but continues to be nurtured throughout time.

The brotherhood between the two countries was not only demonstrated during the war years, but also in the strong bond that has endured to this day. Although the Algerian journalists fell in Vietnam, their sacrifice was not in vain, becoming a testament to the noble spirit of internationalism. It is from these losses that we appreciate even more the deep bond between the two peoples.

On the occasion of the Liberation Day of the South on April 30, two Algerians once again expressed their admiration for the resilient spirit of the Vietnamese people. Ms. Badia Maidat emphasized: "It is the solidarity and indomitable will that has helped our two nations overcome the most difficult periods of history. And it is this spirit that will continue to be the bridge to make the Vietnam-Algeria relationship increasingly stronger."

For them, this trip is not just a visit, but also a journey back to the past, to the memory of their deceased father and to a nation that shares the same fighting ideals.

Journalist Mahmoud Maidat has passed away, but his legacy remains, as a symbol of friendship between Vietnam and Algeria.

51 years ago, on March 8, 1974, a plane crash took the lives of 15 journalists and technicians from Algerian news agencies and newspapers ( El Moudjahid daily newspaper, APS news agency, Algerian television station ...), along with 9 Vietnamese journalists and 3 crew members.

To commemorate this event, Algeria and Vietnam built memorials in each country. In 2013, the Algerian government erected a memorial to the 15 journalists and named a street after Vietnamese Journalists in the capital Algiers. In Vietnam, the memorial was built and inaugurated at the site of the accident in Mai Dinh commune, Soc Son district during the State visit to Vietnam by Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika (1937-2021) in October 2000.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hanh-trinh-cua-hai-nguoi-con-algeria-tim-ve-noi-cha-hoa-than-cung-dat-viet-307492.html