The ceremony was a profound tribute from the Party Committee, the government, and the people of the province to the outstanding individuals who bravely sacrificed their lives for the noble cause of international duty.
Attending the ceremony, on behalf of the Central Government and military units were: Comrade Ho Quoc Dung - Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Deputy Prime Minister; General Nguyen Van Gau - Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Minister of National Defense , Deputy Head of the National Steering Committee on searching, collecting and identifying the remains of martyrs; Lieutenant General Le Ngoc Hai - Member of the Central Committee of the Party, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Commander of Military Region 5; Cao Huy - Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, along with members of the Government working group, the National Steering Committee 515; the Steering Committee 515 of Military Region 5; the Command of the 34th Army Corps, and the Command of the 15th Army Corps.
Representing the Kingdom of Cambodia were: Sor Soputra - Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Cambodian People's Party, Chairman of the Cambodian People's Party of Stung Treng Province, Governor of Stung Treng Province; Brak Sovan - Chairman of the Provincial Council of Preah Vihear; Yong Kim Hien - Deputy Governor, Head of the Special Task Force of Preah Vihear Province; Ma Vi Chat - Deputy Governor, Head of the Special Task Force of Ratanakiri Province; along with representatives from the Command of Military Region I and Military Region IV (Royal Cambodian Army).
On the Gia Lai province side, attending the ceremony were: Mr. Thai Dai Ngoc - Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich - Provincial Party Committee Member, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Provincial Steering Committee 515, Head of the Provincial Special Task Force; representatives of leaders from several agencies, units, and localities in the province, and a large number of local people.
Gratitude Power Supply
Welcoming the fallen soldiers back to their homeland, to rest alongside their comrades at Duc Co Martyrs' Cemetery, is a socio-political event of profound humanitarian significance. Along both sides of National Highway 19, people living along the route solemnly displayed the national flag, expressing their gratitude, appreciation, and sacred feelings towards the heroic martyrs.
Early in the morning, a large number of people gathered at Duc Co Martyrs' Cemetery to bid farewell to the heroic martyrs as they were laid to rest. In a solemn atmosphere, officers and soldiers of the Provincial Military Command performed the ceremony of moving the remains of the martyrs from the Martyrs' Memorial House to the area for the memorial service and burial at Duc Co Martyrs' Cemetery.
Witnessing the ceremonies of changing the coffin, covering it with the national flag, and placing the remains of fallen soldiers into glass cases, many people could not hide their emotions, expressing deep gratitude for the immense sacrifices of previous generations for the independence and freedom of the nation and for noble international duties.
Veteran Luong Xanh (66 years old, residential group 6, Duc Co commune) emotionally shared: “For the past 16 years, every year around this time, I have been here to welcome my comrades back. They bravely sacrificed themselves for the noble international duty, and we pledge to continue their tradition, live up to their sacrifice, and forever engrave their contributions in our hearts.”
Over 100 youth union members from Duc Co commune also participated in the gratitude activities with a sense of responsibility and deep gratitude. Ms. Ro Mah H'Diu - Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Duc Co commune, Secretary of the Youth Union of Duc Co commune - expressed: "Each youth union member feels honored and proud to contribute to this meaningful task; thereby expressing deep gratitude to the generations of ancestors who sacrificed for the Fatherland."
To prepare for the ceremony, the Youth Union of the commune had previously coordinated with local associations and organizations to clean, tidy, and replace flowers at the martyrs' graves, contributing to creating a solemn and beautiful landscape; demonstrating the responsibility of young people towards the "Paying Gratitude" work.
Behind the solemn memorial service lies the arduous and persistent journey of the soldiers tasked with searching for and collecting the remains of fallen soldiers in Cambodia.
During the 2025-2026 dry season, officers and soldiers of Team K52 (Provincial Military Command) will continue to carry out the task of searching for, collecting, and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in the three northeastern provinces of Cambodia (Ratanakiri, Preah Vihear, and Stung Treng).
This also marks the 25th year that Team K52 has carried out its noble international mission in Cambodia. With strong political determination and heartfelt responsibility, the unit has so far collected and repatriated 1,531 remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts back to Vietnam.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Xuan Toan - Team Leader of Team K52 - said that during the performance of their duties, the unit encountered many difficulties due to harsh weather conditions, a vast area, and increasingly scarce information about the burial places of fallen soldiers.
Faced with this reality, the unit consistently stayed close to the local area and the people, actively disseminating information, mobilizing support, and gathering data from various sources to aid in the search and recovery efforts.
In addition to carrying out missions in Cambodia, Team K52 also simultaneously implemented many activities within the 500-day campaign, such as searching for and collecting the remains of fallen soldiers domestically and collecting biological samples to help identify the fallen soldiers.
Overcoming difficulties and challenges, during the 2025-2026 dry season, Team K52 successfully collected 18 remains of fallen soldiers. “The unit has advised the Steering Committee 515 and the Provincial Task Force to continue deploying personnel to maintain information gathering during the rainy season, preparing for search and collection efforts in the following dry season, contributing to the effective achievement of the 500-day campaign goals,” emphasized Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Xuan Toan.
The people will forever remember and be grateful to the martyrs.
Following the bell-ringing ceremony, the delegates laid flowers and offered incense to commemorate the heroic martyrs.
In a solemn and respectful atmosphere, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich emotionally read the eulogy, recalling the arduous years of struggle when the Cambodian people faced the genocide.
At that time, tens of thousands of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts set out to fulfill their noble international duty, fighting alongside the Cambodian revolutionary forces and people to liberate their country, bringing peace and rebirth to millions of people.
In that arduous struggle, many outstanding sons and daughters of the Vietnamese nation bravely sacrificed their lives in foreign lands at a very young age, carrying with them unfulfilled dreams and aspirations.
Their blood has mingled with the forests, rivers, and villages of Cambodia, contributing to the immortal epic of revolutionary heroism, pure internationalism, and the special solidarity between the Vietnamese and Cambodian peoples.
That sacrifice not only brought glory to the Vietnamese nation but also became a beautiful symbol of conscience, justice, and the aspiration for peace of humanity.
The Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee affirmed that although the war is long over, the journey of searching for and collecting the remains of fallen soldiers has never stopped. This is not only a particularly important political task but also a command from the heart, demonstrating the responsibility and moral principle of "drinking water, remembering the source" of the nation.
Each remains of a fallen soldier found represents a homecoming after decades of longing; a sacred reunion between sons and daughters of the nation; and a great source of comfort for their relatives, comrades, and the entire country.
“Before the spirits of the martyrs, we pledge to continue to uphold the tradition of patriotism and the strength of national unity; to build Gia Lai province into an increasingly prosperous and civilized homeland; and to contribute together with the whole country to building a strong, prosperous, and happy Vietnam.”
"We pledge to preserve, nurture, and further develop the friendship, solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Cambodia, so that the values that you have dedicated your entire lives to will forever be preserved and shine brightly," the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized.
Representing the Task Force of the three northeastern provinces of Cambodia, Mr. Sor Soputra - Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Cambodian People's Party, Chairman of the Cambodian People's Party of Stung Treng Province, and Governor of Stung Treng Province - expressed profound gratitude to the heroic martyrs of the Vietnamese volunteer army and experts who selflessly sacrificed their lives and blood for peace, independence, and the rebirth of Cambodia.
Mr. Sor Soputra affirmed: “We have always recognized that it was the heroic martyrs of the Vietnamese volunteer army and experts, who selflessly sacrificed their blood and lives, who brought peace and opportunities for the revival of Cambodia and its people from the brutal genocidal Pol Pot regime.”
During that difficult and arduous time, thousands of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers, officers, and experts stood shoulder to shoulder with the Cambodian revolutionary forces and people, bravely fighting to defeat the Pol Pot genocidal regime.
According to Mr. Sor Soputra, the memorial and burial ceremony for the martyrs is not only an occasion to remember and express gratitude for the great contributions of those who fell for peace and friendship between the two nations, but also demonstrates the determination of the governments and people of both countries to continue to preserve, cultivate, and promote solidarity, friendship, and cooperation for mutual development.
This is also an opportunity to educate the younger generation of both countries about the moral principles of "Remembering the source when drinking water," "Remembering the planter when eating fruit," and "A good friend is someone who helps each other in times of trouble."
To the tune of "The Soul of the Fallen Soldiers," the remains of 18 martyrs were solemnly interred alongside their comrades. Following the ceremonies, delegates and a large number of people respectfully offered incense at each grave, remembering and expressing profound gratitude to the outstanding sons and daughters of the nation who bravely sacrificed their lives for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland and for noble international duties.
Here are some photos from the ceremony:
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/khuc-tri-an-noi-dat-me-post589736.html
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