Prime Minister: Developing the country to live up to the aspirations of the people and the sacrifices of the heroes and martyrs.

Photo caption — Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh lays flowers and soil to bury the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts at the Doc Ba Dac Martyrs' Cemetery (Thoi Son ward, An Giang province). *Photo: Duong Giang/TTXVN*

The event, held on the occasion of the 78th anniversary of the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2025), expresses the profound gratitude of the Party, State, and people of Vietnam to the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for national independence and noble international duties. Attending the event were leaders from the Ministry of National Defense , An Giang province, various ministries, central agencies, representatives of the families and comrades of the martyrs, and a large number of people from An Giang province.

The eulogy delivered by the Secretary of the An Giang Provincial Party Committee, Nguyen Tien Hai, stated that from 2001 to the present, with the tireless efforts of the forces, especially Team K93 - the officers and soldiers of the team have overcome countless difficulties and hardships to search for and collect 2,141 remains of martyrs in Cambodia, of which 251 have been identified. Specifically, during the 24th phase, the dry season of 2024-2025, they organized searches at 42 locations and collected 56 remains of martyrs.

After many years, you have returned in peace ; no more gunfire, no more bombs falling, no more bullets flying. You return to the embrace of your comrades and compatriots, amidst the tears and boundless gratitude of the people of An Giang province; affirming that your names, achievements, and sacrifices will forever be etched in the hearts of every Vietnamese person. The sacred homeland and its people will forever remember and cherish your immense contributions.

Holding handfuls of earth to bid farewell to the fallen soldiers so they may rest eternally in the embrace of Mother Earth, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh stated that today, at Doc Ba Dac Cemetery in Thoi Son Ward, An Giang Province, we are commemorating and burying 81 remains of fallen soldiers – outstanding sons and daughters of the nation who bravely sacrificed their lives for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, for noble international duties, and for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world. Of these, 80 remains are being interred, most of which remain unidentified, and one remains is being sent to their relatives for burial in their hometown.

The Prime Minister stated that the memorial service and burial of the heroes and martyrs were held in an atmosphere of nationwide emulation in reorganizing the country; implementing the "four pillars" to concretize the vision and actions of the 13th Party Congress; achieving the two centenary goals set for 2030 and 2045; and looking forward to major national holidays such as the 80th anniversary of the People's Public Security Force; the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2nd…

Our Party and State have no greater goal than to safeguard the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, and to bring an increasingly happy and prosperous life to the people. Therefore, we would rather sacrifice everything than lose our country or become slaves, as President Ho Chi Minh affirmed.

To achieve independence, freedom, and happiness, countless heroes, martyrs, wounded soldiers, and fellow citizens sacrificed their lives and blood. Even today, our country and our people still suffer the consequences of war, with unexploded bombs and the toxic effects of Agent Orange continuing to cause pain and suffering.

Therefore, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hopes that Party committees, the government, the Fatherland Front, political and social organizations, and the people will continue to unite and strive to contribute to the rapid and sustainable development of the country, leading it into a new era – an era of prosperity, beauty, and civilization; worthy of the aspirations of the people and the sacrifices of our heroes, martyrs, comrades, and compatriots.

Immediately after the memorial service and burial of the remains of Vietnamese martyrs and experts who died in the Kingdom of Cambodia, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited, conversed with, and presented gifts to encourage the team searching for and collecting the remains of martyrs from Military Region 9.

The Prime Minister stated that, during the wars of national liberation and international missions, we have more than 1.2 million martyrs, of which more than 300,000 have not had their information fully identified. Nationwide, there are approximately 652,000 wounded soldiers, 198,000 sick soldiers, and more than 132,000 Heroic Vietnamese Mothers. Nationwide, there are more than 300,000 people affected by Agent Orange/dioxin…

The Prime Minister affirmed that our country has never before achieved the strength, potential, position, and international prestige it enjoys today, thanks to the efforts and endeavors of the entire nation, including the contributions and sacrifices of previous generations, those who have fallen. The war is long over, but many remains of martyrs still lie on former battlefields, both domestically and abroad. Countless families still anxiously await information about the graves and remains of their loved ones, hoping to bring them back to their homeland for burial in the embrace of Mother Earth.

The search and repatriation of the remains of fallen soldiers is a matter of particular concern to the Party and State of Vietnam, clearly defined as the responsibility of all levels, sectors, units, localities, and the entire political system. It reflects profound gratitude towards the outstanding sons and daughters who sacrificed their lives, embodying the traditional moral principles of "drinking water, remembering the source" and "repaying kindness." This heavy but glorious and sacred responsibility is entrusted by the Party and State to the National Steering Committee 515, the Ministry of National Defense, local Party committees and authorities, and the search and repatriation forces of the military units.

This is a particularly important and deeply humane undertaking, expressing profound gratitude and appreciation to the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the nation, for noble international duties, and for peace, stability, and development in Southeast Asia.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was moved to learn that, despite having to carry out the task with very limited information about the burial places of martyrs; under conditions where most of the martyrs' graves are located in remote, difficult, and rugged areas with harsh climates, dense forests, poisonous waters, and in some places still containing unexploded bombs and mines; and with changing terrain and landmarks...; however, the officers and soldiers of the search teams have made great efforts and shown determination, overcoming difficulties and challenges to successfully complete the assigned task.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was deeply moved and highly appreciated the efforts and contributions of the officers and soldiers of Military Region 9, including Teams K90, K91, K92, and K93, who, undeterred by hardship and danger, silently waded through streams, climbed mountains, and crossed forests, enduring the sun, conquering the rain, and not succumbing to storms, demonstrating unwavering determination and barefoot effort to successfully complete the sacred mission entrusted by the Party, State, and people. Many collectives and individuals of the teams searching for and collecting the remains of fallen soldiers have been commended by the Party, State, and friendly countries with many prestigious awards.

The achievements demonstrate the affection, responsibility, and dedication of the comrades towards the generations of fathers and brothers who bravely sacrificed themselves. The Prime Minister was deeply moved and impressed to learn that, during the course of their duties, some comrades were wounded, suffered from serious illnesses, and some even sacrificed their lives. But with their deep affection, responsibility, and strong political determination, they always deeply understood their mission, were ready to go anywhere, do any task, overcome all difficulties, hardships, and sacrifices to successfully complete this mission of profound humanitarian significance.

On behalf of the Party and State leaders, the Prime Minister acknowledged and especially appreciated the efforts, determination, and achievements in the search and repatriation of the remains of fallen soldiers by Military Region 9; at the same time, he highly appreciated and warmly commended the efforts and achievements of all officers and soldiers of the search and repatriation teams nationwide – those who tirelessly and silently carry out this noble, compassionate, and arduous work. The Party, State, and people always recognize and cherish the silent but immense contributions of these comrades.

Sharing and expressing deep sympathy with the families of fallen soldiers – those who for years have been burdened with the sorrow and longing for the day they can welcome the remains of their loved ones back to their homeland – the Prime Minister affirmed that the Party and the State will continue to do their utmost, mobilizing the entire political system and society to more effectively carry out the work of searching for, collecting, and identifying fallen soldiers, so that no fallen soldier is forgotten and no family of a fallen soldier has to wait in vain.

To further improve the effectiveness of the search and collection of the remains of fallen soldiers, and to meet the aspirations of their relatives and families in the future, the Prime Minister requested that Party committees, authorities, and the Steering Committee 515 at all levels continue to thoroughly understand the Party and State's guidelines and policies; closely adhere to practical realities; coordinate closely and synchronously in organizing the implementation of tasks; and mobilize maximum resources and the participation of the entire society and the entire political system.

In addition, it is necessary to strengthen propaganda and mobilization efforts among the people, especially veterans and ethnic minorities in former resistance base areas, remote areas, etc., to provide information about the graves of fallen soldiers. At the same time, it is important to enhance the application of technology, connect information, and decode combat unit symbols to assist in identifying the remains and their burial locations.

The Prime Minister requested continued strengthening of international cooperation, especially with the government and people of Cambodia, to facilitate the search and repatriation efforts in Cambodia; and to improve people-to-people diplomacy, mobilizing forces, organizations, and individuals to support, coordinate, and provide information.

The Prime Minister also directed that more attention be paid to the material and spiritual well-being of officers and soldiers carrying out the repatriation mission; ensuring full benefits and policies; promptly commending and rewarding collectives and individuals with high responsibility, concrete effectiveness, and outstanding achievements; and creating motivation for the force to continue steadfastly on this journey of compassion.

To the forces directly involved in the search and collection of the remains of fallen soldiers, the Prime Minister urged them to always uphold a high sense of responsibility, proactively overcome difficulties, and effectively carry out their duties, doing a good job in public relations, propaganda, and gathering information about fallen soldiers and their graves. He also emphasized the importance of strictly implementing military and people-to-people diplomacy when performing duties in foreign countries; participating in movements to help people alleviate poverty and in disaster prevention and control activities both domestically and abroad.

Furthermore, the cooperating units search for and repatriate the remains of soldiers from other countries who went missing in war, demonstrating the humane and compassionate spirit of our country and contributing to alleviating the pain of war; further enhancing and strongly spreading the image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" to the people and international friends.

Emphasizing that the search for and collection of the remains of fallen soldiers is not only a responsibility but also a heartfelt command that motivates those carrying out the task, the Prime Minister hopes and believes that, with the profound humanitarian tradition, the moral principle of "drinking water, remembering the source," "eating the fruit, remembering the tree planter," and "national solidarity and brotherly love," with high determination and the support of the entire Party, people, and army, in the coming time, the forces searching for and collecting the remains of fallen soldiers will continue to uphold their sense of responsibility, draw on their experience, and strive to overcome all difficulties and challenges to excellently fulfill their assigned tasks; contributing to alleviating the pain of war and fulfilling their duty to those who have fallen.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/thu-tuong-phat-trien-dat-nuoc-xung-tam-voi-mong-muon-cua-nhan-dan-va-su-hy-sinh-cua-cac-anh-hung-liet-si-709820.html