Responsibility and gratitude

BDK - The war has ended, but the wounds of war have not yet healed because of the more than 35,000 martyrs who heroically fought and sacrificed in the struggle for national liberation and protection of the Fatherland. The province still has more than 6,000 martyrs whose remains have not been found or where they will be buried to be brought to the martyrs' cemetery. With all responsibility and gratitude, in recent times, the Provincial Steering Committee 515 has coordinated with relevant agencies to actively search, collect and bring the remains of martyrs to be buried in the province's martyrs' cemeteries. The memorial service and reburial of 51 sets of remains at the provincial martyrs' cemetery were recently held solemnly and dignified, demonstrating the moral meaning of "when drinking water, remember its source" of the children of Ben Tre towards the 78th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2025).

Performing the memorial service and burying the remains of martyrs at the provincial martyrs cemetery. Photo: A. Nguyet

Efforts to search and gather

Implementing the Government 's guiding documents on searching and collecting martyrs' remains, over the past years, the Provincial Steering Committee 515 has coordinated with relevant agencies to actively search, collect and bring martyrs' remains to be buried at martyrs' cemeteries in the province. In May and June 2025, the Provincial Steering Committee 515 organized the search, collection and collection of martyrs' remains at temporary cemeteries in Thanh Phu and Giong Trom districts.

Lieutenant Colonel Phan Van Bot - Head of the Policy Department - Political Department of the Provincial Military Command (the standing agency of the Provincial Steering Committee 515) said that during the search process, there were many difficulties such as: the historical witnesses who directly managed the cemetery at that time are no longer there, or there are only a few related witnesses left but they are old and now they are no longer able to remember clearly the burial locations of martyrs. On the other hand, the records, tomb maps... are no longer archived so it is no longer clear when the cemetery was formed, when it was gathered, how many there were, and where the martyrs were buried. During the war, enemy planes sometimes bombed the exact locations of temporary cemeteries, when peace was restored, people renovated and used the land or built martyrs' temples, schools, fiber optic lines... so the terrain has completely changed.

“The search for HCLS cannot be successful without the cooperation of the people. Local people, especially historical witnesses, have been making important contributions by providing information and directions to burial locations, helping the collection work to be more effective. Many localities have actively participated, building a database system, completing martyrs' records, and supporting relatives in searching for graves. Organizations, individuals, and philanthropists have also accompanied, supported with funds and means to serve this work,” said Lieutenant Colonel Phan Van Bot.

The Standing Office coordinated with the Party Committee and the government to continue searching. With the enthusiastic help and support of the locality and the people, the search and collection unit found 51 sets of remains to bring to the provincial martyrs' cemetery for a solemn, dignified and meaningful burial with the full participation of leaders of the Provincial Party Committee, Provincial People's Committee, Provincial Steering Committee 515, provincial, district and local branches and armed forces of the province.

Paying tribute to heroic martyrs

Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee - Head of the Provincial Steering Committee 515 Nguyen Thi Be Muoi emotionally expressed that from today, you ladies and gentlemen have returned to your comrades and teammates at the common home - the Provincial Martyrs' Cemetery. The heroic martyrs here have new teammates. The remains of you, uncles, and aunts, who were brought back, have mostly not yet been identified by name, age, or hometown, but wherever your hometown is, you, uncles, and aunts, are all soldiers who heroically sacrificed for the independence and freedom of your homeland. The blood of the heroic martyrs was shed in every inch of your homeland, coloring the glorious flag of the Fatherland, contributing to writing the glorious history of the nation, of the heroic homeland of Dong Khoi.

“We are extremely grateful to the heroic martyrs who heroically sacrificed for the cause of national liberation and unification, forever keeping the national flag red, for the homeland to be peaceful and happy. The generations of today and tomorrow will forever remember the heroic martyrs' contributions as a source of faith and strength. We will devote all our strength and intelligence to realizing the ambitions of the martyrs during their lifetime, protecting and building the country to be more and more prosperous, so that the peace that the heroic martyrs won will be a peace forever”, said Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Be Muoi - Head of the Provincial Steering Committee 515.

According to Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Be Muoi - Head of the Provincial Steering Committee 515, in the coming time, all levels, sectors, localities, with the core being the armed forces, will continue to promote the search and collection of martyrs' remains to meet the expectations of the martyrs' relatives and the earnest wishes of compatriots and soldiers nationwide, contributing to firmly consolidating the "people's hearts" in the cause of building and defending the socialist Vietnamese Fatherland.

At the provincial martyrs' cemetery, the Provincial 515 Steering Committee solemnly held a memorial service and reburial of the martyrs gathered in Thanh Phu, Giong Trom and Binh Dai districts. Attending were Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee - Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Ho Thi Hoang Yen, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Be Muoi - Head of the Provincial 515 Steering Committee, Colonel Nguyen Van Han - Head of the Policy Department of the Political Department of Military Region 9 - Member of the 515 Steering Committee of Military Region 9, Deputy Director of the Department of Home Affairs Doan Thi Phuc - Deputy Head of the Provincial 515 Steering Committee, Colonel Nguyen Thanh Xuan - Member of the Standing Committee of the Military Party Committee - Deputy Commander, Chief of Staff of the Provincial Military Command.

At the ceremony, delegates respectfully burned incense for heroic martyrs, and the solemn ceremony team performed the reburial ceremony.

A. Nguyet - D. Thach

Source: https://baodongkhoi.vn/trach-nhiem-va-long-tri-an-30062025-a148926.html