HO CHI MINH CITY: Leaders and residents gathered on October 14 for memorial, funeral and burial ceremonies for 731 martyrs whose remains were recovered at Le Thi Rieng Cultural Park.
The ceremonies were attended by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, former senior government leaders, central government and defence officials, representatives of Military Region 7, and leaders of HCM City and neighbouring localities. Armed forces personnel, Youth Union members, local residents and invited guests also attended.
Officials laid flowers and offered incense at the monument to former Party General Secretary Tran Phu before paying their respects at memorial tablets placed in front of the fallen soldiers’ remains.
Nguyen Manh Cuong, deputy chairman of the HCM City People’s Committee, delivered a eulogy.
“Today, we solemnly hold the memorial service, pay tribute to and lay to rest the remains of 731 martyrs, outstanding sons and daughters of the nation who devoted their youth and laid down their lives for the country, now returning to their motherland.
“From now on, they will rest in peace alongside their comrades-in-arms, embraced by the boundless love of the living.
“With profound respect and deepest gratitude, we pray that the souls of these martyrs, the immortal sons and daughters of the nation, may rest in peace for eternity.
“The Fatherland and the Vietnamese people will forever remember and honour the sacrifices of these fallen heroes.”
Officials, university students and residents then took turns offering incense and placing flowers on the coffins, with some moved to tears.
From June 23 to October 5, the K74 Team and other forces recovered at the Cultural Park the remains of 731 martyrs who lost their lives during the 1968 Tet Offensive and General Uprising. These comprised 698 individual sets of remains and a collective set containing the remains of 33 martyrs.
The remains were then transported to the HCM City Martyrs’ Cemetery in Long Binh Ward for burial.
Phung Thi Thai, a visitor from Hanoi, said she and her husband had arrived in HCM City the previous day and had been waiting since the morning to pay their respects.
“When the convoy carrying their remains passed by, I was so moved that I began to cry. The city has organised this event on a large scale and done a thorough job of informing the public, so people can come and pay their respects.”
Do Xuan Thang, a veteran from HCM City, said: “The search, recovery and identification of fallen soldiers’ remains across the country, including in HCM City, reflects the Party and State’s deep care and respect for the departed.... Today, we are able to see them off, and in the future, their identities may be established. We were deeply moved when the soldiers’ remains were recovered.”
The “500 Days and Nights Campaign to Accelerate the Search, Recovery and Identification of Martyrs’ Remains” will continue, with searches expanding to more areas.
The ceremonies were jointly organised by the Military Region 7 High Command and HCM City’s Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee. — Vietnam News/ANN
