After 75 years lying in the mass grave in Muong Cau village, 47 martyrs who sacrificed in the battle with the French army in 1951 have been gathered, commemorated and buried at the Binh Lu Martyrs' Cemetery, Lai Chau province.
On August 10, at the Binh Lu Martyrs' Cemetery, Lai Chau province, a ceremony was held to pay respects, commemorate and bury the remains of martyrs who bravely sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland.
Attending the ceremony were Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong - Member of the Party Central Committee - Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly; leaders of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, Military Region 2, along with leaders of Lai Chau province and a large number of local officials and people.
75 years ago, Lai Chau was a strategic area on the Northwest front line. At the beginning of February 1951, the Party Committee of Phong Tho district coordinated with Battalion 920, Regiment 148, Division 316 to organize forces to protect the resistance base.
In the early morning of February 14, 1951, the French army suddenly raided the area where the Party Committee of Phong Tho district, Battalion 920 and the headquarters of the Administrative Resistance Committee of Binh Lu commune were stationed.
The battle was fierce. 50 officers and soldiers along with local officers and party members fought to their last breath.
After the French army withdrew, local people, regardless of danger, secretly searched and collected the remains of the martyrs for burial.
47 people were buried together in a mass grave in Muong Cau village. Three local officials were buried separately and then repatriated to Lai Chau Provincial Martyrs' Cemetery.
For decades, amidst the fluctuations of war, natural disasters and administrative boundaries, people have silently preserved and burned incense for the tomb.
Implementing the Campaign "500 days and nights to promote the search, repatriation and identification of martyrs' remains", Lai Chau province has organized the search and repatriation of martyrs.
On August 10, after 75 years, they were taken to the Binh Lu Commune Martyrs' Cemetery.
In a solemn atmosphere, delegates offered flowers, incense, and observed a minute of silence to commemorate those who fell.
75 years is a long time, but it cannot erase memories of those who sacrificed.
From the mass grave in Muong Cau village to Binh Lu commune Martyrs' Cemetery, the journey to search for and bring them back is proof of the nation's morality of "Drinking water, remembering the source", "Gratitude".
You have returned to your comrades, to motherland and in the gratitude embrace of the People.
