According to statistics from the Steering Committee for searching, repatriating and identifying martyrs' remains of Dien Bien province (Steering Committee 515), the whole province currently has 4,593 martyrs' graves that have not been identified and are resting at 7 martyrs' cemeteries. And 432 graves have only a part of the information, which needs to be further verified.
Responding to the Campaign "500 days and nights to promote the search, repatriation and identification of martyrs' remains", Mr. Nguyen Van Doat - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of Steering Committee 515 - emphasized that the sampling of martyrs' remains that have not been identified is implemented according to the "6 clear" motto: Clear people, clear tasks, clear responsibilities, clear authority, clear time and clear results.
Dien Bien strives to complete the sampling of biological products for all 4,593 graves of missing information martyrs before April 2027.
Biological samples will directly serve for DNA testing. At the same time, all data will be digitized, updated into the management system and connected to the national database of people with meritorious services, ensuring the storage and matching of information is accurate and scientific.
Dien Bien Provincial Military Command (Standing Agency of the Steering Committee) has coordinated with the Department of Home Affairs, Party committees and authorities of communes and wards and related forces to survey the entire number of graves at martyrs' cemeteries.
In which, at Tuan Giao Cemetery (Tuan Giao commune), functional forces determined the location for 128 martyrs' graves that had not been identified for sampling information. Conditions on human resources, materials, and sampling areas have all been prepared by local authorities and the army, ready for excavation, sampling and sample handover in accordance with regulations.
Colonel Duong Quoc Long - Deputy Political Commissar of Dien Bien Provincial Military Command - said: "Taking DNA samples of martyrs' remains is a task of profound humanitarian significance, reflecting the morality of "When drinking water, remember the source". We are closely coordinating with localities to ensure that the implementation process takes place scientifically, accurately, solemnly and on schedule.
In parallel with taking samples at cemeteries, the search and repatriation of martyrs' remains in hilly areas and old battlefields is still being carried out.
Recently, from information from Mr. Luong Van Tam (grandson of Mr. Luong Van Din - who directly pointed out the location of the martyr's burial), the Provincial Military Command coordinated with the Muong Pon commune government to conduct surveys and verify a location suspected of having a martyr's grave in Muong Pon 1 village.
According to Mr. Tam, after the war, there were about 22 nylon bags containing martyrs' remains buried here.
After the field survey process, comparing information from witnesses, martyr records and verification records at the local level, functional forces determined that the location of the martyr's grave indicated by witnesses from before until now has basically not changed.
Verifying information in Muong Pon commune is an important link in the journey to search for unrecovered martyrs.
