On the morning of June 9, at Chau Thanh Martyrs' Cemetery (Phu Huu commune), the Steering Committee for searching, repatriating and identifying martyrs' remains (Steering Committee 515) of Dong Thap province organized a ceremony to offer flowers and incense to commemorate heroic martyrs and deploy sample collection and handover of martyrs' remains samples to serve DNA testing for unidentified graves.
Attending the ceremony were Colonel Le Van Viet - Deputy Head of the Political Department of Military Region 9; Major General Tran Minh Trang - Commander of the Military Command of Dong Thap province; Mr. Huynh Minh Tuan - Vice Chairman of Dong Thap Provincial People's Committee and representatives of departments, branches, and related units.
In a solemn atmosphere, delegates offered flowers, incense and observed a minute of silence to commemorate the heroic martyrs who bravely fought and sacrificed for the cause of national liberation, construction and defense of the Fatherland.
Chau Thanh Martyrs' Cemetery was selected as a pilot site for excavating, taking samples and handing over samples of martyrs' remains to comprehensively assess the implementation process, promptly draw experience before deploying synchronously throughout the province, ensuring accuracy, science and efficiency.
Immediately after the memorial ceremony, specialized forces will take DNA samples for martyrs' graves that have not been identified. According to the plan, samples will be taken for 442 martyrs' graves at Chau Thanh Martyrs' Cemetery.
The entire process of excavation, sampling, management, preservation, transportation and handover of martyr remains samples is carried out in a closed manner, in accordance with professional procedures. At the same time, information about graves and remains samples is digitized and updated into the database to serve management, comparison and identity identification in the coming time.
This activity is of particular importance in implementing the "Operation 500 days and nights to promote the search, repatriation and identification of martyrs' remains", contributing to gradually identifying martyrs who lack information, meeting the aspirations of relatives and families of martyrs.
According to the plan for the period from 2026 to July 27, 2027, Dong Thap province strives to complete the sampling and handover of samples for 11,810 martyrs' graves that have not been identified at martyrs' cemeteries in the area, along with newly searched and repatriated martyrs' remains.
In the period from July 2027 to December 2030, the locality will continue to deploy sampling for 9,346 missing martyrs' graves and graves that have some data but have not been identified after applying the verification method.
Taking DNA samples of martyrs' remains is a profound humanitarian gesture, expressing the morality of "When drinking water, remember the source", the gratitude of the Party Committee, government and people to those who sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland.
