On July 20, Standing Vice Chairwoman of the Quảng Ngãi Provincial People's Committee Y Ngọc, Head of the Provincial Steering Committee for the Search, Recovery and Identification of Martyrs' Remains, chaired a conference to review the collection of information on martyrs' remains in Đăk Pék Commune.
Standing Vice Chairwoman of the Quảng Ngãi Provincial People's Committee Y Ngọc chairs the conference
As part of the 500-Day Campaign to Accelerate the Search, Recovery and Identification of Martyrs' Remains, Đăk Pék Commune has actively mobilized local agencies, armed forces and socio-political organizations to collect information on martyrs' initial burial sites through public awareness campaigns and witness testimonies.
Đăk Pék Martyrs' Cemetery currently contains 357 graves, including 220 unidentified graves proposed for DNA testing. Between July 13 and 19, authorities exhumed 139 graves and successfully collected DNA samples from 100 graves. The remaining 39 graves no longer contained viable samples for analysis.
59 sets of martyrs' remains have been recovered in the former Đăk Pék Military Sub-zone since 1997. Since 2005, five suspected burial locations have been identified for field surveys. However, no additional remains were found during excavation campaigns conducted between 2022 and 2024.
During the conference, war veterans and witnesses provided additional information, maps and possible burial locations, offering valuable evidence for future verification and search operations.
War veterans and witnesses provide additional information regarding suspected martyrs' burial sites
Addressing the conference, Standing Vice Chairwoman Y Ngọc stressed that the search and identification of martyrs' remains is a task of profound political and humanitarian significance, reflecting the nation's enduring tradition of honoring those who sacrificed for the country.
She expressed appreciation to witnesses and veterans for sharing valuable information despite their advanced age and travel difficulties, noting that their contributions would support further verification and future search efforts.
Standing Vice Chairwoman Y Ngọc speaks at the conference
She also requested the Provincial Military Command to continue reviewing archival records and cross-checking witness information to identify potential search sites, while urging Đăk Pék Commune authorities to strengthen public outreach and encourage local residents to provide additional information.
The commune's Military Command was instructed to promptly review all reported locations and develop effective survey and search plans.
Minh Thiện
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