Prime Minister activates gene bank to identify 300,000 martyrs' remains

On the occasion of the 77th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2024), the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs presided over and coordinated with the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Public Security, Nhan Dan Newspaper, Vietnam Television, and the Hanoi People's Committee to organize a conference to honor people with revolutionary contributions in 2024 and launch a gene bank (DNA) for unidentified martyrs and their relatives.

The Prime Minister and leaders of ministries and sectors press the button to activate the gene bank of martyrs and their relatives. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, on behalf of the Party and State leaders, expressed his gratitude and deep appreciation to the families of those who contributed to the revolution.

The Prime Minister expressed that the conference took place in infinite sorrow at the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, an exceptionally outstanding leader of our Party and State, who always paid special attention to the work of caring for and showing gratitude to wounded soldiers, martyrs and people with meritorious services to the revolution.

Every year, July 27th becomes a sacred commemoration day, imbued with the great humanity of the whole country. This is also an occasion for all our people and army to express their remembrance, honor and gratitude for the great contributions of heroic martyrs, wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, martyrs’ families and those who have contributed to the revolution.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the conference. Photo: Van Phuc

The Head of Government said that along with the country's development, the whole country must remember its glorious past, always be aware of gratitude and care for those who sacrificed their blood and bones for the country.

The Prime Minister affirmed that over the past 77 years, preferential policies for people with revolutionary contributions have been continuously researched, revised, supplemented and implemented systematically and seriously. The lives of people with revolutionary contributions and their families have been constantly improved both materially and spiritually.

Up to 99% of households of meritorious people have a standard of living equal to or higher than the general standard of living in the area where they live. This is also a manifestation of the implementation of the policy as General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has repeatedly emphasized "not to sacrifice the environment, society, and social justice for the sake of pure economic development".

Delegates with meritorious services attend the conference. Photo: VGP/Nhat Bac

Pressing the button to activate the gene bank of martyrs and their relatives, the Prime Minister mentioned the goal of soon completing the identification of more than 20,000 martyrs' remains, striving to identify 60% of martyrs in cemeteries.

In fact, there are still about 180,000 martyrs whose remains have not been found nationwide, and 300,000 martyrs whose remains have not been identified in cemeteries. The establishment of a gene bank with about 600,000 samples for identification of both martyrs' remains and their relatives' remains is to determine the identities of the graves of unknown martyrs.

Implementing housing support project for people with revolutionary contributions

Earlier, in his opening speech at the conference, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung said that the Ordinance on preferential treatment for people with revolutionary contributions and guiding documents have promptly institutionalized the Party's viewpoints, policies and guidelines on preferential treatment for people with revolutionary contributions.

The number of meritorious people is increasingly expanding, preferential treatment is increasingly improved, and is closely linked to ensuring fairness and social consensus.

During this historic month of July, the President presented gifts to nearly 1.4 million people with meritorious services and relatives of people with meritorious services to the revolution.

The Government also issued Decree No. 77 regulating the adjustment of the standard level of preferential allowance for people with revolutionary contributions from VND 2.05 million to VND 2.789 million (an increase of 35.7%).

This is the highest increase in the standard adjustment of preferential allowances for people with revolutionary contributions in recent decades, welcomed and supported by public opinion, people with revolutionary contributions and their relatives.

Minister Dao Ngoc Dung presented the results of genetic testing and identification of remains to 10 families of martyrs. Photo: Van Phuc

Regarding housing support for people with revolutionary contributions in the 2013-2020 period, with more than 10,000 billion VND from the central budget, the whole country has supported the construction and repair of houses for 393,707 households with revolutionary contributions.

At the same time, the project to support housing for people with revolutionary contributions until 2025 is being implemented with an expected number of over 162,000 households, with a budget of over 7,000 billion VND...

Conducting standardization of information on martyrs' gravestones, in the past 2 years, 20,000 gravestones that were marked "unknown martyr" have been adjusted. Up to now, the whole country has agreed to record "grave of unidentified martyr" according to regulations.

Over the past 6 years, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has resolved over 7,000 records, including submitting to the Prime Minister for recognition and granting of certificates of merit to over 2,400 martyrs, over 2,700 war invalids, and people enjoying policies like war invalids.

The 2024 conference to honor people with revolutionary contributions was attended by over 400 delegates from all over the country. Of these, 13 delegates were revolutionary veterans, pre-uprising cadres, 6 Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, 36 People's Armed Forces Heroes, Labor Heroes during the resistance war, and more than 200 war invalids.

Among the delegates, there is Mr. Le Quang A, who turns 100 this year, has 80 years of Party membership, from Ha Tinh, a pre-uprising cadre; Heroic Vietnamese Mother Le Thi Thanh (born in 1932, residing in Binh Dinh) who lost her husband, children and sister in two resistance wars.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/thu-tuong-kich-hoat-ngan-hang-gen-xac-dinh-danh-tinh-300-000-hai-cot-liet-si-2304771.html