Colonel Duong Quoc Long, Deputy Political Commissar of the Dien Bien Provincial Military Command, said all 876 remains samples handed over this time were collected by forces at Doc Lap Martyrs’ Cemetery in Thanh Nua Commune, Dien Bien Province.
The process of sampling, preservation, sealing, dossier preparation and handover was carried out strictly and in accordance with regulations, ensuring scientific rigour and objectivity.
Colonel Duong Quoc Long added that Doc Lap Martyrs’ Cemetery has 2,432 graves, of which 2,042 need to be excavated and sampled. From the morning of July 23, member forces of the Steering Committee for the Search and Identification of Martyrs in Dien Bien Province began excavation and sampling at Doc Lap Martyrs’ Cemetery.
“Due to the cemetery’s long history, together with geological changes and several rounds of renovation, excavation at Doc Lap Martyrs’ Cemetery requires more time and effort. However, with the highest determination, every officer, soldier and member of the sampling force has made efforts to overcome difficulties, driven by the hope of soon finding samples to identify and restore names to the heroic martyrs,” Colonel Duong Quoc Long emphasised.
According to updated information from the excavation and sampling team at Doc Lap Martyrs’ Cemetery, as of the morning of August 14, excavation had been completed at 1,096 graves out of the 2,042 requiring sampling. This means 946 graves remain to be excavated and sampled at Doc Lap Martyrs’ Cemetery.
