Cambodia unveils grave tower for martyrs of united armed forces

Phnom Penh (VNA) – The Cambodian Ministry of National Defence held a ceremony on April 2 to inaugurate a grave tower in Memot district, Tbong Khmum province, and rebury remains of 49 soldiers of the country’s united armed forces for national salvation there.

The event, chaired by Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen. Tea Banh, was also attended by Minister Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Cambodia Ngo Van Tuat, representatives of Vietnamese military officials and war veterans, and those from embassies and defence attaché agencies of other countries.

The grave tower, built in over five months, is located at the Techo Koh Thmar X16 military historical relic site in Koh Thmar hamlet of Tonlong commune, Memot district.

Addressing the ceremony, Samdech Tea Banh said the building of the grave tower and the reburial of remains of 49 martyrs reflect the respect and gratitude from the Cambodian Government’s leaders to the comrades laying down their lives for the sake of the Fatherland to liberate the country from the genocidal regime.

The move also aims to preserve the undeniable historical remnants about the great devotion to the search for peace for the country, he noted.

On April 1, Gen. Sao Sokha, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Commander of the Royal Gendarmerie of Cambodia, and head of the working group for the repatriation of remains of the united armed forces’ soldiers from Vietnam, hosted a ritual to mark the completion of the grave tower construction.

In late 2022, the remains handover cerecemony was held at the Techo Koh Thmar X16 military historical relic site in the presence of Gen. Sao Sokha and Lt. Gen. Do Can, Vice Chairman of the Genderal Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army.
         
In the fight to liberate Cambodia from the genocidal Pol Pot regime, Hun Sen, now Prime Minister of the country, established the united armed forces for national salvation on May 12, 1978. Among many members of the armed forces dying in the struggle, authorities were unable to find relatives of the 49. Their remains were buried in a martyr cemetery in Dong Nai province of Vietnam./.