Sharing insights on the process of reviewing records and identifying those who sacrificed their lives for the Fatherland, Lê Mậu Quyên, Head of the Labor, Employment, and People with Merit Division under the Department of Home Affairs, noted that Điện Biên currently manages nine martyrs’ cemeteries and one Youth Volunteer cemetery, totaling 7,256 graves. Within this number, only 798 graves possess complete information, and 658 have partial details, while a staggering 5,800 remain unidentified.

These figures reveal that behind every nameless headstone lies an identity yet to be called and a family still waiting for answers. In major cemeteries such as A1, Him Lam, Độc Lập, and Tông Khao, unidentified graves make up the vast majority. This presents a significant challenge to the act of remembrance, as families continue their unfinished journeys to find the exact resting places of their loved ones.

Based on central directives for the “500-day-and-night campaign to accelerate the search, collection, and identification of martyrs’ remains,” the province is implementing various solutions to review and complete grave information. Alongside counting, cross-referencing records, and updating databases at cemeteries, the province is coordinating with specialized agencies to prepare the necessary conditions for biological sampling for DNA testing, following a national roadmap.

From now until July 2027, the work of collecting and supplementing information will focus on graves currently lacking data across local cemeteries. In the subsequent phase leading up to 2030, efforts will expand to include graves with partial information that lack a sufficient basis for identification. This process prioritizes areas with the highest rates of unidentified graves while strictly maintaining the landscape and solemnity of the cemeteries.

Identifying remains through DNA testing is of vital importance but remains highly complex due to missing records, a dwindling number of historical witnesses, and biological samples that have degraded over time. Consequently, every step must be carried out strictly and cautiously, requiring close coordination between functional agencies, local authorities, and the participation of martyrs’ relatives and veterans in providing information.

Efforts to digitize management and connect information between units are being intensified. Some biological samples have already been collected and sent for testing, while the correction of headstone information proceeds step-by-step. Regular communication campaigns continue to mobilize veterans and citizens to contribute data, which serves as a crucial resource for verification.

However, DNA identification remains a high-complexity task requiring synchronized coordination. Many documents have been lost, and historical witnesses are facing declining health and memory. The harsh natural conditions over long periods have caused many remains to decompose, creating significant hurdles for forensic analysis. Every step, from excavation and sampling to storage and analysis, must follow rigorous standards to avoid errors or resource waste, as each sample represents a human life and a waiting family.

Beyond scientific precision, the province pays close attention to spiritual and traditional factors. Appropriate rituals are performed before and after excavations to show respect for the deceased and ensure community consensus. Identifying martyrs’ remains is more than a search for information; it is a journey to return names to those who sacrificed for the country. Every identity confirmed represents a period of waiting brought to an end and a strengthening of the bond between the past and the present.

In this journey, while science serves as the tool, responsibility and gratitude are the true driving forces. With a methodical approach and the involvement of all sectors, the search and identification of remains in Điện Biên are making steady progress. Although the road ahead is fraught with difficulty, the direction is clear, and every step taken helps complete the historical record while deepening the tradition of gratitude in modern life.