The People’s Committee of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province this morning inaugurated the embellishment work of Hang Keo Cemetery in Con Dao District under the witness of Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, Former Vice State President Truong My Hoa and leaders, former leaders of the Provincial Party Committee and People’s Committee, Con Dao ex-prisoners.
The leaders cut the ribbon to inaugurate the embellishment work of Hang Keo Cemetery.
According to the Department of Culture and Sports of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province, Hang Keo Cemetery is one of the two cemeteries built by the French colonists where buried over 10,000 political prisoners in the area of around 97,000 square meters killed by French colonists in Con Dao Prison in the 20th century till the period of white terrorist 1940-1941.
The Prime Minister promulgated Decision No. 548/ QDTTg to recognize Hang Keo Cemetery Monument as the National Special Relic on May 10, 2012. In 2020, the People’s Committee of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Province approved the embellishment of Hang Keo Cemetery with an investment of VND34 billion (nearly US$1.5 million) with a requirement of keeping the construction status and limiting the concrete.
Former Vice State President Truong My Hoa reviews years of indomitable struggle at Con Dao Prison.
Accordingly, the necessary items need investment comprising memorial, ceremony area, yard, sidewalk, internal road, parking lot, solar lighting system, water supply and drainage system, pathways, additional greenswards, planting more Acacia trees and other green trees to create landscape for the cemetery.
The highlight of the Hang Keo Cemetery are the 14 stone sculpture masterpieces with a total investment of more than VND23 billion (nearly US$1 million).
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Deputy Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee of Ba Ria – Vung Tau Tran Van Tuan required the Department of Culture and Sports and the People’s Committee of Con Dao District to strengthen the propaganda of Law on Cultural Heritage for people to know more about the meaning, history and culture values of the relics.
Besides, the Party Committee, authority and people in Con Dao District are required to mutually reserve, effectively manage the special relics in the locality.
