The Ministry of Public Security will conduct DNA tests on 70 sets of remains that were identified by a supposed psychic who has since been jailed.

Nguyen Van Thuy burning incense when exhuming remains alleged martyrs

The ministry, in coordination with other relevant authorities in the central highlands province of Dak Lak, made an evacuation of these graves at Dak Lak Martyrs’ Cemetery on January 6 and 7.  

In late December 2012, Nguyen Van Thuy, from Bac Ninh Province, in collaboration with representatives from the Bank for Social Policies, started to exhume and make out the remains of 73 alleged martyrs from Ea H’leo District’s Ea H’le Commune from Dak Lak Province. Their work completed last March.

Mostly they found incomplete skeletons.

They found dozens of remains which were precisely identified by name and origin. Five were partially identified, and the rest were labeled anonymous.

Three families brought three sets of remains home for reburial in their home towns, and 70 others were taken to the Dak Lak Martyrs’ Cemetery.

Remains found by the psychic

Last April, the provincial Military Headquarters sent an official document which proposed that the General Department of Politics’ Army Corps 3 provide information about soldiers who were on duty around Bridge 110 near National Highway 14 in Ea H’leo District between 1968 and 1972, where the psychic was operating.

The Army Corps 3 said, “There was no database that could provide details of any army units or battles in the area and there was no information about any martyrs who died in the area.”

Local authorities in Dak Lak Province have decided to inspect into the case after Thuy was accused of faking sets of revolutionary martyr remains in central Quang Tri Province.

They also proposed that the Department of National Devotees, under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids, and Social Affairs, conduct DNA tests on the remains in Quang Tri Province’s Gio Mai Commune. The results showed that the remains were not even human. Souvenirs, including name tombstones, sandals and soldiers’ water bottles had allegedly been forged.