Final tributes to ex-PM Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng

(VNS, May 7, 2000)

(Final respects: Party and State leaders and veteran revolutionaries pay their final respects to Pham Van Dong. (VNA/VNS Photo))

Hanoi. Party General Secretary Leâ Khaû Phieâu and President Traàn Ñöùc Löông on Friday led the nation in paying final tributes to former prime minister Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng, one of the founders of the young republic of Vietnam.

Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng, 94, died of illness in Hanoi last week.

Phieâu led a delegation of the Party Central Committee to the funeral hall at No.5 Traàn Thaùnh Toâng where the coffin of the late leader lies in state with his wife Phaïm Thò Cuùc and other family members keeping vigil.

The Party General Secretary summed up the great contributions of the former prime minister covering 75 years of tireless revolutionary activity for Vietnam.

He expressed "profound and great sorrow over the loss of Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng, one of the most excellent and closest disciples of President Ho Chí Minh, a staunch Communist, a highly esteemed Party and State leader, a great culturalist and a talented diplomat."

Next to pay tributes were President Traàn Ñöùc Löông, Vice President Nguyeãn Thò Bình, advisors to the Party Central Committee Ñoã Möôøi, Leâ Ñöùc Anh and Voõ Vaên Kieät.

Delegations of the National Assembly, the State, the Government and the Vieät Nam Fatherland Front were led respectively by NA Chairman Noâng Ñöùc Maïnh; President Traàn Ñöùc Löông; Prime Minister Phan Vaên Khaûi; and VFF President Phaïm Theá Duyeät.

Following them were delegations from Haø Noäi, from Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng’s native place in Moä Ñöùc District and officials of Quaûng Ngaõi Province.

Close friends of the late leader paying final tributes included General Vo Nguyen Giap and family members of the late Party general secretaries Leâ Duaån and Tröôøng Chinh.

Sixty-five delegations from international organisations, foreign governments foreign embassies in Hanoi have also paid tributes to the late Vietnamese leader. These include delegations from the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee headed by Politburo member Osakane Thammatheva; a delegation from the Cuban Communist Party Central Committee headed by the director of Ideology Commission, Rolando Alfonso Borges; and a delegation from the Japan’s Defence Agency headed by Director General Sotomu Kaoara.

Thoong Vinh, wife of the late LPRP general secretary and Lao prime minister Kaysone Phonvihane flew in to Haø Noäi and paid floral tributes to the late Vietnamese leader, while incumbent president of both the LPRP and Laos People’s Democratic Republic, Khamtay Siphandone, sent a wreath to the funeral of Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng.

Meanwhile, memorial services for former Prime Minister Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng have been held at all the Vietnamese embassies on foreign soil.

Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan led a Party and Government delegation to the Vietnamese embassy in Beijing and placed two wreaths sent by President Jiang Zemin and Prime Minister Zhu Rongji.

Tang hailed former Prime Minister Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng as a veteran Vietnamese revolutionary who had made great contributions to national liberation and socialist development, and said his death was a great loss to the Vietnamese Party and people.

He said the late Vietnamese leader had visited China many times and made tireless efforts in promoting friendship between the two countries.

President of the Laos National Assembly, Samane Vijyaket, said former Prime Minister Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng was a close friend of the Lao people and had contributed much to consolidating and promoting special ties of friendship and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries.

Lao Prime Minister Sisavat Keobounphanh said Ñoàng’s death was a great loss to people of both Vietnam and Laos.

They made the remarks in the Visitors’ Book after paying final tributes to former Prime Minister Ñoàng at the Vietnamese embassy in Vientiane.

Cambodian dignitaries paying tributes to the late Vietnamese leader at the Vietnamese embassy in Phnom Penh included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Cambodian Royal Palace, Kon Som Ol, who placed a wreath on behalf of King Norodom Sihanouk; and Honorary President of the Cambodian People’s Party, Heng Samrin.

Between 7am and 5pm on Friday, more than 300 delegations from the Party, State and Government offices at the central level and those from foreign governments and diplomatic missions in Hanoi paid final tributes to the departed leader.

The whole nation went into a two-day mourning with the national flag flying at half mast in front of Government offices and public places and all entertainment activities closed until late this afternoon.

Memorial services will begin at the funeral hall at 8 am this morning and the former prime minister will be buried with full State honors at the Mai Dòch Cemetery, 10km west of Hanoi, later this afternoon.

The memorial and burial services are to be broadcast live by both Vietnam Television and Radio Voice of Vietnam, according to the Funeral Committee.

Portrait of a great leader: Comrade Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng left behind a strong legacy

(VNS, May 8, 2000)

A key Party and State leader, former Prime Minister Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng was also a great man of culture. He had a great sentiment and understanding with Vietnamese artists and writers. His writings and speeches about Vietnamese land and people, culture, arts, literature and renovation are highly valued and used as a guideline by all arts and literature lovers.

In the introduction to his new film about former Prime Minister Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng, producer Ñaøo Troïng Khaùnh said he is second only to President Ho Chí Minh in the amount of documents and pictures available about his life and career. Khaùnh says his organisation, the Central Scientific Document Film Studio, just made a 33-minute film about the leader. "There remain plenty of things to be said about a splendid man, a great personality and one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met in my whole life," Khaùnh said.

The following is his story about former PM Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng published in Tuoåi Treû (Youth) newspaper before it was known the former PM had died on April 29, 2000 at the age of 94.

All pictures and documents, especially those taken during PM Ñoàng’s participation at the Fontainebleau conference (in France in 1946) as a member of the Vietnamese Government delegation, show that he was handsome and eloquent with bright eyes and quintessential manners.

He was also a sportsman. Ñoàng once told us that he and poet Leâ Ñaïi Thanh used to play in the school soccer team when he was studying at Böôûi Public Secondary School (now Haø Noäi’s Chu Vaên An Senior High School). He played centre-forward and could kick the ball well with both feet.

Being a sports fan, Ñoàng does physical exercise every day. For that reason, he still looks healthy with a very perceptive mind. One of my most beautiful films was of him.

Being very interested in Chaêm towers, Ñoàng always visited them whenever he returned to his native place in Quaûng Ngaõi Province. In one of those visits, he looked up at the moss-covered towers standing set amid a blue sky; his hair was white and so was the cloud above his head. He said as if to himself: "With a man who for all his life has worked like me, the best wish is to return home and be like that white cloud".

A kind heart

I can perceive the gentle and humane affections from that benevolent man. When he was young, he married "Miss Cuùc" - Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng always called his wife by that name. He took his wife along when the (CPV) Central Committee and Government instructed him to move to Zone 5 (southern Central Vieät Nam) to lead the resistance war in 1947.

There, he spent five hard years in the struggle against the French colonialists. In 1952, he was moved to Viet Bac (northern zone) where his son, Sôn Döông, was born (the latter was named after his birth place, Sôn Döông in Tuyeân Quang Province).

Because of many natural adversities and a lack of medicine, "Miss Cuùc" fell ill, contracting an incurable mental disease. For nearly 50 years Ñoàng had to raise his son by himself and take care of his sick wife who has forever remained his "Miss Cuùc".

Ñoàng is always kind and benevolent to his subordinates and friends, especially intellectuals and artists. Seeing writer Nguyeân Hoàng struggling with his dilapidated minibike, he asked his secretary to buy him a new bicycle. In the late 1950s, the musician Van Cao contracted a stomach ulcer during his journey in Ñieän Bieân; the Prime Minister sent a plane to bring him back to Hanoi for treatment. The surgery cured the great artist.

PM Ñoàng was a good friend of Olaf Palme, two times prime minister of Sweden (1969-1976 and 1982-1986) and his wife. He really loved them and cried enormously when he heard that Olaf was assassinated in 1986.

He also told me about many appeals against court decisions and petitions against injustice that he had helped to settle as well as those he had failed to help because he was too busy. All this has consolidated my confidence in mankind and once again I can better understand the meaning of benevolence.

The PM with a record for long tenure

PM Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng has contributed a large part to the making of Vietnam’s modern history. He belongs to history and history will appraise the work and personality of this long-governing prime minister. For an ordinary man like me, I can only say any truthful communist must be like PM Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng, for he is a communist and also a man of culture.

PM Ñoàng is also fond of classical music and he loves to listen to Beethoven and Bach on the old phonograph his son gave to him. He knows the Bible very well, and he also knows the verses written by Poet Traàn Ñaêng Khoa for children. "I’m attached to anything that belongs to man," he confided.

After the Sixth Congress of the Party - the Congress of Ñoåi Môùi (Renovation), as it is commonly known - PM Ñoàng resigned, voluntarily relinquishing his post to a new generation (of leaders) . But he kept track of the social evolution.

He must have been unhappy for himself but happy for future generations when expressing those words. He was premier for more than 30 years but he was always concerned about paying the staff and workers properly so that they could sustain their lives with the honest salary they received.

That communist doesn’t have any personal assets. He lives alone in a small room at the Presidential Palace. The room is furnished for him by the Party Central Committee’s Board of Finance Management but all furniture will be returned (to the Board) in the near future.

And the meals served to him are so frugal, with sweet potato his favourite food (he eats sweet potatoes even at his birthday party). That’s the way Comrade Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng lives, so simple as was the way of Uncle Hoà, in the eyes of their people.

Nation mourns a great loss

Party leader enumerates contributions to the nation by former PM Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng

(VNS, May 9, 2000)

Hanoi. The passing away of former Prime Minister Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng was a great loss to the Party, State, and people of Vietnam and the bereaved family, said Party General Secretary Leâ Khaû Phieâu.

Delivering an eulogy on Saturday at a State funeral accorded to the departed leader, Phieâu described Ñoàng as an excellent and close disciple of late President Ho Chí Minh, a staunch and exemplary communist, a leader of high stature for the Party, State and people of Vietnam.

Ñoàng, former Politburo member and advisor to the Party Central Committee, was totally loyal to the revolutionary cause of Vietnam, and devoted his whole life to the fight for national independence, socialism, and happiness of the people, Phieâu said.

He said Ñoàng was a great cultural activist of the nation.

The 94-year old Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng had devoted 75 years of his life to the national revolutionary cause, the struggle for national independence and liberation, for the freedom and happiness of the Vietnamese people, and for the Communist ideal, the Party leader noted.

His active and diverse revolutionary life was closely linked to the fierce and glorious struggles of the Vietnamese people, and his deeds have become part of the glorious history of the Party and the nation, Phieâu said.

As an excellent and close disciple of President Ho Chí Minh even during the founding of the Party, Ñoàng had lived and struggled side by side with the late President for 30 years from 1940 to 1969.

Phieâu said that throughout his life, Ñoàng had learned, researched and practiced Ho Chí Minh’s thoughts, lifestyle and ethics, becoming a leader of high stature trusted, adored, and respected by the Party and people of Vietnam and international friends.

As a Party Central Committee member for 41 years, a politburo member for 35 years, a prime minister for 32 years, and advisor to the Party Central Committee for 10 years, Ñoàøng had always proved himself as an outstanding political theorist and cultural activist.

Ñoàng lived close to the people, deeply understood their aspirations and made important contributions to mapping out, clarifying and directing the Vietnamese revolution over the past seven decades, Phieâu said.

Being a key leader of the Party during its many stages of development, Ñoàng throughout his life paid attention to ensuring the leading and vanguard role of the Party, maintaining Party unity, strengthening the relationship between the Party and the people, and improving the knowledge and character of Party officials and members.

Ñoàng always stressed the responsibility of officials, frankly pointed out and criticized expressions of ethical degeneration, and wholeheartedly supported the training of younger generation.

As the head of the Government and the law enforcement system, Ñoàøng was always keen to conduct studies and review lessons from the past towards creating and developing an administration of the people, by the people, for the people, and to build an advanced socialist society characterised by the national identity of Vietnam, Phieâu said.

Ñoàng was also a talented diplomat with a great vision, a subtle and flexible, creative and quick mind. He always reflected a clear-sighted and advanced political viewpoint.

As an economic leader, Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng strictly required himself and other people to work effectively with high productivity, quality and thrift.

He devoted much energy to the development of the nation’s education system, taking care of schools, teachers, and generations of students and pupils, Phieâu said.

The Party leader spoke highly of Ñoàng’s great contributions to national culture, and his concern for scientists and artists. Ñoàng himself was a well-known author, Phieâu noted.

The Party leader concluded the eulogy by pledging that the entire Party, people, and armed forces will continue the work for the revolutionary cause, maintain independence and freedom and successfully carry out the national renovation process toward the goals of a prosperous nation with a just and civilized society. Ñoàng’s only son also made a brief speech thanking the Party, State and Fatherland Front leaders, relatives, people across the country, visiting delegations and local and foreign doctors and nurses for their concern and sympathy.

Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng died of a long serious illness on April 29 in the capital at the age of 94.

Over 700 delegations including tens of thousands of Party cadres and members, soldiers, and people from all walks of life paid their tributes to him last Friday. Leaders of foreign countries, communist parties, and international organisations have sent condolence messages to the Party and State of Vietnam and the bereaved family.

Prominent among those present at the funeral were Party advisors Ñoã Möôøi, Leâ Ñöùc Anh, and Voõ Vaên Kieät, former Party advisor Voõ Chí Coâng, President Traàn Ñöùc Löông, Prime Minister Phan Vaên Khaûi, National Assembly Chairman Noâng Ñöùc Maïnh, President of the Vieät Nam Fatherland Front Presidium Phaïm Theá Duyeät, and General Voõ Nguyeân Giaùp.

Delegations from the Parties and States of Laos and Cuba attended the funeral and burial services. Tens of thousands of people gathered along both sides of the streets of Leâ Thaùnh Toâng, Traøng Tieàn, Traøng Thi, Ñieän Bieân Phuû, Traàn Phuù, Chu Vaên An, Nguyeãn Thaùi Hoïc, Kim Maõ, and Caàu Giaáy to pay farewell as the cortege carrying the beloved leader proceeded to his final resting place at the Mai Dòch Cemetery, west of Hanoi.

The burial service took place at 9.40am on Saturday morning. On the same day, a memorial service was held in Ñoàng’s native province of Quaûng Ngaõi, HCM City and other localities. Vietnamese embassies abroad also held memorial services for Ñoàng over the past few days.

Parties, leaders convey sympathies

(VNS, May 9, 2000)

Hanoi. Foreign parties and party leaders have sent messages of condolences to General Secretary Leâ Khaû Phieâu and the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee over the death of former Prime Minister Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng.

The message from the People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, the Government and the National Construction Front and nationalities of Laos reads: "Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng was a great and close friend of the Lao people. He made important contributions to fostering and developing friendly ties, fraternal solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between Laos and Vietnam."

"The people of Laos have lost a trustworthy friend," said the message.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of China, Jiang Zemin said: "Comrade Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng was a veteran revolutionary of Vietnam, and an old and close friend of the Chinese people. He made outstanding contributions to the cause of national liberation and socialist construction in Vietnam and exerted valuable efforts to foster Sino-Vietnamese friendship."

Premier of the State Council of China Zhu Rongji, in his message of condolence to Prime Minister Phan Vaên Khaûi, said: "Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng was a veteran leader of Vietnam and an old and close friend of the Chinese people. He devoted all his life to the cause of national liberation and socialist construction in Vietnam, and made tireless efforts for the fine development of China-Vietnam relationship."

Said First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee, Fidel Castro: "We would like to share the grief with the Vietnamese people and console ourselves with the thought that people like Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng will live forever in our minds. Ñoàng’s bright example will continue to lead us on the way ahead."

President of the Cambodia People’s Party and Chairman of the Upper House Chea Sim expressed the "deepest sympathy over the death of Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng," saying the Upper House of Cambodia highly valued the friendship and solidarity Ñoàng had extended to the Cambodian people.

The Communist Party of France noted that "as a statesman, Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng played a leading role in building the State of Vietnam into one that is recognised and respected by the international community."

In Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng’s death, "we have lost a person whose life was closely linked to the nation’s valuable history," the message says.

Chairman of the Communist Party of Japan Central Committee’s Presidium, Tetsuzo Fuwa, said in his message of condolence: "We will always bear in mind our meetings with Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng, especially in his capacity as prime minister during our visit to Vietnam in 1984."

The message from the Secretariat of the Communist Party of Portugal Central Committee says: "Recalling Phaïm Vaên Ñoàng’s contributions to the cause of freedom and socialism as well as his great contribution to the historical victories of the Vietnamese people over colonialism and imperialism, we convey to you the sincere condolences and feelings of fraternal solidarity from Portuguese communists."