(VOVworld) – More than 1,500 former soldiers, who were detained in Phu Quoc island prison, have met in Phu Quoc island to mark 40 years since they were freed from the prison and to commemorate the fallen soldiers.
The event was co-organized by Kien Giang provincial authorities and the Vietnam Liaison Committee for Former Prisoners of War. Since 1967 to 1973, Phu Quoc prison sometimes detained nearly 40,000 revolutionaries.

A section of the Phu Quoc prison historical relic site

Over 4,000 revolutionaries died in Phu Quoc prison. President Truong Tan Sang, a former Phu Quoc prisoner, spoke at the event." I’m moved to attend this ceremony. It reminds me of the time 40 years ago when we brothers lived in misery. The prison warders and military policemen were always ready to torture prisoners. We were all about 20-years old. But under the leadership of the Party cells in each section of the prison, we remained united and were prepared to fight fearlessly, and were ready to face death."

President Sang asked the localities to care for the war veterans, especially older veterans and those suffering from war wounds. The same day, Mr. Sang cut the ribbon to inaugurate the first section of the Phu Quoc prison historical relic site.