VietNamNet Bridge – Tens of thousands of people in the south and across the country mourned the death last week of veteran revolutionary Tran Van Giau, a leader of the southern resistance against the French Colony, during funeral services in HCM City yesterday, Dec 23.

President Nguyen Minh Triet, other leaders, students and city residents attended the State-level memorial service held at the city hall.

For the service, which will last through tomorrow, the Party Central Committee, National Assembly, President, Government and the Central Fatherland Front Committee sent funeral wreaths to honour the former secretary of the Viet Nam Communist Party's Southern Region and chairman of the South Viet Nam's Resistance Committee.

Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, former Party General Secretaries Do Muoi and Le Kha Phieu, former Presidents Vo Chi Cong, Le Duc Anh and Tran Duc Luong, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong, General Vo Nguyen Giap and other leaders sent wreaths to show respect to the renowned educator and revolutionary, who passed away at 100 years old last Thursday.

The Party Committee, People's Committee and residents from southern Long An, Tien Giang, Hau Giang and Tay Ninh provinces also visited and brought wreaths to attend the services.

In the funeral memorial book, President Nguyen Minh Triet praised the revolutionary as an elite child of Viet Nam's southern region, a talented leader, an erudite scientist, and a faithful Communist Party member. He is a bright example for generations of Vietnamese.

The HCM City's Party Committee, Secretary Le Thanh Hai, who chaired the three-day mourning service, called the professor a great personality and described his death as a big loss for the State, and the country's scientific community.

A statement by Russian General Consul in HCM City Anatoli Vasilievich Borovik said Russia would always remember excellent elite son of the Vietnamese people, Tran Van Giau, who had made important contributions to Russian and had helped to developing relations between the two countries.

Professor Tran Van Giau, who has made great contributions to the country's southern resistance and liberation, is widely known among social science circles for his knowledge.

Born on September 11, 1911 in the southern province of Long An, he was recognised as a Labour Hero and People's Teacher.

He was former secretary of the Viet Nam Communist Party's Southern Region and chairman of the South Viet Nam's Resistance Committee.

When he was 20, he went to France to study. In 1930, he was expelled from France after taking part in a protest in front of the French President's palace to demand the removal of the death penalty for Vietnamese revolutionary soldiers in Viet Nam.

He later joined the Vietnamese revolutionary forces to fight against the French colonialists.

After the August Revolution, he was assigned to several key positions in the State.

He was honorary chairman of the Viet Nam Historical Science Association and chairman of the HCM City Social Science Association.

The teacher of many leading researchers and historians in Viet Nam received many awards and titles, including Ho Chi Minh Order, First-class; Independence Order; Labour Hero; People's Teacher and Ho Chi Minh Award.

The memorial service will be held tomorrow before the burial ceremony, which will take place in his home province's An Luc Long Commune in Chau Thanh District.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News