HÀ NỘI  — The Communist Party of Việt Nam  Central Committee, the National Assembly, the President, the Government and the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front have issued a special communiqué, announcing that former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Đỗ Mười passed away at 23:12 on October 1, 2018, and his funeral will be held as a national mourning.

Comrade Đỗ Mười was born on February 2, 1917, in Đông Mỹ Commune, Thanh Trì District, Hà Nội;

He resided at No.11, Phạm Đình Hổ Street, Phạm Đình Hổ Ward, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hà Nội.

He started participating in revolutionary activities in 1936 and joined the Communist Party of Việt Nam in June 1939. He was alternate member of the Party Central Committee of the 2nd tenure; member of the Party Central Committee of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th tenures; alternate Politburo member of the Party Central Committee of the 4th tenure; Politburo member of the Party Central Committee of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th tenures; Permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat of the 6th tenure; Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now Prime Minister) from June 1988 to June 1991; General Secretary of the Party Central Committee from June 1991 to December 1997; Adviser of the Party Central Committee from 1997 to 2000; and Deputy to the National Assembly of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th tenures.

After a period of illness, despite the wholehearted care by the Party, State, medical group and his family, he passed away at 23:12 on October 1, 2018, of serious illness and old age at the Military Central Hospital 108 in Hà Nội.

During more than 80 years joining revolutionary activities, comrade Đỗ Mười made great contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation. He had been awarded with a Gold Star Order, an insignia of 80-year Party membership, and many other noble orders and medals.

His passing away is a great loss to the Party, State and people, the communiqué says.

In memory of comrade Đỗ Mười, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the President of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the Government of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, and the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front decided to hold the funeral of comrade Đỗ Mười with national mourning etiquette.

The funeral board for comrade Đỗ Mười, former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and former Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now Prime Minister) of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, former Advisor of the Party Central Committee, consists of 39 members. Among them are Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng, head of the board; Politburo Member and Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc; and Politburo Member and Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân; and other Politburo members and Party Central Committee members.

He will be laid in state at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Trần Thánh Tông Street, Hà Nội.

The respect-paying ceremony will start at 7am on October 6 at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Trần Thánh Tông Street, Hà Nội and run until 7:30am on October 7.

The memorial service will be held at 9:00am on October 7 at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Trần Thánh Tông Street, Hà Nội. The burial ceremony will take place from 1:00pm on the same day in his native land in Đông Mỹ Commune, Thanh Trì District, Hà Nội.

At the same time, the respect-paying and memorial ceremonies for comrade Đỗ Mười will also be held at the Thống Nhất (Reunification) Hall in HCM City.

The Việt Nam Television (VTV) and Radio the Voice of Việt Nam (VOV) will broadcast live the ceremonies in Hà Nội and HCM City.

During the two-day national mourning on October 6-7, national flags will be flown at half-mast at State offices and public places, and recreational and entertainment activities will be halted.

Biography of comrade Đỗ Mười

He was former General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam; former Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now Prime Minister) of the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam; former Adviser of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.

He joined revolutionary activities in 1936 and became a Party member in June 1939.

In 1936, he took part in the Popular Front movement.

In 1937, he joined the friendship organisation of Hòn Gai miners.

In 1938, he returned to his hometown, joined the trade union and campaigned for the Soviet Union support movement. He was admitted to the Indochinese Communist Party (now the Communist Party of Việt Nam) in June 1939.

In 1941, he was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in jail. He served his sentence at Hà Đông and Hoả Lò Prisons in Hà Nội.

In 1945, Japan staged a coup d’etat, he escaped from the prison and continued his revolutionary activities. He participated in the provincial Hà Đông Party Committee’s Uprising Board, overseeing revolutionary campaigns in Ứng Hoà and Mỹ Đức districts and leading the uprising to seize power in the province.

After the August Revolution in 1945, he became Secretary of the Party Committee of Hà Đông Province.

In early 1946, he served as Secretary of the Party Committee of Hà Nam Province. In late 1946, he became Secretary of the provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Administration and Resistance Committee of Nam Định Province.

From 1947 to 1949, he was a member of the regional Party Committee of the Joint Zone III, and served as Secretary of the Party Committee of Ninh Bình Province and Secretary of the Party Committee of Hoà Bình Province.

In 1950, he became Deputy Secretary of the regional Party Committee of the Joint Zone, Vice Chairman of the Administration and Resistance Committee, Political Commissar and Commander of the Joint Zone III.

From 1951 to 1954, he worked as Secretary of the regional Party Committee, Chairman of the Administration and Resistance Committee, and Political Commissar of the High Command of the Red River’s Left Bank Region.

In 1955, he became Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Administration and Resistance Committee of Hải Phòng City. In March 1955, he was elected as alternate member of the Party Central Committee.

In 1956, he was Deputy Minister of Trade.

In 1958, he became Minister of Domestic Trade.

At the 3rd National Party Congress in September 1960, he was elected as member of the Party Central Committee; serving as Minister of Domestic Trade.

From 1967 to 1968, he worked as Chairman of the State Pricing Committee, Head of the Government’s inspection delegation.

From 1969 to 1973, he became Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the State Committee for Capital Construction. In 1973, he worked as Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Construction and vice chairman of the central council for front support and anti-blockage of Hải Phòng port.

At the 4th National Party Congress in December 1976, comrade Đỗ Mười was re-elected as a member of the Party Central Committee, and became an alternate member of the Political Bureau, and worked as Deputy Prime Minister in charge of capital construction, industry and materials, industrial and commercial reform, and distribution.

At the 5th National Party Congress in March 1982, he was re-elected as a member of the Party Central Committee; elected as a member of the Political Bureau; served as Deputy Prime Minister in charge of capital construction, industry and materials.

At the 6th National Party Congress in December 1986, he was re-elected as a member of the Party Central Committee and the Political Bureau; assigned to work as permanent member of the Party Central Committee’s Secretariat.

In June 1988, the National Assembly elected comrade Đỗ Mười as Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now Prime Minister).

At the 7th National Party Congress in June 1991, he was re-elected as a member of the Party Central Committee and the Political Bureau, and held the position of General Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Military Party Committee.

At the 8th National Party Congress in June 1996, he continued to be re-elected as member of the Party Central Committee and the Political Bureau, and held the position of General Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Central Military Party Committee.

In December 1997, at the 4th meeting of the 8th Party Central Committee, he resigned from the position of a member of the Party Central Committee and General Secretary of the Party Central Committee. Comrade Đỗ Mười then acted as Adviser of the Party Central Committee until 2000.

Comrade Đỗ Mười was an alternate member of the 2nd Party Central Committee; member of the Party Central Committee of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th tenures; alternate Politburo member of the 4th Party Central Committee;  Politburo member of the Party Central Committee of the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th tenures; Permanent member of the 6th Party Central Committee’s Secretariat; Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now Prime Minister) from June 1988 to June 1991; General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee from June 1991 to December 1997; Adviser of the Party Central Committee from 1997 to 2000; and Deputy to the National Assembly of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th tenures.

In recognition of his great contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation, he was presented with a Gold Star Order, an insignia of 80-year Party membership, and many other noble orders and medals of Việt Nam and other countries.— VNS