INDO-CHINA (S) PARTISANS OF RELIGIOUS SECT FIGHT COMMUNISM

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26363, 6 March 1951, Page 6

INDO-CHINA (S) PARTISANS OF RELIGIOUS SECT FIGHT COMMUNISM

(By COLIN D. HOWARDS.)

Singapore, February 12.—One of the strongest private armies fighting against the communist-led Viet-minh in Indo-China is that belonging to the religious group called the Cao Daists. They muster over 10,000 armed men. The two other religious-political organisations that maintain strong armies are the Catholic U.M.D.C. (Union Militaire de Defence de Chretienisme—about 10,000 troops) and the Had Haos (7000). I recently spent some time with the Cao Daist partisans in an area about 100 miles north-west of Saigon in Cochin China. My visit was arranged through the Liaison Office which the Cao Daists maintain in Saigon. Although the Cao Daists support the Viet Nam Government against the Vietminh rebels, they have not yet accepted Viet Nam authority over their territory. They insist on running their own part of the country themselves; and do not pay taxes to the central government Their theocratic administration will hand over control of their areas when they are sure that the Viet Nam Government has established a strong, national regime, which can give security to the Cao Daist lands and all the surrounding areas. While the danger of Viet-minh interference exists, the Cao Daists are protecting their own communities* interests, as they have been doing successfully since the Vietminh first started their troublesome activities more than five years ago. Cao Daism was® founded only 25 years ago, but to-day it claims over 1,000,000 followers, mostly in Viet Nam and China. There are also a small number in Europe and the Western Hemisphere. The strongest concentration of Cao Daists (500,000) is in South Viet Nam, where they have established their theocratic society. The first Cao Daist Pope, Le Van Trung, died in 1934. His successor, Pham Cong Tac, who was exiled in Madagascar during World War n, is now ailing and is not expected to survive long. Elements of Four Religions Cao Daism, in its essence, is a synthesis of four religions, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Taoism. It also admits the divine inspiration of the Moslem faith. The Cao Daists believe that Cao Dai (the High One) sent his divine message to the different peoples of the world through different “teachers” at periods of history when man had not established world-wide means of communication. The teachings of these “messengers,” Confucius, Buddha, Christ, and Lao Tse, have in the eyes of the Tao Daists been misinterpreted and abused by man in the process of time. Now Cao Daism has come in the present era to bring man to God through a universal religion born in Viet Nam In 1926.

Cao Daism emphasises the importance of adoration of one God, attention to the teachings of Confucius, Buddha, Christ, and Lao Tse, belief in the existence of the soul, its survival after death, its evolution by successive reincarnations, and the reception of divine instructions by spiritualist mediums. It exhorts its followers to despise honours, riches, and luxuries, to be kind to animals and plants, to fulfil one’s duty to one’s family, to ohe’s society, and to humanity, to devote oneself to the service of one’s neighbours, and to work for human brotherhood.

There are three types of Cao Daist. One. consists of the ecclesiasts or dignitaries. They have to conform to the strictest laws of the religion, not eating flesh or drinking alcohol. The second type are the mediums, who are attached to the temoles because of their peculiar spiritualist faculties. They are not allowed to indulge in suiritualism except in the presence of the dignitaries and then by their invitation after having recited prayers to the one God, The third class of Cao Daists are the ordinary believers, who are only required to follow the morals and rules of Cao Daist behaviour and to pray to God every day. There is a superior degree of believers, however, who are compelled to grow beards and long hair, to keep to a vegetarian diet, to remain celibate, and abstain from liquor and luxury. In other words, they live the lives of monks. The members of the armed forces of Cao Daism are drawt- from the inferior degree of believers. I reaped this when I was welcomed by the Acting Commander-in-Chief of the Cao Daist Army, General Nguyen-van-Thanh. and treated to several classes of champagne before a Viet Names? luncheon of pork, mutton, and fish,

washed down with red wine, follmMl by more champagne. The rmw Commander-in-Chtef of the ftwpH Caodaioues, as the army is o*ll*ll General Tran Quang Vinh, who is ffifsently acting as Minister of National Defence in the Viet Nam Cabinet, He is also the delegate in Saigon el the Cao Daist Pope. General Nguyen-van-Thanh and his staff took their meals at one long table with the rest of their efficm All of them, as far as I could Mb* spoke French, but few could IM stand English. I was therefore Ratified to discover that the DeputaMjhM of Staff, Liuetenant-Colonel Le V«O Tat, could speak a little MM* which was a great help when I get into difficulties. ® K The Colonel explained thet-Ceo Daists do not believe in killing, and only do so in self-denfece. When they take prisoners, they try to re-edqeste them and then set them free. He estimated that only about 10 per eent of those released returned to fight again with the Viet-minh. Twenty who went back to Vlet-teinh territory after a re-education course proclaiming that they would never again fight against the Cao Deists or the GotMo* ment were executed by the Communists, The Cao Daist Army compguej about 10,000 men at the moment It recruits about 300 new soMlerb,« month for training. Colonel Le van Tat told me that they were willing to mobiliae 20,000 to fight against Ttha Viet-minh but that the Viet Nam eminent had not come forward wim any money, equipment or training facilities to help them. (Perhaps ithis has something to do with the refusal of the Cao Daists to pay taxes.) The pay of the Cao Daist soldier is spodt 150 piastres a month. Soldiers with wives and children are given a »P**“ allowance and can have their families living with them in camp. Cao Daist youths are called up£wj> five years* military service when wey reach the age of 18. Before that they have to serve in the workshops WPplying the Army or in the fields. Jswdiets also work on the land to SWPv the forces with food and also to bring in money to support the Army. It » from the sale of its produce, added to the taxes imposed on the Cao Dam communities, that the Army is able to pay its soldiers and buy their equipment and supplies. When extra moMy is urgently needed to buy suffgg* deductions are made from the soidtsw pay. Propaganda of Truth „L One of the most interesting activities of the Cao Daists is their amiCommunst propaganda. It is about pe most skilfully directed and handtod propaganda 1 have seen in Soutn-w Asia. Its illustrations, in particular; are most effective in exposing COBmunisms’s real intentions in Asia, duplicity, its subservience to Rum* its callous disregard of human life*’® liberties, and its evil purpose. WB» makes Cao Daist propaganda so, mum more powerful in Indo-China is reputation for ethical conduct wnien the Cao Daists have established W* themselves. People believe what tne Cao Daists say and the Cao Daists a« spreading ths truth about the involved in the free world s connic with Communism. . . Perh'.ps the most amazing feature « the Cao Daist’s propaganda secaoa was its printing works. Set up in t mud-thatch hut were a couple rather ancient mechanical prinuw machines. The blocks for the pamphlets, and booklets were n«ns cut out of rubber or wood by yowl boys using knives and chisels. Owe were chiselling and filing me blocks. All were showing great im dustry, enthusiasm, and, what is extreme skill. The reproductions w* near-perfect. It was an. honour being the guw of such people as the Cao Daists. the face of countless difficulties ima dangers, they have maintained , .faith with an inspired discipline • spirit, and are opposing the onsiaua of Communism with both words deeds. On mv departure from Ninh, General Nguyen-van-Thann sented me wl’h the insignia of an on I cer of the Troupes Cao Daiques. | shall treasure that badge.