DEMONSTRATION BY PRISONERS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27150, 21 September 1953, Page 9

DEMONSTRATION BY PRISONERS

ENEMY OBSERVERS STONED

PANMUNJON, September 18. North Korean and Chinese prisoners refusing repatriation this afternoon staged their biggest and noisiest antiCommunist demonstration yet and stoned some Communist observers. This followed the hand-over in the morning of 1000 prisoners, which was one of the quietest yet. This afternoon 8000 men set their five-acre caffip echoing with cheers for the new arrivals and curses for the Communist observers. Jeeps carrying Russian observers were forced to travel at their highest speed on the hill road below the camp to avoid the stones being hurled at them. Six North Koreans, whom the Indians handed over to the Communists today, were greeted by senior North Korean and Chinese army officers. Their answers to questions translated for correspondents included a tirade against “American imperialism and the Syngman Rhee clique.’* One former prisoner alleged that he had been forcibly tattooed by other prisoners with the knowledge of the American guards. The Communists announced today that 10 or more prisoners of war who had refused repatriation had changed their minds and would be returned to the United Nations Command at Panmunjon tomorrow. Their nationalities were not announced.