South Vietnamese Fear Of Communists

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30107, 16 April 1963, Page 12

South Vietnamese Fear Of Communists

(New Zea! and Press Association)

WELLINGTON. April 15

There was a “real fear” in South Vietnam of the Communist threat from North Vietnam. Archbishop Peter Ngn-dinh-Thuc said in Wellington today Now Archbishop of the Vietnam diocese of Hue. he was formerly a fellow student in Rome with Archbishop MeKeefry Metropolitan of New Zealand During a 10-day visit to New Zealand. Archbishop Thue will renew the friendship and strengthen the ties between the people of ?outh Vietnam and New Zealand The Archbishop said North Vietnam was now under the Communist regime and Sou'h Vietnam was a democratic State The diocese of Hue. part of which was under Communist rule was in the central part of Vietnam There were 100.000 Roman Catholics ameng the population of 900.000 in the diocese North and South Vietnam

had a population of 25 million, two million of whom were Christians The Communists had declared there was freedom for all religions in North Vietnam, but insisted that the churches. seminaries and colleges teach the principles of communism he said.

The Archbishop said there was a “real fear” in South Vietnam of the Communist threat from the north South Vietnam was endeavouring to develop its resources to enable it to resist Communist pressure.

New Zealand had helped Vietnam in many ways “without any strings' and he wished to express ‘he gr-tjtude of his country