Some Relaxation Of Curbs On Buddhists

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30219, 26 August 1963, Page 11

Some Relaxation Of Curbs On Buddhists

r (NZP-A.-Reuter—Copyright) SAIGON, August 25. A South Vietnam Government communique, quoted by the official Vietnam Press Agency, said a number of Buddhist dignitaries would be allowed to return to their pagodas from today. It said the Government and a number of “official representatives of Buddhism” were proceeding towards a “satisfactory settlement of the problems within the sphere of Buddhism on the basis of the joint communique and the spirit of the July 18 appeal of the President of the Republic.” Buddhist dignitaries, including monks and nuns, had visited people under detention, it said.

The communique, issued yesterday, urged citizens to “remain clear-sighted and not to allow subversive elements to exploit them, sow disorder and spread untruthful rumours.”

Most of the teachers arrested in Hue, 400 miles from Saigon, after the proclamation of martial law in South Vietnam have been released and have • resumed their duties, according to the communique.

The communique also said that all the teachers and students were “well treated” during their detention. Only

“a small number” of teachers and students were now in detention at Hue, it said. The military governor of Saigon yesterday eased the overnight curfew in the city centre by two hours. Sources close to the Government said 60 Government troops were killed and 120 wounded in fighting between Catholic and Buddhist soldiers some 50 miles south of Saigon on Thursday. It was the first major clash of its kind reported since the religious crisis began 15 weeks ago. No further details are yet known. In a delayed dispatch from Hue, a Reuter correspondent quoted reports that 30 Buddhists were killed and about 70 wounded in a twohour battle when security forces swooped on pagodas early on Wednesday. But the military governor of the area, BrigadierGeneral Do Cao Tri, said total casualties were only 20 troops and police and 10 Buddhists injured. University students in Saigon violated martial law with demonstrations on Fri-

day in a pro-Buddhist protest. Scores were arrested. Riot police detained three Western journalists who covered one of the more vociferous demonstrations and held them for three hours. Role of Ngo Dinh Nhu President Ngo Dinh Diem has lost most of his power to his brother, Mr Ngo Dinh Nhu, in a virtual palace coup, according to some diplomatic observers in Saigon. Observers said that although President Diem was still in his palace and was still President, he was believed to be virtually powerless.

There were also strong indications of dissension in the armed forces with the likelihood of a real coup d’etat, observers believed. It was believed that some Army generals were unhappy about the handling of the crisis.

It is known that most troops in Saigon are special forces whose main loyalty is

to Mr Nhu, while other units are taking a subsidiary role and being kept out of Saigon. There are also reliable reports of dissatisfaction among top civilian Government officials over the policy of the regime. Mr Nhu, who is known to have anti-American sentiments, is political adviser to President Diem and controls the Can Lao Party. The Government has announced that all Ministries will take orders from the military during the period of martial law. American Killed The United States Army announced that a sergeant had been killed and four other Americans wounded in two separate clashes with the Communist Viet Cong guerrillas on Friday. The sergeant was the fifty-first United States serviceman killed in combat in Vietnam. American advisers said Government military activity virtually halted when martial law went into effect on Wed-

nesday, but was picking up again.

The United States announced in Washington that there was no change in its basic policy of helping South Vietnam carry on its war against the Communists.