Militia Dissolves Vietnam Council

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30629, 21 December 1964, Page 13

Militia Dissolves Vietnam Council

(N.Z.P.A.- Reuter —Copyr»oht>

SAIGON, December 20.

Vietnamese military 7 leaders early today dissolved the Vietnam High National Council and made widespread arrests to stem o political crisis.

A broadcast proclamation said the armed forces continued to support the civilian Government of Premier Huong and the Chief of State, Mr Phan Khac Suu.

Those arrested included members of the High National Council, students leaders and lay Buddhist leaders, but not Buddhist monks.

The proclamation was broadcast by the newly-formed Armed Forces Council at dawn today after a night marked by unusual military movements.

The Armed Forces Council, formed to advise on major decisions concerning military matters, was set up on Friday. Its formation had been urged by commanders of key fighting units to exercise some control over the Commander-in-Chief, Lieuten-ant-General Nguyen Khanh.

An official announcement on Friday said the council would be the voice of the armed forces and its aims would include improving discipline and fighting spirit in the Army. The armed forces council was also intended to prevent alleged abuses in the forces by individuals seeking personal prestige.

General Khanh leads the council, but most of its members are commanders of fighting units rather than staff officers.

The purge came on a day that authorities had expected would bring trouble from the Buddhists and the Viet Cong.

It was the fourth anniversary of the founding of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam—the political arm of the Communist guerrillas. Police and the Army had been on alert for some stroke of terrorism to mark the anniversary. The Buddhists planned to dramatise their campaign to topple the Government by a mass rally Some Buddhist sources said a monk might commit suicide by fire. Earlier this month, General Khanh was presented with an ultimatum by a group of generals to either pledge clear support for the Tran

Van Huong Government, or quit his post, Reuter said.

The ultimatum contained a deadline date of December 15 and also contained a proposal under which military officers would be compulsorily retired after 25 years’ service, except by special Government dispensation.

This would have had the effect of removing a number of the old guard generals disliked by the so-called “young Turk” group of officers.

The proclamation said the military respected its August decision to keep power, in civilian hands.

No arrests of high military officers were reported. Observers said the proclamation appeared to have been drafted partly as a means of bringing about the compulsory retirement of about 40 colonels.

The retirement proposals were made by the “young Turk” group of generals but rejected two days ago by the High National Council. Buddhist leaders say the civilian Government is using the same methods as the former Diem regime. In a published letter to President Johnson last Wednesday, the Buddhist leaders said the Government had created a situation of “permanent unrest.”

The Venerable Thich Tam Chau, leader of the Buddhist campaign, had talks yesterday with Mr Suu, in an attempt, it was reported, to find a face-saving comprom-

ise between the monks and the Prime Minister, Mr Huong.

The 17-member High National High Council, charged with mapping the country’s political future, was officially inaugurated on September 26 by the then acting Chief of State, Major-General Duong Van Minh. The council comprised prominent religious and civic personalities, but excluded the armed forces and politicians. The Associated Press said that in carrying out the “purge,” the newly-formed Military Council has clearly emerged as the major force in the South Vietnam Government.

The military communique read over Saigon Radio said: "Special action has been taken because we trust the Prime Minister and Chief of State and we do not the High National Council.” Seven of the nine active members of the council were arrested and paratroopers are looking for another one, A.P. said. Among the council members arrested was South Vietnam’s leading Buddhist layman, Mai Tho Tiryen, appointed Vice-President of the world Buddhist association at a meeting in India last week.