Rebel Montagnards Fight South Vietnamese

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30938, 20 December 1965, Page 17

Rebel Montagnards Fight South Vietnamese

(.\ Z. Preus Association—Copyright) SAIGON, December 19. The political dissatisfaction of mountain tribesmen in South Vietnam's central highlands boiled over into violence last night and today, and bloodshed resulted in some areas, the Associated Press reported.

Reports from the area were sketchy but it was reported that a district chief was killed during fighting at Phu Tien in Phu Bon province. A number of Vietnamese casualties were reported in the bitter fighting with dissident Montagnard tribesmen, who were believed to be in control of Phu Tien, at least up to mid-day today. Negotiations were reported underway with Vietnamese authorities, but their outcome was not immediately known. Fighting was also reported in Quang Due, Darlac and Pleiku. Agreed To Negotiate At Gia Nghia in Quang Due province two battalions of Vietnamese troops moved in and the Montagnards who had earlier stormed into the provincial capital, 100 miles north

of Saigon, gave up and agreed to negotiate. Montagnard warriors, trained as an irregular defence force by American special forces advisers, form the garrison for isolated camps throughout the highlands. Reports indicated that they mutinied at a number of the outposts. Behind the outburst of trouble is a political movement known as F.U.L.R.O.— the French letters for United Force in Struggle in Favour of Oppressed Races. It represents more than 30 mountain tribal groups that for years have been in varied degrees of opposition to the Vietnamese Government

By tradition, the Vietnamese of the lowlands and the tribesmen of the mountains have been enemies.

F.U.L.R.O. in its maximum seeks an autonomous state made up of the area occupied by the tribes. Its minimum demands include calls for more representation in the central government. From time to time there have been serious outbursts of trouble between the factions. Last year Montagnard tribesmen seized camps in the highlands, killed 40 Vietnamese and briefly held several U.S. military men as hostages. There also was violence earlier this year. F.U.LJt.O. is not believed to be associated with the Viet Cong movement, but its centre of activity is one of the resions of Vietnam now hardest pressed by the Communists.