Buddhists In Hue Still Defy Ky

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31069, 26 May 1966, Page 13

Buddhists In Hue Still Defy Ky

i.X.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

SAIGON, May 25. Buddhists today continued their defiance of Premier Nguyen Cao Ky’s regime in the old imperial capital city of Hue, but there were signs of cracks in the die-hard resistance front, according to reports here, quoted by the Associated Press.

Defence Ministry sources said Brigadier-General Pham Xuan Nhuan, commander of the rebel Ist Vietnamese division in Hue, cabled that he was resuming allegiance to Premier Ky.

It was not clear whether Nhuan spoke for his several thousand troops, but some reports spoke of the soldiers changing sides, the Associated Press said.

Five thousand Buddhists gathered at a pagoda for an anti-Government, anti-Ameri-can demonstration, said the reports.

Victorious in Da Nang, Premier Ky’s government pledged yesterday to restore order elsewhere in the mutinous northern provinces because “a country that harbours open rebellion cannot survive.”

Buddhist-led struggle committees still manned barricades in Hue and the city’s

radio beamed out anti-Govern-ment propaganda. In Saigon, a company of riot police today dispersed a band of about 200 anti-Gov-ernment students with bursts of gunfire and tear-gas grenades, the Associated Press said. The students had just left the University of Saigon pharmacy building when the riot police moved in behind them.

Squatting behind wicker riot shields, the police suddenly fired into the air. There were no known -casualties. The students and onlookers

immediately began to flee for cover. The rtudents carried banners condemning the Government of Premier Ky and the United States for incidents in Da Nang. The elected chairman of the Unified Buddhist Church in South Vietnam said today he had ordered his followers to end their demonstrations against the Saigon Government, United Press International reported. The leader, Tam Chau, said he had instructed South Viet-

namese Buddhists to end their hunger strikes, put aside any plans for fiery suicides and stop their street demonstrations.