‘Vietnamese Need Help’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31345, 15 April 1967, Page 2

‘Vietnamese Need Help’

The peasants of t South Vietnam met “ by Mr J. M. Ardagh, a t Christchurch surgeon, v during a five week ’ journey through the # country last year, a “hate and loathe the 1 Viet Cong” who were t an “utterly inhumane t enemy.” , “I have seen the punish- J meats administered by the j Viet Cong if the peasants j don't pay their rice tax, or M they pass on information , to the allies,” he said in opening the annual meeting . of the New Zealand Save The Children Fund yesterday. . "A village head man’s four-year-old son’s fingers cut off, another’s nostrils splat, and , another with his abdomen cut •pen-all because the rice tax , hadn’t been paid,” he said. Mr Ardagh went to Viet- ' nam at the request of the < New Zealand Army to “work out a plan for treatment of wounded soldiers.” “I was not then greatly worried about the civilian side. I had a vague feeling that this waa rather an unjust war, but when in South Vietnam my feelings changed. “Because I felt I could only carry out my task by being in the field I joined an Ameri- < can infantry unit and moved with them through the countryside.” “I am not i politician. Through talking to the villagers I came to consider them a very likeable, very worthwhile people. I’ve been in Asia several times, but to me the Vietnamese peasant has something a bit more than other Asians,” he said. The Vietnamese peasant had two motivations in life—his family and bis land. He had proved he would fight and die for his land, and New Zealand’s custom of “getting rid" of elderly relatives to be looked after in hospitals and homes would be considered “barbaric” in Vietnam. “They look after their famines from birth to death. The oldest child must always care for his parents until they die. If a son or member of the family is wounded they will move heaven and earth to get into hospital and look after him. Often if a son is not too badly wounded he will want to give up his bed to his father.” “This can make hospitals chaotic by our standards, but I found it heartening.” The peasants wjp rela-|

tively industrious, honest, and, if waiter was plentiful, dean.

Mr Ardagh was “vastly taken” with the children who were cooperative and trustworthy.

“They are more adult than our children. They have been subjected to this war all their lives and know suffering and the bad things of life.

“The dentist travelling with us set up a clinic in each village and the children were so used to pain there was no thought of giving any anesthetic for a tooth extraction,” Mr Ardagh said.

“To see these children accept pain as a way of life , made me realise there are ’ indeed two classes of children—fortunate and unfortunate. But these children don’t ’ think they are unfortunate.

Sickness was rife in the countryside. Many babies did not survive and Mr Ardagh saw “doddering old men of 39.”

“Every one gets infective ’ hepatitis,” he said. “If the ; children survive that they get the whole gambit of dysen- , teries which are often fatal. ' This could be obviated with ' proper hygiene.

“They have a smallpox epidemic every four years, as well as typhoid, diphtheria, and a little leprosy. Few children reach adulthood and then their life expectancy is very limited.”

New Zealand could do a tremendous amount to help in South Vietnam. “Great experts” were not needed, but men trained in sanitation who could help the peasants obtain "decent water supplies." Innoculation programmes were also badly needed. Malarial teams were working, but whenever they entered an “unsecured" area the team members were kidnapped and the material taken by the Viet Cong.

“We can only help in areas which are secure,” be said.

“The children of South Vietnam are very worthwhile and deserve your help. If we give help we won’t suffer in the long run,” he concluded.