Ky Calm Before Hostile Hearers

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31461, 30 August 1967, Page 15

Ky Calm Before Hostile Hearers

(N.Z. Preu Aeaoctatton—Copyright! HUE, August 29, The South Vietnamese Prime Minister, Air Vice-Marshal Nguyen Cao Ky, braved a city that hates him and calmly faced a hostile audience in his first election appearance with rival candidates yesterday, United Press International reported.

Marshal Ky, who is vicepresidential running mate of the Chief of State, LieutenantGeneral Nguyen Van Thieu, fended off questions and hecklers with aplomb. He forsook his traditional black flying suit for a snappy baby blue suit with cream shoes to appear with 10 other presidential or vicepresidential candidates in the last scheduled campaign rally outside Saigon. Marshal Ky sent in paratroopers to put down Buddhist-inspired riots in Hue and Da Nang in the spring of 1966. There were fears at that time the riots would lead to open civil war. That action left a legacy of bitterness against him in this university city and ancient imperial capital, 400 miles north of Saigon.

Hecklers accused Marshal Ky of calling the militant Buddhist “struggle movement” Communist.

“I have never stated that,” Marshal Ky told the crowd of 5000—a crowd that left little doubt it was opposed to his ticket “Yes you have,” hecklers replied. \ “It is your right to say I said so and it is my right to say I didn’t” Marshal Ky said calmly. He told voters to "apply your opinion in your right to vote” next Sunday. When the candidates walked up a long path to the elaborate speakers’ platform in the yard of a girl’s high school, the crowd left no doubt as to its favourite.

He was a Saigon lawyer, Mr Truong Dinh Dzu, who, of the other 10 candidates, has been the most vocal in criticism of Marshal Ky and General Thieu.

Marshal Ky was reserved and shook hands with nobody. A shout of “down with Ky” punctuated his entrance.