Page 9 Advertisements Column 1

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33193, 5 April 1973, Page 9

I Young workers I imprisoned in I South Vietnam ■ For the past 10 months the Young Christian Workers’ Movement in New ' ea and has been seeking information about the unjust imprisonment and ill-treatment of the National Y.C.W. President and four leaders of the National Team in South Vietnam. Since the arrest of these Y.C.W. leaders, young workers in New Zealand have uncovered a web of oppression and injustice by which President Thieu and his administration callously and viciously bolster up their corrupt regime in the name of ‘freedom” and "anti communism.” This policy is enshrined officially as operation Phoenix,” or the "irradication of communist infrastructure.” The policy is in fact used to suppress all opposition to th.e government, and even demes the civil rights of innocent people, as guaranteed bv their const'tution The present number of political and/or conscience prisoners in South Vietnam is about 200.000. Some of these people have been found innocent by the courts of South Vietnam, yet still remain prisoners. All New Zealanders should be actively concerned about this inhuman treatment of thousands cf men, women and children, held in South Vietnamese prisons. New Zealand sent troops to defend the freedom of South Vietnam against communism. Now we should all strive to ensure that the government of South Vietnam uphold that freedom for all their people, by the immediate release of all innocent prisoners. THE FACTS CONCERNING THE DETAINED YCW LEADERS 1/ 5/72 At 2.00 a.m. the five National leaders, Nguven Viet Tuan (National President), Nguven Van Hau, Nguyen Van Ngoa, Doan Khac Xuyen, and Tran Chi Vien and 11 other voung people were arrested, in a house in Saigon. Later that dav the National Chaplain Fr Truong Ba Can went to the police and was told that a boy had admitted to attacking a police station and that his collaborators lived at the YCW house. The innocent would be released immediately. 4/ 5/72 The police said the YCWs had been transferred to Saigon Central Police Station. They refused to give any further information. Daily requests of leaders, parents, lawyers and friends failed to—a) Contacts the YCWs at all: b) Discover what charges, if any, were laid; c) Discover where they were held. 16/ 5/72 Learning from the police that a military court had taken up the c matter, a delegation of eight chaplains requested information of r it. They got nothing. For months after this repeated requests for information were unsuccessful. 18/11/72 Court Martial of the YCWs. All found innocent of the charge g» "Menace to Public Order” in the Court of the front of the 3rd H Zone. They were not released. 26/12/72 AH five deported to Poulo Condor Island. Their health was so bad that some had to be carried on stretchers. H T Epilogue: Soon after, Frs Truong Ba Can, Phan Khac Tu and Vu Xuan Hieu H j — YCW chaplains — and Fr Huyng Cong Minh — YCS Chaplain — were H| sentenced to five years imprisonment for translating and commenting in the YCW magazine “Choose”, on the text of the Synod of Bishqps in Rome about "Justice in the World.” ACTION IN NEW ZEALAND 19/ 5/72 New Zealand YCW sent a telegram to President Thieu seeking information on the arrest of the South Vietnamese YCWs. Letter sent to South Vietnamese Ambassador to New Zealand (Wellington) on the same matter. Letter sent to New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs (Sir Keith Holyoake) requesting assistance in obtaining information. 25/ 5/72 Second letter to the Ambassador in Wellington. 7/ 6/72 Ambassador replies — no information but he will seek clarification on the matter. 9/ 6/72 Second letter to the Minister. 19/ 6/72 Minister replies that this matter is of no concern to him. 5/ 7/72 Third letter to Ambassador. Still no information. 12 /7/72 We request an interview with the Ambassador. 14/ 7/72 Delegation meets the 2nd Secretary. He informs us of "Operation Phoenix.” 8/ 8/72 Delegation meets the Ambassador. No information, and a second delegation in September also gets no further. 16/ 9/72 At a third meeting with the Ambassador he offers the following information but will not put it in writing: — the prisoners attacked a police station in 1971; — on the night of their arrest they had burnt down a bus station; — they belong to a communist front organisation; — they would soon come to a military court in the Front of the 3rd Zone; — Ambassador promised to keep us informed of proceedings and developments. To date we have not heard from him: 28/ 2/73 We suggest to the Ambassador that the prisoners should be released by 31/3/73 as there is not reason to detain them. 5/ 3/73 We meet the 2nd Secretary of the United States Embassy. Inform him of the situation. He promises information. 6/ 3/73 Further delegation to South Vietnamese embassy. No joy. , 14/ 3/73 Together with other concerned groups we meet with the new Associate Minister of Foreign Affiairs — Mr Waldmg. He is sympathetic. Department’s representative in Saigon will follow the matter up with Thieu government. 2/ 4/73 Further visit to Ambassador brings no information. WELLINGTON, 7 APRIL — A VIGIL WILL BE HELD OUTSIDE THE VIETNAMESE EMBASSY TO PROTEST AT THE DETENTION OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN SOUTH VIETNAM. YOUNG CHRISTIAN WORKERS’ MOVEMENT, N.Z.

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