International protest over political prisoners

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33655, 3 October 1974, Page 14

International protest over political prisoners

A national demonstration is ' planned to draw the attention of the Government and the public to the treatment of 200,000 political prisoners held in contravention of the Paris Peace Agreement.

R.A.V.P.O.C. (Release all Vietnamese prisoners of conscience) plans to meet in Wellington this week-end to keep vigil outside the residence of the South Vietnamese Ambassador and to march on the United States; and South Vietnamese embassies and on Parliament. The organisation is joining with concerned groups in other countries to demonstrate this week against the detention of prisoners. Its aims, as stated by the organisations, are to draw attention to the 200,000 political prisoners held by the Saigon Administration and to object to the New Zealand Government’s “violation of the Paris Agreement.” “While claiming to uphold the agreement, it favours one side diplomatically, and with aid. This is contrary to the agreement,” says the committee. The meeting in Wellington will draw R.A.V.P.O.C. groups from all over New Zealand, and other organis-

ations. About 40 persons are expected to go from Christchurch. The Christchurch committee has set up an information tent in Cathedral Square to publicise the treatment of prisoners by the Saigon Government. A “tiger cage” has been erected alongside the tent. LETTER RECEIVED R.A.V.P.O.C. says it has received a letter from 8000 political prisoners in the Can Dao prison in South Vietnam.

Copies of English transla-

tions have been sent to it. The original letter was sent to the International Commission of Control and Supervision, and the main office of the Joint Military. Commission.

The letter says that the Saigon and United States Governments have hidden the contents of the peace agreement from prisoners. “The Saigon authorities are not only concealing every bit of news, but are fabricating their own version of the contents of the agreement. This has confused the prisoners, making them more easily terrorised,” the letter says. “They continue making I arrests, using terrorism, and beating us ruthlessly when we speak about peace.” The Saigon authorities had issued orders to dispose of old and sick persons and women, by forcing them to board aircraft and sign documents stating their release. The passengers then “disappeared,” the letter says.

“Their fate is still unclear — and the situation is still going on.” Prisoners from Nhatrang had signed papers granting them freedom but had then been brought to Con Dao. “According to the stipulations of the Treaty to End the War and Restore Peace, together with the protocol concerning the return of captive and detained military and civilian personnel, we note that the Saigon authorities and the United States Government are not only not seriously carrying out the provision they agreed to, but they are, on the contrary, treating us more cruelly and wickedly than before,”- the letter says.