Saigon decree on foreigners

Press, Issue 33840, 12 May 1975, Page 15

Saigon decree on foreigners

(N.Z.P. A. Reuter—Copyright SAIGON, May 11.

The new military rulers of Saigon have issued a series of decrees governing the conduct of the several thousand foreigners remaining in the South Vietnam capital.

The new rules, posted around the streets on large placards today, are written only in Vietnamese, and initially caused considerable confusion among the foreign communities.

They say that all foreigners living in the Saigon-Gia Dinh area must obey the orders of the Military Management Committee now responsible for the running of the city, and must respect the habits and customs of the Vietnamese people.

i Foreigners must also respect the independence and sovereignty of Vietnam and the laws of the Provisional Revolutionary Government.

At least 10,000 French passport holders have remained iin Saigon. About 8000 of them are of Asian origin and the others are long-time planters and businessmen or employees of the French Embassy and aid groups.

I Saigon also has a sizeable (Indian minority — mainly small businessmen — and there are 120 foreign journalists from 13 countries. Foreigners, who have until May 25 to register with the authorities, have been given free rein to move about in the Saigon-Gia Dinh area, I except for military sectors, but forbidden to leave it.

Official permission is also i necessary for a change of residence or job. or if one; [wants to leave the country. [ The posters ban foreigners’

from possessing weapons, explosives, transmitting and reI ceiving equipment, and I opium.

Even diplomatic missions have been told to report what type of radio equipment they have, and they must have official permission to use it. The atmosphere in the streets, however, is still very relaxed: Saigon’s notorious [black markets still thrive, openlv selling goods looted from American homes and buildings. Photographers are still having to patrol the markets to buv back equipment robbed from them in the streets. The new authorities are conscious of the problem, and are highly embarrassed by the [mounting complaints from foreign journalists who fall 'victim to the motor-cyclist [camera and bag-snatchers. One French photographer [says that it is easier to buy back his own equipment at

the market than go through the long, circuitous procedure of reporting it to the police, who. however, are beginning to make their presence felt on patrol.

One truck-load of greengarbed. bush-hatted policemen riding at high speed with siren howling down Tudo Street, the main thoroughfare. was an awesome sight. The police, wearing red armbands, stood shoulder to shoulder at the sides of the truck aiming the assault rifles threateningly. One ipoliceman carried a rocketi launcher.

Diplomats are becoming [restive about their continu[ing isolation, after a fruitless 'wait for the new authorities [to contact them. The French, in general, are disappointed [that they are not being given [preferential treatment, and [attribute this to their Govern[ment’s efforts to mediate in Ithe closing stages of the war.