Monks standing by altars; army lorry; people in street.




Initials GM-N-JH-BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Thousands of South Vietnamese Buddhists in the dissident northern city of Hue poured into the streets with their family altars on Monday in passive resistance to attempts by the country's ruling military junta to regain control of the city. No move was made by the 4,000 Vietnamese troops in Hue to step the new-style demonstration in a city whose recent history has been one of violence.

Roadblocks of altars topped by burning lamps and candles sealed every main road into Hue. As traffic piled up, Buddhists lit sticks of incense and bowed in prayer. In the city's main streets Buddhist monks and nuns stood in silent protest beside the altars.

The demonstration was s riposte to a previous day's order from the Saigon government outlawing all anti-government and anti-American demonstrations in the Hue area.