CAMBODIAN AUTHORITIES SAID YESTERDAY (SATURDAY 13TH) THAT MORE THAN A HUNDRED VIETNAMESE CIVILIANS WERE SHOT DEAD IN DETENTION CAMP AT TAKEO TOWN, BUT CLAIMED THEY WERE CAUGHT IN CROSS-FIRE WHEN VIET CONG TROOPS TRIED TO RELEASE THEM. A SURVIVOR, HOWEVER, HAS TOLD REPORTERS OF A MASSACRE.

THE VICTIMS WERE SHOT WHILE BEING DETAINED IN A SCHOOLHOUSE. THE LOCAL DEPUTY-GOVERNOR BELIEVES THEY WERE CAUGHT UP IN BURST OF CROSSFIRE WHILE CAMBODIAN MILITIA UNITS WERE ATTEMPTING TO THWART EFFORTS BY VIET CONG TROOPS TO RELEASE THEM, BUT STORIES OF THE INCIDENT RELATED BY OFFICIAL AND SURVIVORS ARE CONTRADICTORY.

ONE SURVIVOR HAS TOLD OF BEING HERDED BY CAMBODIAN SOLDIERS INTO THE LOCAL SCHOOL FOR CHECKING ALONG WITH AS MANY OTHER VIETNAMESE IN THE AREA AS COULD BE FOUND. HE CLAIMED THAT, FOLLOWING A MINOR VIET CONG ATTACK ON THE TOWN, CAMBODIAN SOLDIERS RETURNED TO THE SCHOOLHOUSE AND FIRE ON THE DETAINEE.

IT WAS THE THIRD REPORTED MASS KILLING OF VIETNAMESE CIVILIANS IN CAMBODIA SINCE PRINCE NORODOM SIHANOUK, WAS DEPOSED AS HEAD OF STATE ON MARCH 18TH, AND HAS AROUSED TERROR IN CAMBODIA'S VIETNAMESE POPULATION OF ABOUT HALF A MILLION. MEANWHILE PRECEDENT THIEU OF SOUTH VIETNAM HAS OFFERED VIETNAMESE NATIONALS IMMEDIATE REPATRIATION IN AN EFFORT TO SPARE THEM ANY FURTHER MASS KILLINGS.

IN PHNOM PENH THE CAMBODIAN PREMIER, LON NOL WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT ON THE INCIDENT, AND A DEFENCE MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAID HE HAD NO COMPLETE INFORMATION.