DEMONSTRATION BY CATHOLIC MARCHERS WITH BANNERS IN SAIGON.




Initials



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Background: THE CATHOLIC DEMONSTRATIONS IN SOUTH VIETNAM HAVE BEEN CONTINUING WITH WARNINGS THAT THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RECENT RIOTING WOULD BE PUNISHED.

CATHOLIC LEADERS DID NOT MENTION THE BUDDHISTS BY NAME, BUT THEY HAVE BEEN OUTSPOKEN AGAINST THEM RECENTLY AND HAVE NOW ANNOUNCED THE FORMATION OF A FORCE OF YOUTHS READY TO FIGHT DISORDER IF THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT IS NOT ABLE TO DO IT.

MOST DEMONSTRATORS IN THIS PROTEST CAME FROM REFUGEE CENTRES AROUND SAIGON AND CARRIED ANTI-COMMUNIST BANNERS PROTESTING IN PARTICULAR AT THE RECENT DISORDERS IN CENTRAL VIETNAM.

THE DEMONSTRATORS ALLEGE COMMUNIST-INSPIRED GROUPS ARE AT WORK AMONG THE BUDDHISTS. THEY WERE PROTECTED BY THE "FIGHTING FORCE OF YOUTHS" CARRYING LONG KNIVES, SWORDS AND BAMBOO STICKS, BUT THERE WAS NO TROUBLE.

ON SUNDAY, THE DEMONSTRATORS HAD SWOLLEN TO 3,000 IN NUMBER. THEIR LEADERS IN SPEECHES ATTACKED THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT AS "INCAPABLE AND COWARDLY". THE DEMONSTRATION WAS PEACEFUL.

THERE WAS A SIMILAR MARCH THROUGH THE TOWN OF THU DUC, NORTH OF SAIGON; AND AT TAN TO A VILLAGE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF DANANG, CATHOLIC DEMONSTRATORS PROTESTED AGAINST BUDDHIST-LED COMMITTEES WHICH THEY SAID VIRTUALLY CONTROLLED DANANG. AND ON MONDAY, 10,000 CATHOLIC-LED MARCHERS WERE OUT IN THE STREETS AT TUY HOA.