BUDDHISTS SEE LODGE, SEEK AMERICAN SUPPORT

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31083, 11 June 1966, Page 17

BUDDHISTS SEE LODGE, SEEK AMERICAN SUPPORT

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SAIGON, June 10. A new Buddhist manifesto, moderating their militant stand against the military government of Premier Nguyen Cao Ky, was seen in Saigon today as an attempt to woo American support for their efforts to hasten civilian rule.

The 15-point manifesto was issued late yesterday by the Unified Buddhist Church, spearhead of opposition to the military Government.

It said: Any peace negotiations with the Viet Cong now would

mean surrender. The United States presence is “obviously needed.”

The manifesto was issued after a meeting attended by the United States Ambassador, Mr Henry Cabot Lodge, and Thich Tam Chau, moderate head of the church and chairman of Saigon’s Buddhist Institute, political arm of the Unified Buddhist Church. Thich Chau, devotee of nonviolence, and two colleagues met Mr Lodge and other United States mission members for 90 minutes. “So far there have been many misunderstandings between our two sides . . . that is why we requested this meeting,” Thich Chau told reporters. A United States spokesman declined to comment on the views exchanged.

Meanwhile, in the northern city of Hue, where Buddhists have adopted an even harder line against the government and the United States than those in Saigon, a Buddhist leader yesterday called off human blockades of United States military convoys. Thich Tri Quang, now beginning the third day of a

hunger strike protesting against United States support of the military regime, ended the blockades only a few hours after a large convoy of American trucks had been turned back by a human barrier of 100 Buddhists at Hue. Thich Quang, one of the prime members of the campaign to unseat the regime, told his followers to remove family Buddhist altars blocking the coastal highway over a 30-mile stretch. The clandestine Buddhist

radio in Hue said Thich Quang would continue his fast until President Johnson ended his support for the ruling junta. Earlier today, the 44-year-old monk told reporters that his name headed a list of Buddhist leaders the government wanted to assassinate.

At Lang Co, 25 miles south of Hue, South Vietnamese Marines were reported to have arrested 50 Buddhists yesterday during a sweep aimed at restoring government control. The Buddhist manifesto is described as surprisingly in line with the’ thinking of Premier Ky. However, there was little doubt the United States would continue to back the military government, which has promised elections in September. NO RESPONSE

American diplomats were nevertheless pleased with the overtures, however they might regard the Buddhist declaration against peace talks.

The Johnson Administration has expressed willingness to talk with the Communists, but there has been no response. The Buddhist manifesto referred to American “mistakes in Vietnam” and charged that there had been too much reliance on the army as a political force.

But the tone was that of conciliation —a sharp contrast to recent emotional anti-gov-ernment demonstrations, charges, and letters of protest to President Johnson by monks and nuns committing suicide by fire, Associated Press said.

It was likely that, shaken by Ky’s firm stand, the Buddhists were at a loss for

tactics, the agency commented. Appeasing the . American Government and public opinion was one course of action likely to reduce tension, it said.