Viet Cong May Vote

Press, Issue 31095, 25 June 1966, Page 15

Viet Cong May Vote

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright)

WASHINGTON,

June 23.

The Viet Cong apparently will be eligible to vote—but not to be candidates—in South Vietnam’s elections next September.

There has been speculation in Washington whether the Communists will turn out at the polls. The Viet Cong radio has repeatedly denounced the September 11 election as a United States sponsored “fraud.” But it has so far not made a specific statement on whether its members will boycott the election.

Although nothing in Saigon politics is certain, American officials say the election laws provide that, candidates must be at least 25, and among other qualifications, must not

have worked directly or indirectly for Communists or “pro-Communist neutralists.” There may be loopholes through which district and

municipal officials could refuse to register Communists to vote. But neither the 32-memJ ber drafting committee, which [prepared the laws, nor the ' Government, which adopted them with some changes, call-

ed for political restriction of voters. The drafting committee de-

bated and rejected a proposal to limit elections to areas of

South Vietnam under Government control. An estimated 22 per cent of

the people live in areas under Viet Cong control, another 18 per cent in contested areas and some 60 per cent in areas under some form of Government control. | Generally, the Government

holds the cities and towns where the polling places would be. But people in Viet I Cong areas could face terrorism in going to the towns to vote.

Although there has been talk in Washington of proposing an election ceasefire of one or more days, officials doubt that the Communists would honour a truce for an election they condemn.