EMBASSY Press and

2200 Koloromo Rood N.W.

VOL. 1 NO . 7

OF VIET NAM I nformotion

AD4 .. 3301 Servi'e

Washington

A_IJril 22, 1955 CON TENTS

NATIONAL AFFAIRS ------------------

D.C.

Resolution of Support for Premier Ngo dinh Diem Political High Council expected to have 25-30 members Agrarian Reform actively applied in the provinces Mr. Paul Devinat's Mission

FOREIGN AFFAIRS VietNam participates 1n Second World Congress of

Meteorology Vietnamese delegation at Bandung

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RESOLUTIONS OF SUPPORT FOR PREMIER NGO DINH DIEM

SAIGON: The many telegrams addressed to Premier Ngo dinh Diem show signs of vigorous support for the head of the government and for his policy . Two in }Jarticular are worthy of note. One comes from the province of Soc Trang and the other from a group of North Viet Nam journalists.

Representatives of every class from Soc Trang province gathered in the parish house of Khang Hung and declared su}'port for the Premier in the present situation with all their strength and with all their means in order to permit him to follow with firmness his wise and timely policy.

A group of North Vietnamese newspapermen took an oath to fight to the very last minute against the tyranny of the Communist Viet Minh and besought the political and religious groups to cooperate with the government, placing the interest of the nation above everything.

As another example, refugees of Ba L;;1.ng who arrived March 20th aboard the transport "Kilinski" and resettled at Xuan Truong in the Thu Due region addressed a resolution of support to Premier Ngo dinh Diem. The resolution ­pointed out that the struggle for freedom, indefendence and national unity requires harmony among all social classes and that Premier Ngo dinh Diem had insisted on saving the people from separatism. The resolution concluded:

"We unanimously decide to support Premier Ngo dinh Diem without reserva­tion and to strengthen our ranks behind him in the struggle he is leading for the national cause." The resolution was signed: ' 1The l, 737 refugees from Ba Lang who arrived aboard the ' 1Kilinski' 1

•

:0:< >'.o:C * :;. ~( POLITICAL HIGH COUNCIL EXPECTED TO HAVE 25-30 MEMBERS

Saigon: The various political groups already agreed to send representatives to the political High Council. The number of these re p resentatives in addition to the individual political personalities will bring the membership of the Council to approximately 25 or 30 members . The third meeting of the newly formed council will be devoted to discussion of lines of action and the manner in which the High Council will function . Although the Council is expected to meet at regular intervals, it will also meet in special session when called upon by the head of the government.

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AGRARIAN REFORM ACTIVELY APPLIED IN THE PROVINCES SAIGON:

Provincial authorities responsible for the application of agrarian reform measures which have been under way for more than a month have expressed satisfaction with the results obtained so far. According to the head of Gia dinh province, land owners and tenant farmers have adhered strictly to the clauses demonstrated in the sample contracts which have been distributed in large quantities and have reached the most distant villages. There is no misunderstand­ing possible, for the tenant farmers have carefully examined each clause of the typical contract.

Community officials have established two registers, the one notes all the contracts between landowners and tenant farmers that have been signed, and the other constitutes a list of tenant farmers nominated for receiving contracts. Each farmer has been quick to make the necessary statements concerning his needs.

During the .r-ast few weeks, each village has set up its own "agricultural district committee" and made a list of five farmers and five landowners. Each district has as many lists of farmers and landowners as there are villages. For example, a district including five villages has five lists of farmers and five lists of landowners, or a total of twenty five farmers and twenty five landowners. Each delegation has as many lists of farmers and owners as there are districts. Joint committees at various levels are then nominated by balloting.

The commission that will undertake to make UJ? the local joint commission will be composed of ( 1) the head of the province or his deputy; (2) the president of the tribunal or a magistrate as his deputy; (3) an administrative delegate of the principal town of the province; (4) the head of the provincial land bureau will be ap-_ pointed as secretary of the commis sian.

The local joint commission on the district or delegation level will include two tenant farmer representatives and two de _l.Jutie s, and tw, ' landowner representatives and two de _r;u ties .

The provincial joint commission will include five tenant farmer representa­tives and· their deputies and five landowner representatives and their deputies. These members will also be appointed by balloting among those concerned appear­ing on lists furnished by each administrative delegation.

Mr. Nguyen thuc Lang, governor of Giadinh _l.Jrovince, when questioned on the 'attitude of the population on the matter, stated: "Agrarian reform as recommend­ed by the National Government is welcomed by the farmers for they feel that they are being protected. The eagerness with which farmers have signed contracts following the distribution of the sample contracts leaves no doubt as to their support of the recommended reform measures. 11

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The main J;rovisions of the reform decrees which the local commissions will administer call for the distribution of the land of absentee landowners either to farmers who have already tilled the land, refugees, dependents of servicemen killed in action, former servicemen, or others who may claim the land. The initial period of tenancy will be for a period of three years, and tenants of land belonging to absent owners will be exem:_fJted from paying rent the first year. They will pay half the normal amount the second year and 75 per cent the third year. At the expiration of the contract, it may be renewed for a further period of five years . After this time, the settlers may become the legal owners of the property if the previous owners have not entered a claim .

The reform measure also calls for a census of all fallow lands and requires that all landowners send the government an accounting of their uncultivated land and must undertake to cultivate the land in time for the next harvest. All lands left uncultivated by December 31, 1955 are to be redistributed. Rents are to be r-aid within fixed limits and owners who claim, or tenants who pay higher rents than the fixed rate, will be fined and sent to 1-~risi:>n. Also, owners failing to file a statement describing the condition of their land will be treated as absentee landowners .

The Governor of Giadinh }JOinted out that the people must stand ready to resist manoeuvres stemming from the enemy's subversive p ropaganda. "It must be ex­pected, 11 he said, "for agrarian reform as presently J;racticed, is a direct blow to the false propaganda of the Viet Minh."

MR. PAUL DEVINAT, FRENCH REPRESENTATIVE, INTERVIEWED BY VIET NAM PRESS AGENCY ..

In response to a direct question as to the purpose of his trip to Southeast Asia, Mr. Paul Devinat, French representative, stated that the government of France had placed him in charge of an information mission before the opening of the Bandung conference in Indonesia. At the time of his interview with the VietNam Press Agency, he said he had already spoken with leaders of Pakistan, India, and Burma.

"During my stay in the Associated States," he said, "I have talked with heads of the governments of Viet Nam, Cambodia, and Laos. As you undoubtedly know, I have seen Premier Ngo dinh Diem and Mr. Tran van Do, Minister of F .:>reign Affairs. At the conclusion of my stay in Indo- China I expect to go to Japan.

"France, 11 Mr. Devinat continued, "is not directly concerned with the Bandung conference and will not participate. Such is the case with the United Kingdom and the U. S. S. R., but my government believes that this meeting of many nations deserves to be followed with understanding . One of the characteristics peculiar to this conference is that the meeting has no agenda and each country attending will be able to expose the problems that give it the most concern. The govern­ment of France hopes that the contacts made at the confe renee will be fruitful and contribute to the maintenance of peace.

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In reply to questioning as to how the government of France would deal with the government of Viet Nam, Mr. Devinat stated that, "France, having recognized the independence of Viet Nam with no reservations, believes that relations between the two countries must be based henceforth on the principle of absolute equality. Naturally, France hopes for the establishment of strong ties of friendship between the government of Viet Nam and the government of France. While anxious to pro­tect her economic and cultural interests, France is ready to help Viet Nam in every way p os sit]e.

"There is probably no country in the world, 11 Mr. Devinat concluded, "whose leaders have so well understood French culture. It is for this reason that I think we can look forward to the future relations between our two countries with con­fidence."

VIETNAM PARTICIPATES IN SECOND vVCRLD CONGRESS OF METEOROLOGY PARIS:

Mr. Do dinh Cuong, Director of the National Office of .l\lleteorology arrived in Paris on April seventeenth by air from Saigon. He proceeded to Geneva where he will represent VietNam at the Second World Congress of Meteorology which is being held there. Mr. Cuong will be assisted by Mr. Ha vinh Phuong, First Secretary with the High commissariat of VietNam in France. In the course of this work at Geneva, the member states of the World Meteorology Organization will be required to give s pecial consideration to the request for admission p resent­ed by Cambodia and communist China .

GENERAL COLLINS IN WASHINGTON General J. Lawton Collins returned to Washington from Saigon on April 21st

for consultation. He will report to Congress, the White House and to the Depart­ment of State. It is expected that he will discuss the mutual security 1-Jrogram for the Far East.

ARRIVAL OF THE VIETNAMESE DELEGATION AT BANDUNG SAIGON: The delegation of free Viet Nam, led by Mr. Nguyen van Thoai, arrived at Bandung on Saturday afternoon by special Vietnamese government J;lane via Singapore and Djakarta.

Mr. Thoai was welcomed by Dr. Sastroamidjojo, Prime Minister of Indonesia, the Governor of West Java and a number of other officials. He presented a written statement to newsmen from which the following is extracted:

"On setting foot on this wonderful land of Indonesia, the delegation of the National Government of VietNam expresses the hope that the conference will contribute to the establishment of closer relations and the realization of cooperation on economic and cultural levels among the nations of Africa and Asia.

"We hope that these first contacts will permit each delegation to evaluate correctly the problems that are common to our countries on the one hand, and on

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the other, the particular political and economic situation of each country ... "

After a brief talk with Indonesia's Prime Minister, Mr. Nguyen van Thoai entered a car decorated with the colors of Viet Nam, and with a motor cycle escort, drove to the hotel ."Preanger" located in the heart of Bandung where he resided for the duration of the conference in the company of General Trinh minh The. The other members of the delegation stayed at the "Savoy" hotel and in a villa on Setia Budhi road.

VIETNAM IN BANDUNG Mr. Nguyen van Thoai, head of the Vietnamese delegation at the Bandung

conference met with Pandit Nehru on the 20th of April at his residence. A most cordial conversation was held between the two statesmen who discussed matters of mutual interest and explored questions concerning the conference.

Viet Nam is represented on two commissions which are appointed by the conference. Mr. Nguyen huu Chau and Mr. Nguyen _t)huong Thiep are on the Cultural Commission, and Mr. Buu Kinh and Mr. Bui Qui Lan represent Viet Nam on the Economic Commission.

At a reception given by the Vietnamese delegation, two films on the refugees from North VietNam were shown. They created much lively interest among most of the delegations. While the conference was in session, the Vietnamese delegation arranged a photographic exhibit on the themes of inde_IJendence, liberty, and progress.