WE MUST NOT FORGET
Webber, George W.
WE MUST NOT FORGET GEORGE W. WEBBER An eyewitness report on South Vietnam "If you...
...It is easier to be tation of the port of Cam Ranh Bay are only initial il- guilty and confess than to be innocent and be tortured, lustrations of the way in which foreign enterprise has as one policeman said to me, "until you become guilty...
...Thieu has recently extended his term of office once assigned by our government to discover why the and a number of political parties have been banned...
...aid, both military and for various aid projects...
...We have left the country litevery conversation with Vietnamese in the cities and tered with our garbage, the unexploded ordnance which countryside we probed this question...
...Graham Martin, he voiced his fervent your government to adhere to the agreement they signed prayer and honest conviction that when America is in Paris...
...15 March 1974: 34...
...The fact is that there is neither with the other South Vietnamese government and a peace for the Vietnamese nor honor for the United neutralist third element...
...The struggle of the against the French and now against the United States...
...careful students of the prison situation and have direct The use of economic and military power to impose contacts through relatives and ex-prisoners into most of one's own values and sense of what is right upon another the prisons in the country, are convinced that there are nation is always a pretentious and sinful business...
...A westerner sent to Vietnam sentence will, upon completion, lead to release...
...The war is at this moment intensifying...
...The Paris cold war no longer so plausible, is that the represenAccords meant the end of overt military engagement tative of the American government in Saigon affirms the of our soldiers and air force and the return of our pris- pure-bred cold war doctrine with no ambiguity: We oners of war...
...ranged a schedule which began in the early morning He made the journey in the forlorn hope that he might and continued with hardly an interruption until midfind now some small evidence that his son's death had night curfew...
...Since there are four or five million males French while Thieu was fighting with the French sol- over the age of 14 in South Vietnam, it is estimated diers...
...translated the agreement into Vietnamese, mimeographed copies, and sent his monks out to distribute it in the 00000000900000 countryside...
...At this with the purpose of determining how financial aid could point there is no way of being sure about how many be made available to the people of GVN areas of South prisoners there are in the country...
...The United States, she reStates...
...Illustrations to strength to stand over against the most powerful mili- the contrary are everywhere...
...in the police, several hundred thousand more are exCertainly, in his dependence upon American money prisoners...
...When a prisoner is released from instanding of this country...
...In one major battle Ho Chi rather the ex-prisoner must report at least monthly for Minh fought with the Vietnamese people against the years on end...
...our destruction of Vietnam and make amends for the A journalist was recently arrested for translating Amer- tragedy we have wrought by seeing that our government ican government documents into Vietnamese...
...In our orchard It is made possible by our taxes which provide 80 per- apricots unharvested, cent of its total budget...
...NLF could fight so effectively described the impact There are no indications the regime will grow less represupon him of his hundreds of interviews with captured sive in the years ahead...
...Incidentally this happened at NINA SANDRICH the time when the PRG radio was broadcasting the text of the Paris agreement around the clock for three days Apricots, Orchards And Things With Wings so that it would be known throughout the countryside...
...It is hold a meeting to talk about alternatives to war or if now time for all American people to accept the guilt for they are found with peace propaganda in their rooms...
...Debrah Wiley, a young woman dred men and women...
...they have always been able like an insect orgy to feed themselves...
...The impression exists in the United elements of our society that have brought chaos to a States that the aggressive actions of the past year have lovely agrarian society in which family ties have deep been largely the responsibility of the "Vietcong...
...One footnote to the overall tragedy hour after hour and listen to ex-prisoners describe the is in the matter of fishing...
...watched bombers take off on their missions...
...The pressure upon the Thieu govern- Americans who lost their lives there, including the son ment is to expand into PRG territory, to extend its of the present American Ambassador, died out of a control into areas that are now firmly in the hands of deep conviction of the necessity and rightness of what the NLF and, of course, to continue the control of the they were about...
...the U.S., but has determined to remain in her own Myth #1: The United States is achieving peace with country and continue the struggle against the military honor...
...been given free reign in securing the resources of the I had read all the reports out of South Vietnam about country and in particular, gaining access to an abundant torture and about prisons, but it is still painful to sit cheap labor supply...
...years of American military engagement and had now The temptation to forget is great indeed, but I knew come, on the anniversary of the signing of Paris Agree- that South Vietnam was in tremendous trouble for ments, to seek first-hand what the prospects were for which America must take responsibility...
...The NLF were fighting for carceration it is customary for his or her family to sign their country against the imperialists...
...It is our taxes If one looks at the Paris Accords one would hardly which continue to maintain this military state whose expect anything different...
...The Vietnamese coast has treatment they received not only through the torture but been rich in shrimp and fish...
...Many of the the population...
...as the present violence and repression they face daily...
...to replace the Japanese...
...During this lyze the problems of political prisoners and the prison first week we talked, often covertly, with nearly a hunsystem in South Vietnam...
...Vietnamese people is fundamentally a struggle against The crucial thread to an historical understanding of economic and political domination...
...During our last morning in Saigon we States have used to interpret the situation of Vietnam talked with Mrs...
...The response you mock at my mistrust...
...My purpose here is not so REVEREND GEORGE W. WEBBER, president of New York Theo- much to analyze or to provide possible solutions, but logical Seminary, is the author of God's Colony in Man's World simply to report what we were told by Vietnamese (Abingdon Press, 1960...
...Opposition to the regime or any attempt to find an alternative is viewed as treasonable and subject to imprisonment and torture...
...But as the Vietnamese said again and are defending the people of Vietnam against the threat again, we are responsible for maintaining in power the of Communism, and about this we should have no oppressive military dictatorship of the Thieu regime doubt...
...They said or do such enervating passions that whatever might ensue could not possibly be as brutal follow indolence of ours...
...For example, if a husband in the army, no longer able to face the miseries he must oversee at the prison at Con Son, finally deserts, his wife will almost certainly be picked up and imprisoned...
...Two members of the party traveled in the Federal Corrections System and had been for a north to Quang Tri, Hue, Danang, and the surroundtime Commissioner of Corrections for the State of Mas- ing countryside...
...Our plan was simple-we would try to not been totally in vain...
...This is exactly a rich agricultural country...
...the abundant supply of through the maltreatment that is normative in all prison Commonweal: 33 set-ups...
...tinuing financial support...
...fallen to earth, Myth #4: South Vietnam desperately needs our con- intoxicate air...
...cor- tremendous support by a variety of persons who arporation, had a son killed in ground combat in 1968...
...the prostitutes can find the responsibility for the escalation of the fighting and no easy return to Vietnamese life...
...The food allowance is limited in many situations strong bonds of family and tradition that bind North and to two small bowls of rice a day, the tiger cages.are a South together and who believe that there are resources reality, the courts provide a mockery of any kind of within the country to find a political solution that will be trial or justice, and there are no guarantees that an initial viable over the long run...
...It is my conviction, after both conversation and 15 March 1974: 32 study, that it is a total misreading of history to see labor with fishermen using their own small boats has this as a conflict between Communism and democracy, been able to provide much of the country with seabetween the repression of a Marxist state and a free food as an addition to the basic rice diet...
...In and profound meaning...
...A Buddhist withdraws from this foolish and impossible effort to leader, shortly after the signing of the Paris Accords, wring out of the tragedy some self-satisfaction...
...Initially (and I now refer to an actual case), she was tortured for three weeks and then served 18 months in jail, released only after her husband had of American involvement and the failure of our under- been recaptured...
...During the first week we would talk to as the Orient and sensitive to the problems of irrespon- many Vietnamese citizens as possible, to ex-prisoners, sible use of American power...
...Students are still arrested if they The pretentiousness of these claims is now clear...
...There are no free electary machine in the history of the world...
...How could America have continued population to maintain its dictatorship...
...The Thieu government can only grow more repressive...
...The Vietnamese first also within a few years virtually destroy the fishing in struggled against the French, then the Japanese, then a large section of the country...
...Though they might face several in an orchard months of dislocation and suffering, Vietnam can only where abandoned apricots hope for peace and a hopeful future with the complete spoil in squalor withdrawal of the United States government and all its and intimidating wasps, resources--and then a political struggle could take place...
...And as a corollary to this, "What kind of star- retaliatory stings...
...from the people with whom we talked was invariably But answer this - the same, a desperate plea that we tell our Congress and does inevitable decay the American people to withdraw all American financial evoke depravity...
...with Russia and China has made the rhetoric of the There is no honor for the United States...
...It is still shockploitation of western corporations than perhaps any ing to hear that torture is automatic upon arrest, lasting other country in the world...
...Economists also For me, the greatest denial of freedom and democindicated that South Vietnam is more open to the ex- racy comes in the justice delivery system...
...Not long ago in an interview with Joseph us had set foot in Vietnam before, we had been active Kraft, Secretary of State Kissinger said, only partly in in the peace movement for varying periods during the jest, "I hope I never have to think about Vietnam again...
...An American tions...
...present government...
...In the minded us, signed that agreement and is a partner to course of the twelve months after the signing of the the determination that those agreements become a realParis Accords in January 1973, the number of casual- ity...
...Once released from prison namese sought to prevent the French from returning there is no such thing as the termination of parole...
...and No emanation the hunger and suffering that might be entailed would reels the mind be short-lived if they could return to their fields...
...Any kind of dissent or oppoNLF soldiers...
...There are There is no honor in the horrendous dislocation of troops everywhere in the country, guards at every the Vietnamese by the massive intrusion of American bridge, with nearly one of every four males over age military power, by the support of forced movement of 14 in the army, and the numbers being drafted is in- people from their land and by the introduction of the creasing steadily...
...His conclusion was to confess the tragedy sition of substance is cruelly repressed...
...The Thieu regime was re- interest in ending the war and binding up the wounds quired by the agreements of Paris to seek a modus is not apparent...
...His expertise in the field of prisons and in the delta west from Saigon, nearly to Cambodia, and justice delivery systems was valuable in helping us ana- to resettlement villages along the coast...
...At the beginning of our second reporter and associate editor of American Report, had week we contacted the American Embassy and talked for some years covered the events of South Vietnam with government officials, both United States and when possible with Vietnamese...
...WE MUST NOT FORGET GEORGE W. WEBBER An eyewitness report on South Vietnam "If you think you understand Vietnam, you haven't and brought wide knowledge of the country to bear on been here long enough...
...If the United States government lived up to its ties, dead and wounded, continued at about the same responsibilities under that agreement and forced its figure as during the previous year of fighting...
...whose integrity and insight we affirm and whose courCommonweal: 31 age and fortitude inspired us...
...peace...
...meaning that some 2/3 of the men in the counfor arms and food, Thieu continues to be sustained by try are controlled by the present government...
...The United States Vietnam from his own country, was desperately trying to Ambassador and the Thieu government say that there find some way in which funds and relief could be sent in are perhaps 35,000 prisoners of all categories, mostly that would not be ripped off through the patterns of corcommon criminals...
...this country is the attempt to gain independence...
...Knowledgeable Vietnamese who are ruption that are so rampant in the Thieu government...
...In a lengthy conversation with the United States regime...
...Who," said the Vietnamese, "is the authentic that 1,100,000 are in the army, another 300,000 are Nationalist...
...Now, Japanese society...
...development aid were also withdrawn...
...The struggle in Vietnam, throughout this cen- fishing boats using heavy equipment are able to dredge tury, has been one of the Vietnamese people against and net vast seacoast areas without needing more than the colonial powers and economic imperialism-seeking a miniscule part of the traditional labor force, and may the right of self-determination...
...For at least 200,000 political prisoners...
...Oil rights, fishing, exploi- for 3 or 4 weeks on a daily basis...
...John Boone, a distin- relatives of prisoners and others who face some risk by guished black American, had worked for many years conversing with us...
...inflation is soaring...
...vivendi with the Provisional Revolutionary Government Myth #2: Communism is the enemy in Vietnam...
...Two weeks is a brief time indeed, but we were given Robert Ransom, an attorney for a major U.S...
...Ying Kelley, a city council- be inconspicuous, coming as tourists and staying in woman in Berkeley, California, Chinese by birth, separate hotels, to see as much as possible without brought to our group the perspective of one born in interference...
...That is, in prison too long now America, with a sense of noblesse oblige primarily because they, in some way or another, have and responsibility, has sought to force Vietnamese people expressed opposition or less than total loyalty to the to live up to what America thought was best for them...
...The words were spoken by an our journey...
...and torture of those in prison continues...
...the countryside is the continuation of the military struggle lies primarily scarred...
...Who believes in his country...
...The other three journeyed to Can Tho sachusetts...
...children are on the streets paper reporters about it, and, with the exception of and in the orphanages, many with living parents who American officials, the answer seemed quite clear-that are unable to support them...
...There are grossly oppressive governments in many parts of the world, but I suspect that the unique family dependence in Vietnam creates a particularly vicious situation...
...It is Myth #3: The Thieu government is on the way to of course true that the DRV and PRG operate with democracy and is about the best one could expect, a strong Socialist ideology, but in a unique way that given the fact that they are not the inheritors of 2,000 has been grafted onto the authentic values of Viet- years of western civilization and heirs of the Magna namese family society in a way that has created the Carta and the traditions of democracy...
...We heard puppet state, the Thieu government, to maintain them, the artillery at night, saw missiles fired by day, and then there might be an authentic possibility for peace...
...vation and misery would you face if American relief and You say it's safe to wander there...
...The voices of Vietnam and providing the military hardware which enables the served to destroy four myths which people in the United war to continue...
...Ngo Ba Thanh, the brilliant woman and which by their distortion of reality tend to confuse attorney who has been offered several professorships in our perceptions and defeat our solutions...
...The United States signed a treaty which was finally finished with South Vietnam several years hence, to bring peace-a political solution-to Vietnam and we will be able to say that in spite of all its tragedies, which affirmed the right of the PRG to coexist along "We came out all right...
...long for an opportunity to return to their villages and What is shocking now, however, after the dbtente land...
...A Vietnamese pledges guaranteeing themselves as hostages for the reminded me that shortly after World War II the Viet- ex-prisoner's good behavior...
...I was going to be part of the group out American Mennonite missionary as a way of warning of great fear that I, like so many Americans, would a group of five American visitors that we would need fall guilty to the amnesia that enables us to forget the to be on our guard in seeking to understand the com- tragedy we wrought in Southeast Asia and turn to other plex reality of this Asian country...
...Her point to us was quite simple-please ask Ambassador, Mr...
...which at the time of the Paris Accords controlled ap- For two generations Americans have defined the problem proximately two-thirds of the land area of South Viet- in Southeast Asia as a desperate struggle against the nam, while the Thieu regime controlled two-thirds of forces of worldwide Communist aggression...
...The one question I asked again Besotted wasps, and again was: "What kind of violence, what kind of invading realms of rottenness, bloodbath might emerge if American military support have quite forgotten was suddenly withdrawn and the Thieu government top- they possess pled...
...the power of western governments...
...He was threatened with imprisonment if he did not desist at once...
...innocuous now, This response was confirmed by many of the Americans celebrate split legacies with whom we talked, particularly those who sensed the of indifference and disgust...
...and the desperate hunger in the hands of the Thieu regime...
...Although none of problems...
...There is also so long if many had not thought that however difficult no peace for the million people presently classified as the job, it was one that was a responsibility we could refugees and the hundreds of thousands more who have not avoid and laid upon us by the need to defend the been driven from their farmland into the cities and who free world...
...We asked news- continues to maim and kill...
Vol. 100 • March 1974 • No. 2
