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Indochina: The Continuing War

By VVAW

"Now that we're not actually dropping bombs, we must maintain our capability to resume such action if we have to." This was said by Gen. Jon Vogt, U.S. Air Force Commander.

This and other government statement statements make the point for us that the U.S. government is prepared, willing and ready to resume the air war in Indochina at any time. It is therefore necessary for the movement to continue to press for a complete end to aid for Thieu and Lon Nol, implementation of the Paris Agreement, and recognition of the legitimate governments in Indochina.

VIETNAM

Thieu and his Saigon associates have been continuing their violations of the Paris Peace Accords. There has been no move by Saigon toward the formation of a National Council for National Reconciliation and Concord, which, according to the treaty, was to include communist and non-communist opponents and was to organize national elections. Thieu has gone so far as to cancel all elections and then self-righteously declare that "there will be no peace."

At the same time, Thieu has been attacking the PRG controlled areas. Up to 100 air sorties a day have been launched by Saigon (TIME Magazine). With this, Thieu has also launched more than 100,000 "pacification" and police operations in the areas he controls. Not only does he detain and torture political prisoners, but for some time now Saigon prison guards have been dropping corpses of political prisoners into the rivers, where numerous naked, headless, armless and legless bodies can be seen floating everyday. Strict ordert have been given that under no circumstances can these bodies be fished out and buried.

The U.S. Congress and President have continued to back these practices by voting $1.1 billion in military aid to Thieu, and they have now moved to increase it by an additional $1 billion worth of war materials.

FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS

IMPLEMENT THE TREATY

LAOS

Implementation of the February, 1973, Laos Peace Agreement is still being delayed by the U.S. and its allies in Vientiane. The agreement called for complete withdrawal of foreign military (specifically naming the United States). Yet, the U.S. has refused to withdraw its Thai mercenaries, trained and paid for by the C.I.A.

In addition, Vientiane troops (trained, financed and "advised" by the U.S. government) have been attacking areas under the control of the Lao Patriotic Front. They have refused to allow civilians to return to their homes and villages (called for by the agreement) if these areas were controlled by the Patriotic Front.

The conduct of the Pathet Lao on the other hand, has been considerably different. As shown by a report in the Washington Post: "They (Pathet Lao) are models of deportment. They have opened up a free medical dispensary complete with an acupuncturist which has very much impressed the local population. Medecine on the government side is not free nor plentiful. Interviews indicate that the Pathet Lao enjoy sympathy among the population of Luan Prabang who are sick of corrupt government and military officials."

IMPLEMENT THE AGREEMENT

LAOS FOR THE LAOTIANS

CAMBODIA

The situation for the Phnom Penh government is deteriorating hourly. The liberation forces have been shelling Phnom Penh with captured U.S. 105 Howitozars. At the same time, they have blockaded the Mekong River and cut the two major roads into the city, thus isolating Phnom Penh and bringing it to economic collapse.

Lon Nol troops continue to desert en masse. A whole unit stationed at Kompong Tram refused to fight and crossed over to the side of the National United Front, taking all their weapons with them. Even though Lon Nol continues to tell his troops that they are fighting "North Vietnamese and Viet Cong," the troops at the front line know from first-hand experience that this is nonsense: "The voices that call from across the river are Khmer voices." (New York Times).

The U.S. continues to be the only power holding the Lon Nol government together. Internally, it is our tax dollars that finance all aspects of this corrupt group. Internally, it is the U.S. that keeps the pressure on our "allies" for continued recognition of Lon Nol over Sihanouk. It is therefore our duty to force an end to the U.S. government support of Lon Nol and push for the recognition of the legitimate government of the Cambodian people, GRUNC, headed by Prince Sihanouk.

END AID TO LON NOL

RECOGNIZE GRUNC

UNITY-STRUGGLE-VICTORY